[Leslie J]

Hi everyone!! I was wondering if anyone has found that when you switch over to a grain-free diet, does your pup lose weight? I’ve switched both my collies over to Trout/Salmon Zignature and they both have lost weight (about 4 pounds) over the past few months, even though I’m feeding MORE than the recommended amount. My concern is how to add the weight back on without causing a tummy upset caused by too much Zignature? Thank you!!

[zcRiley]

My pups became allergic to Orijen Adult and I switched to limited ingredient formulas to guess my way thru causes (before I did the allergy testing panel). They lost too much weight and still had reactions. I was told one protein diets are not enough for dogs unless they are severely allergic to other major proteins. Then I found Zignature Zssentials, has 4 proteins & not much else that can upset their digestion. Now they’re healthy, lean & muscular. It cleared up other issues as well. I add 2 side dishes with it for variety, some wet & some dry, I don’t mix it so they have fun with new flavors.

[C4D]

Hi Leslie,

I do a lot of rotating of food so I can use single proteins since I will switch to a different protein on the next bag. Feeding guidelines are just that, guidelines. I have very easy keepers (Labs) and I always have to feed a bit less than recommended even though they are fairly active. Every dog is different and have different metabolisms. So what might be enough for one dog is way too much for another dog. Generally, dogs will have more muscle on a grain free diet that has more protein than carbohydrates. But of course, that depends on if you’re feeding the correct amount.

One thing you might want to look at is the kcal/cup of the foods you are feeding. One size does not fit all. I don’t know what you fed before, but the calorie count might be completely different. Zignature Trout/Salmon is 420 kcal/cup. Were your dogs the correct weight before they were on grain free? If so, the easiest way to add some extra food is to do a gradual adjustment and add just a bit more for a week or so, note if there is some weight gain and go on from there.

[DogFoodie]

I totally second C4D’s thoughts.

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