As a devoted pet parent, you've probably become intimately acquainted with your furry friend's daily routines, quirks, and behaviors. And that means you are probably more familiar with your dog's pooping habits than you ever thought possible. But paying attention to your dog's poop is a sign of a responsible pet parent.
Because our dogs can't tell us what's wrong with them when they are feeling sick or that they are even sick, learning how to read their bathroom habits becomes of the essence as it's a great way to clue us in that something is wrong within our dog's body.
Many pet parents wonder why their dogs poop so much or why they are suddenly seeing excessive pooping. In this article, we'll delve into the potential reasons behind increased bowel movements in dogs and what actions, if any, you should take.
How Often Should Dogs Poop?
There are a few factors that play into how often dogs poop, but typically, adult dogs poop 1-3 times a day, while young dogs and puppies poop an average of 4-6 times a day due to their smaller size. Life stage is a big factor in the frequency of a dog's bowel movements, with older dogs and senior dogs having the least amount of bowel movements in a day.
Dog owners should expect their dogs to poop within a few minutes after eating their regular food.
My Dog Poops A Lot More Than Normal. Why?
There are several reasons why your dog may start pooping excessively that could indicate anything from a simple digestive issue to an underlying health issue that needs immediately to be addressed.
Eating Too Much Food
One of the most common reasons you may see your dog poop so much is because they are simply eating too much food. Even when you are correctly portioning out their daily food, if you let your dog outside unmonitored, they could be eating grass, sticks, and other non-food items that result in the dog pooping so much.
Parasites And Bacterial Infections
A bacterial infection such as Salmonella or E.coli can result in your canine friend having excessive bowel movements. When this occurs, you'll notice changes in your dog's behavior. They may lack energy, experience an upset stomach, and have loose stools.
Intestinal parasites can easily cause digestive issues that result in changes to your dog's poop schedule. So make sure you are keeping your canine friend up to date on their regular preventative medication. Most vets will ask you to bring in a poop sample when your dog goes in for their regular yearly checkup.
Sudden Change In Diet
Even when making the switch to a healthier diet, it's best to slowly transition your dog to their new food over a period of 1-2 weeks. Transitioning to a new food too quickly is an easy way to upset your dog's stomach and result in excessive pooping.
Feeding your dog table scraps can upset their digestive tract and result in more frequent pooping. So make sure you're not giving your dog human food prone to causing digestive issues.
Stress And Depression
Stress is one of the main causes of excessive pooping, and our dogs are no strangers to stress and anxiety, as everything from loud noises to changes in their environment can make them nervous. If you need help with your dog's anxiety, you may want to look into giving them CBD to help.
How Do I Get My Dog to Poop Less?
Along with keeping your dog's stress levels down and on their regular preventative medication for parasite control, a high-quality diet is the key to helping your dog poop less.
In fact, when you make the switch to giving your dog a whole food diet that features an abundance of fresh ingredients, not only may you notice your dog's pooping frequency drops to just once a day, you may notice your dog's stool is smaller and firmer. All of these things are great to see and point to your dog's diet supporting their health.
This is because when your dog's food is nutritiously rich with high-quality proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats, there is less waste going in, meaning less waste coming out.
FAQ
The Best Dog Food for Less Poop
A healthy diet that supports not just their digestive health, but their overall health goes far in ensuring they are experiencing normal bowel movements. There are many diets that can achieve this, some better than others, as can be seen when giving our dogs a fresh diet.
Regardless, make sure you are feeding your dog food appropriate for their life stage as a young adult dog has different nutritional needs than senior dogs.
How Long Does It Take for a Dog to Poop After Eating?
It's common to see your dog poop within 10 minutes after eating their food due to their shorter digestive tract. If your dog eats several smaller meals throughout the day, this may not always be the case.
You may also see your dog poop before their meals if feeding twice a day, as it takes a dog 8-12 hours to completely digest their food.
What Does Healthy Dog Poop Look Like?
Healthy dog poop is well formed and segmented, brown, firm, and leaves little to no waste behind when picking it up.
How Many Times a Day Should a Dog Poop?
Most adult dogs will typically poop either before or after being served their regular food. Younger dogs under the age of two poop about twice as often.
When Should I Be Concerned About My Dog Pooping Too Much?
If your dog is pooping more than six times a day or showing symptoms that point to an underlying medical issue, you should contact your vet.
Is Frequent Dog Pooping Normal?
Frequently pooping is not normal and may indicate there is an underlying health issue that needs to be looked into. Pet parents should make sure they are correctly managing their dog's food portions while also feeding them a high-quality diet.