I doubt the shedding is due to the food. Shedding is generally due to hormonal changes unless the food is horrible. This time of the year the days get shorter and melatonin levels change, impacts coat. Have you ever noticed on some breeds thin hair on the back of the ears? You almost always see that during the late winter when the shorter days effect melatonin and coat growth. German Shorthaired Pointers are known for this as well as many other breeds.

The frequent poops though are because that food is loaded with pea ingredients. Peas, Pea Protein and Pea Fiber. Pea fiber is a completely inferior fiber compared to beet pulp.

Pea ingredients are known to make larger, softer and more poop.

 

I disagree with you on beet pulp being good, but I researched peas in dog food, and you're right on it producing more poo (http://www.petfoodindustry.com/Columns/Ingredient_Issues/2362.html). Earthborn Coastal Catch has peas of some sort as 3 out of the first 7 ingredients. According to this article, peas aren't bad in dog food, but I think the percentage in this food is excessive. I'll be looking for a new food for the next bag. Picking up 5 or more poos a day from a dog this size is no fun.

I guess the shedding is seasonal. Dempsey must be starting to blow his summer coat, getting ready for winter. We just adopted him a little over a month ago, so I've never experienced a winter with him before.

 

Duke's shedding more right now too. I zoom groomed him yesterday and all his hair clogged the drain. Keep in mind I also just did that the week before. It's probably more with just seasonal shedding.

 

Interesting about the peas..,some of Abbie's best poops have been on eathborns Great Plains feast...

 

No problems in my house with Earthborn. I am feeding the meadow feast though and plan on feeding Primitive Natural after they are done either this bag.

 

Meadow Feast is as pea laden as Coastal Catch. Interestingly though, the Primitive Natural has a lot more meat in it, and looks to be a much better kibble, with peas much further down the list of ingredients. I wish my feed store had the sample bags for me to try. For some reason, they don't, although they have the other varieties! I hesitate to buy a large bag, only to find out my dogs can't eat it.

 

I see a couple things happening here with Dempsey. First, you recently adopted him. Who knows what he was fed prior to your getting him and starting him on a better (likely!) food. All that old coat will shed out and new, nice coat will come in. Also, it is fall and both my Chi and my (improper coat- grows like a golden's coat) Portuguese Water Dog are shedding as well.

12% ash is high! I get nervous for ash levels over 9%, but then I've had stone-formers in the past. I've heard that the higher the ash, the less quality meat meal is used; it's higher in bone.
HTH

 

Most of my dogs did fine on Earthborn. None liked the Coastal Catch so we fed Meadows Feast and Great Plains. Poop was good- no issue with bigger poop due to peas. Also ate Nutrisource GF Lamb which uses peas and poop was small on it too. My dogs poop was the largest on Acana Wild Prarie before they changed the ingredients- haven't tried it since then.

As for shedding- yes my dogs did shed more on Earthborn. I didn't really notice it at first, but especially Casper. He sheds horribly year round anyways, but it was a lot more on Earthborn. Not sure why. Their coats looked good- soft and shiny.

But his shedding is greatly reduced on NOW GF Largebreed Senior. His poop is firm and he goes w/ no issue. Tear stains are almost gone too.

 

I am a 100% all raw fed 'burnout.' I've noticed that my dogs look better with kibble in their diet. Much better coat and skin- I have tons of books on raw feeding and apparently, something was missing for my girls. I also do not have the space for a freezer nor the time to hack up carcasses for the girls.

That said, what I do now is: Per Monica Segal's booklet "Enhancing Commercial Diets," I add a meat/veg/calcium mixture to the kibble and then add tepid water to juuuust cover the kibble in the bowl. They get 2/3 dry food and 1/3 raw topper mixture for their daily diet.

For one, I know the food combination is 'balanced' as Monica's done all the work for me and I also feel good that they are getting high quality raw meat and veg.
The girls are THRIVING. With RMBs 1-2 times a week for tooth health, everything is great. One of the girls, Darby, just had bloodwork done and she is 11 yrs, everything looks great

ANyway, thought I'd share what's working for me, if you are interested in incorporating some raw into their diets.

 

Do you mind sharing the recipe for the topper? I have a dog on kibble and might try it

 

thanks dear. Just wondered.

 

I started off with Orijen Fish and started mixing in the Coastal Catch.

I have noticed when it's primarily the Coastal Catch, Clint poops 1 more time a day vs straight Orijen. 3 vs 2 times.

I have seen no increase in shedding, but he is a shed monster anyways except for the winter.

 

Looks like Coastal Catch got more potatoes, peas, pea protein, various fiber sources and other carbohydrates than Orijen 6 Fish. Orijen use an animal source for fat. Coastal Catch use canola oil.