How often should a dog poop on a raw diet
The Proof Is in the Poop: What Does Dog Poop Look Like on a Raw Diet?
Life would be a lot easier if our pets could tell us how theyre feeling. But, luckily, their behavior, mood, and actions can help give us a better understanding of their health.
One of the most important indicators of your pets well-being is their poop. The color, consistency, and overall look of their excrement can give you an idea if your pup is properly digesting their food and even give you insight into their internal health.
When your dog starts a raw food diet, you may notice changes to their stool. Read on to learn what dog poop on a raw diet can look like to understand how your dogs digestive system is adapting to the change.
The Perfect Poop
Regardless of the type of diet youre feeding your dog, you can always be on the lookout for healthy poo.
According to the American Kennel Club, the perfect dog poo should be:
Chocolate brown in color, though this can vary slightly depending on their diet. Other colors can be indicators of issues. For example, green pet poop could be a sign of a gallbladder issue while excrement with a yellow or orange tinge could be caused by a liver problem.
Shaped like one, long log piece. If their droppings are more hard and round, they could be dehydrated which can lead to constipation.
Compact, moist, and easy to pick up in a doggy bag. Like people, dogs can sometimes get upset stomachs. If theyre straining to use the bathroom, they may be constipated. Loose stools can be a sign of intestinal upset that might resolve itself within a day.
Free of debris that isnt food-related. White spots in your dogs poop can be a sign of tapeworms. Excess grass or hair in your dogs stool may mean he or she could be uncomfortable as well.
Always keep an eye on your dogs bowel movements to make sure theres nothing out of the ordinary happening.
Raw Fed Dog Poop vs. Kibble Dog Poop
Of course, your dog's poop is heavily influenced by his or her diet. Here are some things to keep in mind when comparing a dog on the raw diets stool vs. a dog being fed kibbles excrement.
Dog Poop on Raw Diet
First things first, raw pet food can actually make your dog poop less! This is because your pet is now ingesting food that is being digested and properly utilized by the body, resulting in less waste. Plus, another of the benefits of feeding raw is your dogs poop may be less smelly.
With raw feeding, you may notice that your dogs poop looks:
Smaller than usual, because more food is being digested rather than discarded.
Lighter in color. The bone content in the diet accounts for it turning white. Its not uncommon for the excrement of dogs on the raw diet to turn white and disintegrate if left outdoors.
Firmer than usual. This is because your dog's digestive tract is better able to extract moisture and nutrients from a species-appropriate raw diet. The more nutrients get extracted from the food, the less waste comes out the other end. If you notice your dog straining while pooping, that is normal and even healthy since it can help express the anal glands. Your dogs raw diet hard poop shouldnt be confused with constipation.
Covered in some mucus. Mucus-covered stools can appear at any time, no matter how long a dog has been on the raw diet, and are generally no reason for concern. When first switching to a raw diet, this may be a sign that the digestive tract is ridding the junk from its system, which is a normal part of detox.
Its also important to note that black dog poop on raw food can occur as your dogs digestive enzymes get used to more meat and organ matter in their diet. As long as its dark and firm, thats good. If you notice streaks of red or a tar consistency, this could be the result of an imbalanced diet or an internal problem, and you should consult with your vet.
Dog Poop on Kibble Diet
With typical kibble dog food, your pup will likely have more frequent bowel movements that are large and smelly. Thats because less food is actually being digested and upwards of 70% of what theyre fed is discharged in their stool.
Dogs that eat kibble may also experience an upset tummy more often because theyre lacking the proper nutrients. At the same time, the dry food lacks moisture, so they will need to drink more water throughout the day, which can cause diarrhea.
As you can see, the proof is all in the poop! Learn more about how the raw diet can benefit your pet today.
How Many Times a Day Do Raw Fed Dogs Poop?
