Your dog’s digestive system is crucial in making sure all of the nutrients from their food can be absorbed and used. While some dogs are born with an inherited form of a sensitive stomach, this condition can also pop up unexpectedly at any age. The classic signs of a sensitive stomach include intermittent loose stool, nausea, and excessive wind. Sometimes when a dog has eaten a food that triggers their sensitive stomach, they’ll be less active and possibly reluctant to go for a walk.

It’s crucial to ensure your dog’s environment is as safe as possible. If you know your dog likes to dig in the trash for tasty treats, it’s critical to put some safeguards in place.

• Make sure all trash and recycling bins have lids and are inaccessible to your pup.
• Keep your toilet lid down so they aren’t popping in for a drink. 
• Keep the cabinets closed, protecting them from dangerous cleaners and other chemicals. If you have cosmetics in the open, especially around the bathtub, make sure they’re out of reach.
• Look out for electrical cords (aka fun chew-toys) and small objects that can easily end up on the floor, like coins, bobby pins, and small toys.
• Pay special attention to chemicals like gasoline and antifreeze, as well as nails, screws, and batteries. Check for poisonous plants and mushroom patches in the yard. And be very cautious about treating your lawn or deck with toxic chemicals, which your dog may end up licking off of their paws. This goes for indoor floor cleaners as well.

In seeing to a sensitive stomach, look at what’s going in it. Once you’ve got their snacking under control, turn your attention to the main meal.

Here’s a checklist you can go through to help with diet choice for a dog with sensitive stomach:

• An easily digestible diet with moderate fat content cuts down on work for their digestive system
• A diet with a restricted ingredients list is a good idea as it narrows down the search for the culprit component
• Certain proteins can be a problem for some dogs, so it makes sense to go with a single protein source diet to help with elimination
• Grains have been known to cause an inflammatory reaction in the digestive system so selecting grain-free recipes can be beneficial
• Choose minimally processed, high-quality food that’s free from artificial additives
• Look for nutritionally complete and balanced products to ensure your dog is supplied with all the nutrients they need in the right amounts