This is a specific conversation about Senior dog food — what changes as they age — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Two senior foods in a row causing loose stools is really frustrating — and it tells us something useful: your dog's gut is sensitive, which means the protein source and fibre levels matter just as much as the senior formula label. Senior dogs genuinely do need fewer calories, better digestibility, and more joint support, but not all senior foods are made with a delicate stomach in mind. To point you somewhere better, can you tell me a bit more — what breed and age is your dog, any health conditions going on, and which two foods did you already try?
She's a 13-year-old Jack Russell. No diagnosed conditions but she's slowed down a lot. We tried Purina Pro Plan Senior and then Burns Senior — both gave her runny poos within a few days. She was on a standard adult complete dry food before and was fine on it for years.
inparticular.ai
That's a really helpful picture. Jack Russells often have reactive guts, and at 13 she's well into her senior years. The fact she was solid on a plain adult complete suggests her stomach isn't broken — it just doesn't like rapid changes or rich formulations. Both Pro Plan and Burns Senior are decent foods, but Pro Plan is relatively high in protein and fat, and Burns, while gentle, uses brown rice which some dogs struggle with. The pattern here points toward a limited-ingredient, single-protein food with a simple carbohydrate. Can I ask — was the adult food she did well on chicken-based or something else?
It was a chicken and rice one, yes. She seemed completely fine on it for about six years.
inparticular.ai
Perfect — that makes the recommendation straightforward. I'd go with James Wellbeloved Turkey & Rice Senior Dry Dog Food. Turkey is a single, novel protein (not chicken, which avoids any accumulated sensitivity), the ingredient list is short and clean, and it uses white rice as the carbohydrate — easy on the gut. It's specifically formulated for older small breeds, with lower calories and added glucosamine for her joints. The limited-ingredient approach is exactly what reactive stomachs tend to tolerate well, and it's one of the most consistently well-reviewed foods for sensitive senior dogs in the UK. Transition her slowly — about 10 days mixing it in — even though she's already been through upheaval. That gradual switch genuinely makes a difference.
That sounds promising. Should I get the small breed version specifically, or does the standard senior work?
inparticular.ai
Go for the small breed version if you can find it — James Wellbeloved do a Senior Small Breed Turkey & Rice, and the kibble size is smaller which is easier for a Jack Russell to chew, especially as teeth and jaw strength can soften a little at 13. The nutritional profile is also calibrated for smaller dogs with faster metabolisms. If you can only find the standard senior in stock, it'll still work fine — the formula is similar — but small breed is the better fit for her.
Great, I'll order that. One last thing — if she gets loose stools again on this one too, what would that mean?
inparticular.ai
If she reacts to this one as well despite a slow transition, I'd take her to the vet rather than trying another food. At 13, persistent digestive upset across multiple clean foods can sometimes signal something underlying — inflammatory bowel issues, reduced enzyme production, or early organ changes are worth ruling out. A vet may suggest a hydrolysed protein food or even a short course of something to settle her gut before reintroducing a new diet. But genuinely, most dogs who were solid on one food for years and react to a couple of new ones just need the right match — and James Wellbeloved Turkey is a good shot at that.
