Four times a day sounds like a lot to me, too. I don't really know anything about Natures Recipe, but I do think I remember reading that how much fiber and fillers, etc. in the dog's food will make a difference in how much they defecate. So changing over may be a good idea. The only thing I would say though is, don't wait until you finish the bag, get the Innova now so that you can mix it in with the Natures Recipe instead of a sudden change in diet. Good luck to you and Payson.