7 Dog Poop Meanings + Types of Dog Poop Guide | Pupford

Let’s talk about poop. Yes, really.

It may not be the most fun or glamorous topic we cover, but it’s important nonetheless. We're gonna dive into different dog poop meanings and even the varying types of dog poop you many encounter with your pup!

Believe it or not, your dog’s poop can tell you and your vet a lot of useful information about their health.

So next time you scoop up some poop, take a look at it instead of holding it at arm’s length and sprinting to the nearest trash can. You may end up discovering valuable information about your dog’s diet or health.

Here’s what your dog’s poop might be trying to tell you.

Just a note before we get into the poop talk – what we’re outlining below is a general guideline. It’s important to learn what’s “normal” for your dog and let your vet know of any significant changes.

But in general, you can follow these ground rules to know what’s going on with your dog’s poop.

Related Reading: Dog Health Tips

7 TYPES OF DOG POOP & THEIR MEANING

As mentioned, our dogs' poop can give us insight into our dog's general health and especially their gut health!

Here are 7 different things to keep an eye out for when it comes to your dog's feces:

1. Body language while pooping
2. Color
3. Shape
4. Size
5. Consistency
6. Frequency
7. Object/substances

Let's look at each one below. 👇

1. BODY LANGUAGE WHILE POOPING

It’s totally normal (and kind of weird) for your dog to circle around a spot and make direct eye contact with you while pooping. What isn’t normal, however, is any sign of distress or strain while doing their business.

Excessive straining to poop can be a sign of a number of conditions, including:

• Impacted anal glands
• Constipation
• Object or growth in the intestine
• Intestinal inflammation
• Spinal pain
• Other intestinal or neurological issues

While some of these conditions are more easily treatable than others, they all require the attention of your vet.

So if you see your dog constantly straining while pooping, be sure to check with your vet!

Related Reading: Improving Dog's Gut Health & Digestion

2. POOP COLOR

Healthy dog poop should be a chocolate brown color – sorry to ruin dessert for you! Occasionally you may notice changes in color due to certain foods your dog eats, but they should primarily be brown.

Different colored feces could indicate different conditions. Here are some common dog poop colors and what they could indicate:

• Green – gall bladder issue or your dog is eating a lot of grass
• Orange/yellow – liver issues or other bile-related conditions
• Red streaks – blood in the stool (this could have varying causes)
• Black – bleeding in the GI tract
• Grey – pancreas issues or other bile-related conditions
• White spots – potentially a sign of tapeworms

If you notice oddly colored poop, talk to your vet! And it's helpful to get a picture, or ideally, a stool sample if you're seriously concerned.

💩 Improve your dog's poop consistency, frequency & overall gut health with the Pupford Good Dog Food!

3. SHAPE

Your dog’s poop should be log-shaped and maintain that form.

If you notice smaller, rounded poops or pebble-like droppings, it could indicate dehydration or constipation. You’ll want to bring this up to your vet if it happens consistently.

4. SIZE

We know not all dog poop is created equally – a chihuahua is definitely not going to produce as much waste as a St. Bernard. What’s important is that your dog is pooping proportionately to the amount of food they take in. 

So if your dog is on a regular feeding schedule with no change in fiber intake, but their poop is smaller or larger than normal, it may be an indication that there’s a digestion issue at play.

5. CONSISTENCY

Think: brown Play-Doh. Your dog’s poop should be compact and formed, but moist and soft. It should be easy for you to scoop up your dog’s poop with a baggy without leaving some behind.

If your dog’s poop is dry and hard, it can be a sign of dehydration or slow intestinal movement. This will likely be accompanied by the signs of discomfort we talked about earlier. Sometimes the fix to this is as simple as a diet change, but your vet can guide you through the best way to gradually do so.

If, on the other hand, your dog’s stool is loose, soft, or watery, a deeper investigation may be necessary.

While it’s normal for your dog to have a soft stool once in a while, if they have multiple in a row or it’s consistent over a few days, it can be a sign of one of these health conditions:

• Intestinal worms or parasites
• Bacterial overgrowth or infection
• Viral infection
• Object in the digestive tract
• Inflammation
• Food allergies and sensitivities

Your vet will likely test your dog through a fecal analysis for signs of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and food sensitivities to figure out the best course of treatment. Fair warning: this will involve you collecting their loose stools, which is not always the most fun challenge.

6. FREQUENCY & HOW OFTEN YOUR DOG POOPS

How often your dog should poop depends on a few factors.

Puppies will typically poop more frequently than adult dogs, given their frequent feedings and smaller digestive tracts. Also, dogs on certain medications can poop more or less frequently than their non-medicated counterparts.

