No matter how much you adore your dog, picking up their sloppy poop is not enjoyable. So if a firm, pickupable, log-shaped poo is what you desire from your dog, the 4 points in this blog will help you get one.

1. Are you feeding them too much?

Our food tastes fantastic. We include a large proportion of fresh meat, fish and important organ meat in our recipe. It is nutrient-dense and dogs love it but do not be tempted to overfeed them. Overfeeding is the most common cause of soft poo.

Carefully weigh their food using a digital scale, do not be tempted to use a scoop, overfeeding is more likely this way.

Our feeding guide will give you an idea of the amount your dog should have. All dogs are not the same, depending on breed, activity level, temperament and age you will adjust it for your dog. This can mean for some dogs reducing it by up to 25%. Poo gives us a real insight into how much you should feed your dog. Too much and it will become soft, too little and it will be overly firm.

If your dog's poo is unpickupable reduce the amount by 10% and feed this amount for 2 days, monitor the output. If their poos firm up, you are at the right level. If they remain soft reduce it by a further 10%. A soft poo means your dog's body is lacking the time to complete the full digestion process before the next batch of food is arriving in its stomach.

2. Are they eating too many dog treats?

Treats increase the daily calories your dog is eating. If your dog has soft poo we would advise you to stop giving them treats until you have established the correct level of food they should be having. Once this is done you can add treats back on the menu and monitor output. You will need to reduce the daily food allowance to account for the extra treats. Many treats are of low value and should be avoided for dogs with soft poos.

If you are training a puppy you don't need to buy special treats, use their daily food for training. This means they do not overfill on treats and you know exactly how much they are eating.

3. Have you suddenly changed their diet?

Quickly swapping to a different food can cause loose poo. Your dog's digestive system needs time to adjust to the new diet. Changing food is best done over a few days. We advise you do this over 7 days:

3. Have they eaten something they shouldn't?

Dogs are natural scavengers and most will be on the hunt when they are out for their daily walk. Did they pick something off the floor and swallow it before you could get there? Discarded food, litter, dead animals, you name it it's a contender. Did they drink from a dirty puddle or pond? If you know your dog is prone to doing this you need to spend some time training your dog to 'leave it' and keep them on a lead until you are confident they will obey you.

4. Did you feed them some human food?

Food for humans is not designed for dogs. Most of it is too rich and will result in a bout of very loose poo. As cute as they are, do not feed your food to your dog. Begging while you are eating is not good behaviour and some dogs are masters at acting as if they haven't eaten all month. Whilst they may act hungry, their body condition is what you should look at to see if they are being fed enough, not the big eyes when you are eating your supper. 

5. Could they have an underlying health issue?

Diarrhoea (or constipation) for a prolonged period needs professional advice. Take your dog to the vet to eliminate any disease or intestinal upset.

New medication can also cause loose poo, your vet should inform you if this is likely.

6. Have they been involved in a stressful event?

Things like moving home, a new baby, a new puppy, a large house party or fireworks can bring anxiety and stress into your dog's world. For some dogs this can result is loose poos for a time. Give them a bit of extra love and hugs and try to keep as many things as possible the same. They will soon return to normal.

We know how important it is to get a firm, regular poo from your dog. Wolfworthy is the Best British Dry Food on the market (allaboutdogfood.co.uk) and we are confident that feeding our food correctly will ensure your dog's poo is perfect!

If you have any other questions our Help page is packed full of information on our food

Wolfworthy is rated one of the best British dry dog foods by AllAboutDogFood.co.uk and featured in DogsToday magazine as one of the UK’s best dog foods.

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