Best Dog Food for Firm Stools 2025 [Clinically Proven Results]

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Before we look in to the best dog food for firm stools let’s understand why stools are a very important diagnostic tool in the arsenal of pet care techniques. There can be a lot of reasons for a loose stool in dogs. One reason can be the food that they’re eating, some dog food brands add wheat and other fillers that may cause gut irritation in dogs. Dogs are also known to get into things, so monitor their habits and make sure they are not chewing on/eating things they should not be. Human food can be difficult to digest for dogs, cut out feeding dogs from the table as diary and other glutens can be bad for dog’s digestion.

If you think that your dog’s stool is too loose you may need to consider changing their diet as they may be dealing with gut irritation. A dog’s stool should be firm like a log, if they are small pellets it could be a sign of constipation. Make sure that dogs have access to fresh clean water as that can also affect whether or not their stools are solid.

The Best Dog Food for Firm Stools

- Blue Buffalo Life Protection

Blue Buffalo offers a large variety based on breed, size, and condition specific such as young, old, gluten sensitive or overweight dogs. They don’t use any corn, wheat, beet pulp, artificial colors, preservatives of flavors.

How does Blue Buffalo help with firm stool?

Blue Buffalo uses ingredients rich in antioxidants such as apples, blueberries, pomegranate, pumpkin, carrots and sweet potato that can help to firm the stool.

Blue Buffalo uses chicken and chicken meal in their dog foods which are both high in protein.

Acana Singles Limited Ingredient Diet

Acana is great for dogs and is locally sourced. The ingredients are responsibly farmed, ranched or fished by farmers in a dynamic agricultural community in Kentucky. They are made with grass fed lamb, apples and other fruits and vegetables.

What should a healthy poop look like?

Your dog’s poop should be firm and it should be chocolate brown in color, and it should be in the shape of a log. There shouldn’t be anything noticeably sticking out of it, and it should not be runny.

What should your dog eat to firm up their stools?

Adding pumpkin puree to your dog’s food can help to absorb moisture and firm up the stool. If your dog is having issues with diarrhea or constipation, try changing their food. You want to monitor to make sure that they have access to clean drinking water as well as this can affect their stool.

What causes a dog to have a loose stool?

Dog food brands often include fillers that make it cheaper for them to sell the food. The food will make your dog full, but it can cause gut irritation especially if eaten over long periods of time. Fillers include wheat, corn, soy, food dyes, preservatives and rendered fats. These fillers can cause issues making them have loose stools, pooping often and over eating.

How to prevent loose stools?

Make sure the diet is consistent, changing their diet a lot can affect their stool, keeping a consistent brand and type is ideal. Watch for other things they may be eating like plants, or grass, or house hold things, or even toys. Try switching to a grain free food, allowing 6-8 weeks for food to be properly tested. You can also try switching to a non-poultry protein as poultry can be an issue for some dogs. They may have hypersensitivity to dairy, gluten or fat. Try to keep human food scraps away from the dog as well.

Should puppy poop be solid?

Puppies should be monitored more closely in their early months as runny poop may be a sign of issues. Puppy poop should be firm and come out in segments, if it is too soft it may mean your pup isn’t absorbing enough water, if it is small pellets the pup may be constipated. The stool should be relative to the size of the pup, too large or too small may be a sign of an issue. Watch for dark or red poop as that could be blood in the stool and if there is any mucus or grease that could be a sign of improper digestion.

What to do if your dog gets diarrhea?

If you notice that the dog is having diarrhea stop feeding for 12-24 hours as eating more can cause gut irritation. If switching to a new brand be sure to give them smaller servings at first to help with easier digestion. Add in puree pumpkin to aid the gut flora and will help calm the stomach down. If diarrhea persists consider contacting your local veterinarian.

If your dog is experiencing loose stool, greasy stool, or bad gas, you may want to consider changing their foods as they may have a sensitivity to gluten, or high fat that comes in some cheaper dog food brands. The first suggestion would be to change their diet, some great things to look for is high protein and foods that contain pumpkin, sweet potato and apples to name a few. Additional things like omega 3 or 6s can help with any skin sensitivities. Below are some better options to choose from that can aid in healthy digestion and a firmer stool.

In Conclusion:

If you feel that you dog may have sensitivities to certain foods, or are just wanting to switch your dog food for optimal health of you pooch I suggest the brands above for gut health and firm stools. Be sure that when switching dog foods, you introduce the new foods slowly, mixing in both the old foods and the new foods so that the dog can acclimate to the new food. Switching food rapidly can cause gut issues in dogs and may cause diarrhea or loose stool. It is best to stick to one brand for at least 6 weeks to see how the dog reacts to it and if the digestion issues continue you may want to try a different brand, or contact a Veterinarian for more answers. If there is any blood or worms or objects in the stool you may want to also reach to a Veterinarian as there may be more underlying issues.

Best Dog Food for Firm Stools [Clinically Proven Results]