If your dog’s poo is occasionally softer than normal and difficult to pick up, there are several things you can check, from their feeding amount to treats and recent changes in their diet.

However, soft poo and diarrhoea aren’t always simply a feeding issue.

If your dog has persistent or recurring diarrhoea, blood in their poo, vomiting, pain, lethargy, signs of dehydration or any other symptoms that concern you, contact your vet for advice. Puppies, elderly dogs and dogs with existing health conditions may require veterinary attention sooner.

A temporary change in stool consistency can sometimes happen while transitioning to a new food. This should be distinguished from persistent or worsening digestive symptoms, which shouldn’t simply be attributed to a change in diet.

1. Check You’re Not Feeding Too Much

One possible reason for softer poo is feeding more food than your dog needs.

Check that the amount you’re feeding is appropriate for your dog’s age and weight, and weigh their food accurately rather than estimating it by eye.

Treats, chews, dental sticks and human food all contribute additional calories too. If your dog is receiving extras throughout the day, you may need to adjust their main food portion accordingly.

If your dog needs to lose weight, base their feeding amount on their ideal weight rather than their current weight.

2. Consider How Often You’re Feeding

Eating can stimulate the gastrocolic reflex, which encourages movement within the digestive system and can create the urge to poo after a meal. This can be particularly noticeable in puppies.

Healthy adult dogs are commonly fed their daily allowance across two meals, while puppies generally require more frequent meals because of their age and smaller stomachs.

Rather than changing your dog’s feeding frequency specifically to treat loose stools, make sure their meal schedule is appropriate for their age and individual requirements.

If you’re unsure, speak to your vet for individual advice.

3. Keep Mealtimes Consistent

A regular feeding routine can make it easier to monitor your dog’s appetite, digestion and stools.

Try to feed at reasonably consistent times each day and avoid making multiple changes to their food, treats and feeding schedule simultaneously. If something does affect their digestion, changing one thing at a time makes it easier to identify what may be contributing.

Fresh water should always be available.

4. Keep an Eye on What They Eat During Walks

Some dogs are particularly interested in eating things they find outside.

Discarded food, animal poo, dead animals and other unknown substances can cause digestive upset and may expose your dog to potentially harmful substances or organisms.

If your dog regularly scavenges while walking, keeping a closer eye on what they pick up can help you identify whether this coincides with changes in their stools.

Contact your vet if you think your dog has eaten something potentially harmful or if they subsequently become unwell.

5. Be Careful About Adding Extras

You may see recommendations to add ingredients such as cooked carrot, sweet potato or squash when a dog has soft stools.

However, adding extra foods also changes your dog’s overall diet. If your dog is eating a complete food, continually adding ingredients isn’t necessarily the best way to address recurring digestive symptoms.

For an occasional minor change in stool consistency, monitor your dog and consider whether anything in their diet has recently changed.

If soft stools continue or regularly return, speak to your vet rather than relying on dietary additions to manage the symptoms.

6. Consider Non-Food Causes

Not every change in your dog’s poo is caused by their food.

Stress, excitement and changes in routine can sometimes coincide with changes in bowel movements. Some dogs may also produce softer stools during or following periods of excitement or vigorous activity.

Keeping track of when the changes happen may help you identify a pattern.

However, don’t assume recurring loose stools are behavioural. Persistent digestive symptoms should be discussed with your vet.

7. Consider Whether You’ve Recently Changed Their Food

If you’ve recently introduced a new food, your dog’s digestive system may need time to adjust.

When moving to Wolfworthy from another food, we generally recommend making the transition gradually rather than changing everything at once.

If your dog develops digestive discomfort or loose stools during the transition, slow the transition down.

This is different from ongoing diarrhoea. Persistent or worsening diarrhoea, or diarrhoea accompanied by blood, vomiting, pain, lethargy or dehydration, requires veterinary advice.

8. Rule Out an Underlying Problem

Changes in your dog’s stools can have many possible causes, including intestinal parasites and other health conditions.

If your dog’s poo suddenly changes without an obvious explanation and doesn’t return to normal, or the problem keeps coming back, contact your vet.

Feeding Wolfworthy

Wolfworthy is a complete, nutrient-dense dry food made with 80% animal ingredients, including high levels of freshly prepared meat or fish.

If you’re considering changing your dog to Wolfworthy, make the transition gradually and feed the appropriate amount for your dog rather than using the food as a treatment for diarrhoea or digestive symptoms.

Wolfworthy is also among the highest-rated British dry dog foods on independent dog food comparison website All About Dog Food.

If you have questions about feeding Wolfworthy, our Wolfworthy Help Centre has further feeding and product information.