Chris Brett, Author at Pibbles & Bits

Owning a Staffy can be one of the most rewarding things you can experience in your life. There’s nothing more I enjoy than lounging on the couch with my Staffy Ruby, but sometimes the little stinkers are, well, little stinkers. Which may have you asking, why does my Staffy fart so much? These are some of the potential reasons, and what you can do about it. Why does my Staffy fart so much? Common causes of your Staffy farting so much can be linked to what they are eating or how they are eating. A sudden change in diet, consuming hard to digest foods, swallowing too much air when they eat or drink, food allergies or intolerances, and in some cases potential underlying health issues. Let’s take a closer look at each of these to see if you can identify your Staffy’s potential fart problem, and find solutions that will make the entire household much happier. The Potential Staffy Fart Culprits Before we dig in I think it is worth mentioning that your Staffy farting, like humans farting, can be a totally natural thing. The occasional toot is not uncommon, though unpleasant. If you are noticing that your Staffy is farting a lot, then it is time to rule out some of the potential causes. More often than not the first culprit to look at is your Staffy’s diet. Have you suddenly changed over their food? Your dog has a sensitive belly. If you have recently changed over the brand or type of food they normally eat, this can cause issues for their sensitive bellies for a few days or weeks. Even a change in feeding time could throw things off a bit and cause some extra farts. Some foods are particularly hard to digest for your Staffy. Feeding them these types of food can lead to excessive fermentation in their colons. As a result your are more likely to have higher fart frequency and smell. These foods include. SoybeansPeasBeansBroccoliCabbageCauliflowerBrussels sproutsHighly fermentable fibers - lactulose, psyllium, or oat branMilk productsHigh-fat dietsSpicy foods Table Scraps Can Make Your Staffy Fart Avoid giving your Staffy table scraps. I know they are cute and are begging for just a little taste. Human food, especially ones mentioned above, can lead to a stinky outcome. This can cause discomfort for both your dog and anyone else in the room. Ensuring your dog is eating a high quality, easily digestible dog food is an important first step in ruling out what may be causing their gas issues. Keeping your dog out of the trash can, or from suspect looking snacks laying around the neighborhood is a good preventive measure to ensure they are not getting into any spoiled foods, or foods that are just not good for their bellies. You can’t watch your dog 24/7 but if their farts have been stinkier and more frequent recently, and you have avoided the list of foods above, there is a chance they snuck something they shouldn’t have. How A Staffy Eats Can Give Them The Farts Another potential factor of why your Staffy is farting so much has to do with how they are eating. If your Staffy is eating their entire dinner in the blink of an eye, ravenously devouring every morsel as if they hadn’t been fed in weeks, that may be why they are dropping stink bombs in the living room every half hour. Feeding after exercise before your Staffy has had a chance to regain their breath can produce the same effect. When a dog eats or drinks in a fast and hurried manner they are much more likely to also be swallowing a lot of air in the process. This extra or even excessive air swallowing can be one of the more common causes in why your Staffy farts so much. Food Allergies Can Cause Staffy Farts Food allergies or food intolerances can be a culprit with your dog's digestion. You may be feeding them the best quality food, and they are slowly consuming it without any extra air swallowing, but if there is something in that food that your dog is allergic to or has an intolerance, you can have yourself a problem. A form of elimination diet in consultation with your Vet is a good place to start when ruling out allergies and intolerances. As mentioned in the list above, milk products are a leading cause of Staffy dog farts and though some dogs can handle a small amount of milk, generally it is one of the most common food intolerances in dogs. If your Staffy is following all the advice above and is still constantly farting and getting tummy rumbles for more than a few days, potentially weeks, it may be time to talk to your vet. Potential underlying health issues like gastrointestinal conditions, neoplasia, an inflammatory bowel disease, inflammation of the intestine, or a parasite or virus. Underlying health issues like gastrointestinal conditions are usually accompanied by other symptoms. If your Staffy is experiencing