The dog farted. Yes really she did!

Get any group of Boston Terrier owners together and the jokes will turn to how gassy these cute little dogs can be.

So why exactly are Boston Terriers so gassy?

The primary reason is because of eating bad food.  The secondary reason will be because squishy face (brachycephalic) dogs have a predisposition to gas.

Other reasons could be that your dog eats too fast and swallows air or there is something else going on like having parasites inside them.

You can help them have less gas by adding more fresh food to their diet or adding digestive enzymes.

Kibble is Junk Food For Dogs

I will gladly admit my bias. I do not feed my dogs kibble. I don’t think it’s healthy. I feel it could lead to cancer in the long run. And I believe it’s made out of junk.

I know I know those are really strong statements.

I’m not a veterinarian nor am I a dog nutritionist.  What I am is a dog parent just like you.  I’ve done my own research and I’ve come to my own conclusions.  You don’t have to agree with my stance on kibble at all.

And at some point I’ll write an article and link to it so that you can understand exactly why I dislike kibble so much.

• For now … just a few of my own observations:
• Kibble is far removed from the form of it’s ingredients.  These little hard brown pellets do not look like the food it was made out of
• Kibble has been cooked two to three times at an extremely high heat until it was in a mushy form that had all the nutrients taken away.  They then add back nutrition in the forms of powder and call the finished product “dog food”
• And the ingredients used can include the 4Ds (dying, diseased, damaged and disabled).  
• Might include euthanized pets
• Contains a lot of fillers
• Low in quality protein
• Not absorbed or digested in full

I equate kibble to MRE’s that field military personnel eat. I actually have some in my garage in my emergency bins. It’s good enough to keep me alive but it’s not food that is going to make my cells more vibrant.

Kibble as “food” isn’t even well absorbed by your dogs.

I can always tell if a dog is fed kibble by looking at their poop. For one you can smell it a mile away and second it’s big and puffy like brown marshmallow pellets.

This is because your dog’s kibble (and treats as well) has indigestible carbohydrates and less digestible meat products.

So if your dog is eating kibble they are practically eating what I would consider garbage food and if you put garbage food in… you’re going to get garbage out in terms of poops and gas.

What Food Makes My Boston Terrier Fart So Much?

Here is a short list of food that causes farts in your dog:

• Kibble
• Processed treats
• Excessively eating something new
• Legumes
• Yeast
• Fiber
• Grains and other carbs

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How Can I Relieve my Boston Terrier’s Gas?

It’s easy really. All you have to do is feed your dog better food.

And not better kibble.

What you should be looking at is feeding whole, fresh food that is appropriate to the canine species.

If you can feed raw – that would be the primary ideal way to go. A starting point for you would be Dogs Naturally Magazine.

Some dogs, like my Orbit, can’t eat raw 100%.

That’s why I cook for both Maggie and Orbit instead. You can find my core foundation recipe HERE.

For both options you can buy the food. Luckily for us Boston Terrier owners, our dogs are small so feeding them ready made raw or ready made cooked food won’t break the bank.

But what if you can’t switch out of kibble? What are your other options?

You can feed LESS kibble or add more fresh food by:

• Adjust the bowl so that 25% of it is fresh food like any protein you’re eating. You can try cooked ground turkey, beef or pork or even salmon. Make sure it’s cooked at a gentle low heat without any herbs or spices.
• Topping off with scrambled eggs
  Adding single ingredient treats and chews to their diet. We love our subscription treats and chews from REAL DOG BOX.
• Adding raw goat kefir to their meals
• Adding bone broth to their meals – I like Primalvore and you can buy it on Amazon
• Adding sardines several times a week to their meals – I get the Season brand from Amazon

What Other Things Can I Do To Help My Gassy Boston Terrier

You can add a prebiotic and digestive enzymes to their food.  I’ve been using InClover supplement for almost three years.  It was referred to me by Orbit’s breeder who has seven Boston Terriers.  The other benefit is it helps with Orbit’s tear stains.

