The Poop Chronicles: My 3-Year Quest for the Perfect Singapore Special Diet

The "Simple" Act of Feeding

When I first adopted Ace, my Singapore Special, I thought the hard part would be the training. Turns out, the real math problem was dinner time.

If you are a new dog owner in Singapore, you probably know the struggle. You walk into a pet store or browse Shopee, and you are hit with a million options: Grain-free? Freeze-dried? Gently cooked? Raw?

This post documents Ace’s food journey from a 6-month-old puppy to a 3-year-old adult. We went through trial and error, impulsive switches, and yes—some painful cleaning up of messes on my tile flooring—to finally find what works.

Here is exactly what we fed him, what it cost, and the (sometimes messy) results.

Phase 1: The Fancy Start (Orijen)

The Food: Orijen Puppy Kibble

Age: 6 months – 18 months

When Ace first arrived, we wanted the "best." Orijen is famous for being biologically appropriate and protein-rich, so we started there.

The Challenge: "How much do I feed?" I feel a bit dumb admitting this, but I spent ages staring at the back of the packaging. Most high-end kibbles use a complicated multiplier based on the puppy’s current weight vs. their expected adult weight.

• My solution: I usually fed on the upper limit. We never had issues with weight gain because Singapore Specials burn energy like crazy.

💡 Quick Tip for Weighing Big Dogs: > Ace grew too big for my kitchen scale in weeks. My hack? I carry him, stand on my bathroom scale, and subtract my own weight. It’s a free workout and accurate enough!

The Verdict: While Ace loved the taste, his poop was never consistent. It was always on the watery side. Looking back, Orijen is incredibly rich (85% animal ingredients). For some Singapore Specials with sensitive stomachs, that intensity might just be too much to handle.

Phase 2: The Stabilizer (Buddy Bites)

The Food: Buddy Bites Salmon Kibble

Age: 18 months – 24 months

We switched to Buddy Bites after trying their treats (their beef treats are perfectly sized for training—more on that in a future post!). We picked the Salmon recipe.

The Observation: Almost immediately, the consistency of his poop improved.

Why did it work? I suspect it’s the fiber. Unlike the pure protein focus of his previous diet, Buddy Bites includes sweet potato and prebiotics.

• Science check: Fiber is magic for firming up stools and feeding good gut bacteria.

We stayed on this for a year. The subscription delivery was a lifesaver, and the ingredients seemed to settle his sensitive stomach best.

Phase 3: The "Fresh Food" Peer Pressure

The Food: Omakase Gently Cooked (Beef)

Age: 24 months+

Around the 2-year mark, we fell victim to positive peer pressure. Friends kept telling us, "Fresh food is better! Kibble is processed!" Honestly? I still don’t have a strong scientific opinion on "Fresh vs. Kibble," but we decided to try Omakase.

The Pros: * Convenience: They pack meals in individual bags.

• Speed: Defrost, cut, dump. No measuring cups needed.

The Cons (The "Excitement Poop"): During this time, Ace’s poop was still inconsistent. But I want to be fair—it might not have been the food. Whenever we brought Ace to dog runs (like East Coast or Bishan), he would play until he was overstimulated. This often led to watery stools.

(Note: This is often called "Stress Colitis"—adrenaline rushes can speed up digestion, causing the runs regardless of what they eat!)

Phase 4: The Portion Problem (The Bon Pet)

The Food: The Bon Pet Gently Cooked

We did a short 3-day trial here. The food quality was great, but we hit a logistical snag. The Bon Pet’s fixed serving sizes were a bit small for a large dog like Ace. I found myself opening two bags, using 1.5 of them, and then having to clip a half-open bag of meat back into the fridge. It felt wasteful and messy compared to the "one bag, one meal" flow I was used to.

Phase 5: Current Status (Wildchow)

The Food: Wildchow Gently Cooked (Beef)

Time: Last 3 months

About 3 months ago, my wife’s colleague mentioned Wildchow helped their dog’s wet stools. Since switching, Ace’s poop is almost 100% firm.

• Is it the food? Maybe.
• Is it Ace maturing? Possibly.

Now that he is approaching 3 years old, his energy levels are stabilizing, and he isn't getting "excited diarrhea" as often. But regardless of the cause, we are happy with the results (and so is my mop).

💰 The Price Breakdown: What Does it Actually Cost?

I’ve crunched the numbers to find the Daily Cost for a large dog like Ace (~25kg).

The Kibble Contenders (Budget-Friendly)

• Buddy Bites (Salmon) * Est. Cost: ~$3.00 / day 💲
  • Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Best Value)
• Orijen (Puppy/Original) * Est. Cost: ~$4.60 / day 💲💲
  • Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐ (Premium Quality, but very rich)

The Fresh Food Contenders (Premium)

• Omakase (Beef) * Est. Cost: ~$16.00 / day 💲💲💲
  • Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Most Convenient packaging)
• The Bon Pet * Est. Cost: ~$20.00 / day 💲💲💲
  • Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐ (Good Quality, but awkward portions)
• Wildchow (Beef) * Est. Cost: ~$22.00 / day 💲💲💲💲
  • Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Best Results for firm stools)

My 4 Golden Rules for Dog Food

1. Check the First 5 Ingredients: You want the first ingredient to be a named protein (e.g., "Salmon"). Don't demonize fillers like sweet potato; fiber is often the key to fixing tummy issues!
2. The "Slow Switch" is Non-Negotiable: I made the mistake of switching too fast once. The result was explosive diarrhea in the service yard. Always take at least 7 days to transition.
3. Consistency > Variety: I stick to a food for at least 6 months. Changing too frequently unsettles the stomach.
4. Use the "Sibling Cheat Code": We are in touch with Ace’s siblings, and this has been a massive advantage. Littermates share genetics, so they often have the same dietary quirks.

A Final Confession: The "Allergy" Factor

I am incredibly lucky that Ace has "iron skin." He has no known food allergies, which made these experiments much easier. Honestly, I wouldn't know how to handle it very well if he did have severe reactions.

Over to you: If you are managing a dog with food allergies, please share your helpful tips in the comments below. I would love to learn from you!

Also, are you Team Kibble or Team Fresh? Let the debate begin!