any of the following symptoms as well, it is best to consult with your vet as soon as possible. VomitingDiarrheaWeight lossLethargyLoss of appetite Your vet will be able to best determine exactly what is causing the discomfort and ailments your pet is experiencing. What Should I Be Feeding My Staffy To Prevent Farts? Feeding your Staffy a highly nutritious and digestible food is where you should be focusing. Do some research on the best brand for your dog’s age and lifestyle and be sure to avoid foods that contain certain fillers that can make your dog fuller, but provide no nutritional value and can cause problems with gas. Common ingredients to avoid are ash, low quality proteins, corn based carbohydrates, and forms of soy, legumes, and dairy. Ask your vet what they might recommend. Changing to a low residue diet may be a great way to get your dogs farts under control. The low residue diet will help your Staffy absorb the nutrients in the food before they hit the colon and the gas forming bacteria from growing in excess. The less gas forming bacteria, the less you have to suffer through your Staffy’s farts. It is important to remember when you are transitioning your dog over to a new type of food that you must do so slowly over time. Too sudden of a change in food can create more of the problem you are trying to fix. Staffy’s have sensitive little bellies, so start their food transition off by introducing a little bit of the new food in the first few meals. Gradually over the next couple of weeks add more of the new food, and less of the food they are transitioning off. This will ensure your pup's stomach slowly adapts to the new diet and avoids further gas or diarrhea problems. When selecting a good food for your Staffy you should be looking for a food that: Has the AAFCO labelIs premium rather than generic or economy brandHas high quality meat protein and not meat by-productsContains minimal to no chemical preservativesHas omega fatty acids.Has no fillers Some highly recommended dog foods to get your dog the optimal nutrition and keep the gas under control are food on my premium dog food page. A couple include: ORIJEN Original Wellness CORE Canidae All Life Stages How Do I Get My Staffy To Eat Slower? One simple trick to get your Staffy to slow down when eating is to simply place a slightly small bowl inside of their food bowl to make it more difficult for them to get giant mouthfuls of food at once. This will naturally cause less gobbling and a little more of a paced feeding. There are also some excellent puzzle bowls/slow feeders on the market that will encourage the same style of eating. One highly recommended slow feeder is the Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl. Another way to prevent your Staffy from eating too much too quickly is to simply reduce the amount of food you are giving them each meal, and instead spread it out to several small meals. This will give your dog’s digestive system a bit of a break and time to properly break down the food versus a big feeding. If you are feeding your dog twice daily, try breaking it up to 3-4 smaller meals and see if that helps. You don’t even need to be home to do several feedings a day. We are living in the future and have robots that can do it for us! This SmartFeeder can allow you to feed your Staffy from a smartphone app anytime you want. Other Tips For Helping My Staffy Fart Less. Exercise is an important part of your Staffy’s health and a sedentary lifestyle can lead to gas build up in your pups intestines. A regular regiment of exercise is highly recommended to keep intestinal gases moving out to prevent the pooling and build up of gases. Avoid feeding your Staffy immediately after exercise that has them panting heavy. Give them a chance to catch their breath and return to a normal steady breathing rate. This will help prevent any sort of extra air swallowing in the process of eating their meal. Don’t give them table scraps! I feel this is worth mentioning a second time, because I have a feeling there are a bunch of you who are guilty of this. Human food is for humans, and a lot of what we eat is too high in fat, dairy, or other gas inducing elements. Be aware of what’s happening at the dog park. Oftentimes other owners will bring treats for their own pets, and sometimes for others. These dog owners mean well, but you have not vetted what sort of food they are carrying, and it could be something your dog is sensitive to, or just low quality ingredients. Take a lap around your dog park first before letting your Staffy off to explore on their own. It is a good precautionary measure to inspect the area for dropped food, dead birds and rodents, or other potential rancid, spoiled or poisoned foods your dog might think is a free snack.