For months, I just assumed my Labrador, Max, was slowing down.
He was 6 years old, napping more, seemed “meh” during walks, and would just look at me blankly when I tossed his favorite tennis ball.

I chalked it up to age, or maybe the winter blues.
Turns out… it was his food. And what I discovered shocked me — and could help a lot of other dog parents too.

🐶 The Signs I Missed
I was feeding Max a well-known “premium” dry food — the kind with a glossy label, happy dogs on the bag, and buzzwords like “complete & balanced.”

But he had:

Low energy

A dull, flaky coat

Random digestive issues (soft poop, bad gas)

Occasional itching with no fleas

The vet said he was “healthy overall,” but my gut told me something was off.

🧪 The Food Deep-Dive (aka Me Going Down the Rabbit Hole)
One night, I finally read the ingredients list on his kibble.
The first three?

Chicken by-product meal

Corn gluten meal

Brewers rice

🤯 Not even real meat.

So I started researching, and joined a few forums (including this one, shoutout to you guys 💚). I found out tons of dogs have low-grade food sensitivities to fillers like corn, soy, and by-products — which can cause all the symptoms Max had.

💡 What I Tried (That Didn’t Work)
Before I found the right solution, here’s what I tried:

Fish oil supplements (helped a little with coat, but not energy)

More exercise (he was just too sluggish)

“Limited ingredient” kibble (still processed and grain-heavy)

Vet-prescribed diet (super expensive, and didn’t improve anything)

✅ What Finally Worked
I switched him to a gently cooked fresh food brand — real ingredients I could actually recognize:
turkey, brown rice, spinach, carrots, fish oil.

The difference was fast.

Within 1 week: His poop firmed up and his gas disappeared

By week 2: His coat looked shinier

By week 3: He was running again — zoomies and all

It was like he got a software update.

🙌 What I Wish I Knew Earlier
“Premium” doesn’t mean healthy — check ingredients, not branding

Kibble shelf life matters — old fats can oxidize and harm your pet

You don’t need to go raw to feed your dog well — lightly cooked food is a great middle ground

Food = behavior — I had no idea how much Max’s mood and energy were tied to what was in his bowl

🗣️ Real Talk for Other Dog Parents
If your dog just doesn’t seem like themselves, don’t assume it’s age.

Try cleaning up their food. Eliminate fillers. Add real, whole ingredients.
You might be amazed how fast they bounce back.

I’m not a vet — just a dog mom who learned the hard way.
But if this helps even one other pet get their spark back, it’s worth sharing.

💬 Have you had a similar experience?
Come tell your story on the petnutrition.forum and help another pet parent out.

🐾 Let’s raise healthier pets — together.