I interviewed the owner and biochemist  over the phone.   They are based out of Boulder, Colorado and is an independent, woman-owned business run by a team of pet health experts.

Benefits of Fresh Digest for your Dog:

• Promotes the “good bacteria” naturally found in your dog’s intestinal tract, which encourages balanced digestion and supports immune health
• Beneficial for pets that have gas, constipation, or inconsistent stools
• Aids in increasing the availability of key nutrients in the food
• Simple formula that doesn’t include any ingredients that would upset sensitive stomachs
• Promotes a healthy immune system
• Easy to feed, just sprinkle it on!

If your dog eats like Stitch in Lilo and Stitch (aka eats way to fast) you can try a slow feeder or raised bowls.

Some options I like on Amazon include:

• Slow feeder
• Raised bowl
• Raised slow feeder bowl

Will Exercise Help My Gassy Boston Terrier?

Yes in the sense that regular exercise will help keep your dog at an ideal weight.

An overweight Boston Terrier tends to be gassier than her slimmer counterparts.

You can search online for body conditioning scoring charts.

An ideal weight will show that your dog has a slight tuck and you can see an outline of the ribs when viewed from the side but they shouldn’t be highly visible. Because then that might indicate they are too thin.

What Natural Remedy Can I Give My Dog For Gas?

You can add a few leaves of peppermint into their food or make peppermint tea to pour over their food.

You can also add ginger in micro doses.

For both examples you should consult with a holistic vet or dog nutrition specialist so that you are guided in the amount to add.

To give you an idea of how powerful ginger is, I typically make a blend of green vegetables. The size of the batch will last me at least two to three weeks and the size of the ginger I add to that batch is the size of my pinkie nail.

What Supplements Can I Give My Boston Terrier With Gas?

You can look into Digestive Enzymes, Prebiotics and Probiotics. The enzymes will help break down undigested food while the pre and probiotics will help maintain a healthy gut flora.

When Is It Time to See the Vet?

Sometimes gas can build up. We have a friend who gets bully sticks every night. One morning he woke up with an upset tummy.

When the vet examined him, he said our friend was full of gas.

Luckily that is all it was. Sometimes gas is caused by IBD or leaky gut.

Some other (rare cases) times It might be giardiasis or parvovirus.

Is Maggie and Orbit Gassy?

Not so much anymore. There was a time they had a little gas. It wasn’t as bad a kibble gas but it was during the time they had allergies and possibly leaky gut.

I went to see a holistic vet who did a detox on them.

I then switched them from raw to cooked and their isn’t bad.

On occasion they might eat too much of an exotic chew (like duck heads) which might cause a little gas.

My boyfriend will always ask when this happens “what did you feed them?”

Closing Remarks

If your lovable cute little Boston Terrier farts are so bad they clear a room or make your eyes tear, it might be time to take a good hard look at what you’re feeding them.

Decreasing the amount of processed food/kibble and treats would be step one.

The ideal move will be for you to switch to species appropriate meals via either home cooked or raw.

Even then, the farts and gas never completely go away but they will go down considerably.

Did you enjoy this article? Want to read more about food? Then visit the articles below:

Foundation recipe for home cooked meals for your dog

Can my Boston Terrier eat lamb ears?

Can my Boston Terrier eat pig ears?

Resources

Dog Gas – What’s causing the stench?  Dog’s Naturally Magazine

Which is Worse … The Offensive Odor or the Underlying Condition?  Healthy Pets with Dr. Karen Becker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hello, my name is Hannah and I dance with my dogs.

I am a Boston Terrier Breed Advocate.  I started this blog because there isn’t enough space to tell our story on our Instagram.

My mission is to bring Boston Terrier dog parents the best, most accurate information to help your dogs live happier, healthier lives.

I have two Boston Terriers of my own. Maggie is my socially awkward heart dog while Orbit is my shadow and soul dog.

You won’t read about cats here, but you will get a fairly large dosage of articles dedicated to this wonderful breed to help you learn more about them or provide practical tips as you raise your own. Read more about us.