All dogs should poop at least once per day. However, if your dog is pooping two or three times a day, it’s not necessarily anything to be concerned about. Five or more daily bowel movements may be worth bringing up to your vet.

It’s more about what’s normal for your dog, which is why it’s important to keep tabs on their potty habits. That way if they deviate from their typical pattern, you can catch any health concerns sooner rather than later.

7. OBJECTS/SUBSTANCES

If you’ve ever muttered “What the heck is THAT?!” when picking up your dog’s poop, you’re not alone. Sometimes dogs eat things they shouldn’t or they have trouble digesting, and it gets passed through their poop.

A speck here or there is usually nothing to worry about, but here’s what you should keep an eye out for in your dog’s poop:

• Consistent foreign objects – if you consistently notice bits of rocks, carpet, sand, fabric, strings, etc. in your dog’s stool, it may be a sign that your dog is consistently getting into things they shouldn't be. Not only is this an annoying destructive habit, but it could also eventually lead to intestinal blockages. Make sure your dog is in a fully puppy-proof area at all times, especially when unsupervised, and contact your vet ASAP with any changes to appetite or disposition.
• Fur – the presence of your dog’s own fur in their stool could mean they have a skin irritation that they’ve been licking at. Check them for redness, sores, bald patches, etc.
• Blood – bright red streaks or black tar-like marks in your dog’s stool can indicate bleeding in the GI tract.
• Mucus – slimy mucus in your dog’s poop most often indicates a large intestine issue
• Worms – Long, spaghetti-like worms, short rice-like specs, or small egg shapes in your dog’s poop can indicate an intestinal worm or parasite and require immediate treatment.

Remember, if you have any concerns or doubts at all about your dog’s poop, your vet can help with a physical assessment and/or a fecal analysis test. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to your #1 and their #2!

Related Reading: How to Reduce Dog Gas

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR DOG'S POOP

Now that you know what to look for, what about once you notice poops that seem out of the norm?!

Of course, always talk to your vet. They should be your first source!

LEARNING MORE ABOUT GUT HEALTH 

And if you’re looking for ways to better support your dog’s digestion through nutrition, check out the Advanced Puppy Nutrition: Microbiome Course in Pupford Academy. It will give you in-depth information about the role your dog’s microbiome plays in a number of health factors, and tips for improving gut health.

It’s a great way to support your dog’s overall health and help get healthy poops every time! 

DOG GUT HEALTH SUPPLEMENTS

While you should always clear any underlying health issues with your vet, adding a dog gut health supplement can vastly improve your dog's poops. This includes consistency, frequency, and size.

Since a dog's gut makes up a large majority of their immune system it's so important to properly care for their microbiome!

The Pupford Gut Health + Immunity Supplement has been formulated with optimal ingredients to support a healthy gut. It contains ingredients like:

• Pumpkin- Contains vitamins like A, C, and E, minerals like potassium and iron, and is great for digestion.
• Chicory Root- Effective prebiotic that helps support healthy bacteria in the gut and improves the immune system.
• Yea-Sacc OA®- Yeast culture that will promote digestion and utilization of nutrients.
• Tynagen™- Postbiotic that optimizes gut health and overall pup health
• Immunity blend- Contains probiotics to improve immunity, and help with a host of different issues like poor health, allergies, an upset stomach, bad breath, gas, diarrhea, and more.
• Colostrum- Promotes immunity, fights infections, and improves gut health throughout the life of the pet.

IMPROVE THEIR DIET

One of the biggest factors in your dog's digestion and stool quality is their daily diet. Highly processed foods, low-quality ingredients, or recipes that don't agree with your dog can contribute to loose stools, excessive gas, and inconsistent digestion.

Switching to a high-quality food with digestible ingredients can help support nutrient absorption, healthier bowel movement, and a more balanced gut microbiome. That's one reason many pup parents notice an improvement in overall digestion when they upgrade their dog's food.

Pupford Good Dog Food is made with high quality animal proteins and gut-friendly ingredients designed to support digestion and overall health. It also includes added probiotics and prebiotics fiber to help nourish beneficial gut bacteria and support healthy, predictable poops. 

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RECAP: 7 DOG POOP MEANINGS + TYPES

Our dogs poop every day and their poop can be a strong indicator of their overall health.

It's always a good idea to keep an eye on your dog's poops for any changes in color, consistency, frequency, or other major changes.

And again, talk to your vet about any major changes in your dog's poop habits.

Phew, that’s enough poop talk for one day! 

🐶Save up to 50% + Free Shipping on Pupford Good Dog Food!