Newbie with a sweet Beagle and a couple Q's!

[myjackson]

Hello all!

Just joined today hoping to talk shop with other Beagle parents

We brought our sweet Jackson home in April, and he is now about 10 months old. Our whole family loves and adores Jackson, despite him being a fairly hyper pup

He's a super friendly dog, and he truly can't stand it when he's around people who aren't showing him any attention. We've taken him along on vacations, hikes, and various road trips...all of which he loves.

We seem to be going through a few growing pains lately, however! Most recently, he gets a little too rambunctious when playing and nips at people. I know he's not trying to hurt anyone, but he doesn't seem to understand that it hurts! Anyone have suggestions on stopping that?

And our one other issue...he's suddenly eating grass, weeds, and leaves constantly! Do all Beagles do this? Jackson is doing it so much lately it's making him sick.

Stacey & Jackson

[Clairebear]

My 14 year old beagle for many years ate grass frequently and made herself vomit (at least once a month). One vet finally suggested she may have a food allergy & put her on a prescription diet (dry dog food of duck & potato). I had been feeding her cheap grocery store brand chicken & rice or lamb and rice. Anyway the prescription food worked well and she rarely ate grass after I switched food. I think food allergy is a common problem in any breed due to crappy dog food on the market.


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[myjackson]

I wondered if it was something diet related. He's been eating puppy food, and I know it's almost time to get him on something else. I've just been nervous about it because I made the mistake of switching his food once months ago, and his tummy pretty much revolted!

[Clairebear]

Maybe try a grain-free food that has fish, venison or duck in it. It's more expensive but you'll have less messes to clean up!


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[Hsaiotei]

How did you switch his food? It has to be done as slowly as possible. Add just a tiny bit of the new food to his regular food for a couple of days, then gradually start adding more of the new food until he is completely switched over. Take a couple of weeks to do it or even longer if necessary. Also, bonus, you won't have any leftover puppy food going to waste.

[myjackson]

Thanks! I will look into that.

[myjackson]

When I switched the food a few months ago, I didn't realize I should do it slowly (Jackson is my first puppy. After his stomach revolted I took him to the vet, and he said any food changes needed to be done gradually. Lesson learned with that

[Hsaiotei]

It's a heck of a learning curve, isn't it? There are things I couldn't figure out (especially with training) and then, when it's explained to me, it seems so obvious, but I wouldn't have thought of it on my own.

Now, when you do switch him over slowly, he shouldn't be puking (well, all dogs puke sometimes for no apparent reason, but you know what I'm saying). Pick a decent-quality food that fits your budget. If you can afford Blue Buffalo or Taste of the Wild, great! If not, do a little research and see what qualities you want in a dog food, then go to the place you usually shop and see if they carry it and if the price is reasonable.

If the new food does make him sick, you should probably talk to your vet about allergies, but hopefully you won't have to go that route. Good luck, let us know how it goes!

[myjackson]

Thanks Definitely will!

[Cassie]

With the vet's agreement, Cassie has been off of puppy food since 6 months. She had a lot of problems with puppy food such as diarrhea and vomiting. She is 11 months and on Eukanuba small bite maintenance 1+yr which seems to be well tolerated.