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One of the benefits of feeding raw is the smaller, less smelly poop created by our dogs. According to some dog parents, their raw fed dogs also poop less. I looked forward to this gift from the Raw Feeding Universe, and after four years of feeding my dogs a raw diet, I can tell you that this is the gift that keeps on giving, kind of.
Do Raw Fed Dogs Have Smaller Poop?
Yes and no. Today, all of my dogs have smaller poop, but there was a time when Rodrigo's poop was three times the size of the other dogs because of underlying gut issues. He was diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in 2019, and once I began adding digestive enzymes to his diet, his poop shrunk in size. It's still bigger than everyone else, unlike before the diagnosis.
Do Raw Fed Dogs Have Less Smelly Poop?
Yes! After a while, it's easy to forget that dog poop is less smelly. When Rodrigo's digestive enzymes kicked in, I began to pick up a difference in poop smell. While the other dogs didn't have strong-smelling poop, I could always sniff out Rodrigo's poop in the yard. I can't explain the way his poop smelled, just that I could smell it, sometimes across the property if the wind was right. I knew he was having a rough day when it was that bad.
Now that Rodrigo's gut issues are squared away, I'm happy that ALL of my dogs have less smelly poop.
Do Raw Fed Dogs Poop Less Often?
Today, we have four dogs, and only one was fed kibble in our home, and that was eight years ago. Scout, Zoey, and Apollo were transitioned to raw the day they joined our family. So, I don't know if our dogs poop less often on a raw fed diet.
My four dogs poop once or twice daily, which is normal. Rodrigo probably did poop more on a kibble diet, but I don't know if this is due to the kibble or to his gut health (or maybe both).
However often my pack of dogs poop, I can always count on picking up their poop when we go on walks, so I always carry two poop bags for every dog that I walk. Living with a house full of dogs, it's best to grab a roll of poop bags to be safe.
When We See Food in Raw Feed Poop
Sometimes when I'm cleaning the yard, I see chunks of food (bone pieces, whole vegetables, whole seeds, gristle from raw trachea, rabbit fur) in the poop. I used to think this was evidence that my dogs didn't benefit from this food because it's still whole, but this isn't the case. If seeing these things makes you uncomfortable, I recommend grinding meat, bone, seeds and pureeing vegetables and fruit. With rabbit fur, just don't be surprised and concerned that a coyote got into your yard it's not scat, it's dog poop, and the fur did its job of clearing out the digestive tract.
When Raw Fed Dogs are Constipated
Whether I'm walking the dogs or cleaning up the yard, picking up poop is the best way for me to tell how each dog is doing. When I see fresh poop that is dry and crumbly, then I know that I've added too much bone to their diet. This is easy for me to fix on their next meal, I make sure to add one of three items:
- a spoonful of organ meat I mix up a blend and keep a small amount in the fridge for the extra vitamins and to help keep things moving.
- sardines adding fish or fish oil to the diet can help get things moving, so adding a full or half a can of sardines gets the job done.
- vegetables I make a veggie mix for my dogs as a source of fiber, antioxidants, and additional nutrients.
While there are other reasons for constipation, including illness, 99% of the time with my dogs, it's diet-related and easily curable.
When Raw Fed Dogs Have Diarrhea
If my dogs have diarrhea or loose stool, then it's usually because of too much rich food (green tripe, organ meat, certain dog treats). After eight years of taking the lead with my dogs' diet, I can quickly identify the issue and make changes to stop their diarrhea.
- Olewo Carrots this is a dehydrated product derived from carrots grown in an area of Germany (you cannot use local carrots as an alternative) and have a long history of boosting digestive health, skin and coat health, and curing diarrhea.
- plain canned pumpkin a heaping spoonful of canned pumpkin (we have big dogs) in the meal helps to clear up diarrhea and gas pretty effectively.
While there are other reasons for diarrhea, including illness, 99% of the time with my dogs, it's diet-related and easily curable. Sometimes, if the diarrhea is due to ingestion of something gross, it's a good idea to allow the diarrhea to run its course (as long as it doesn't last longer than a couple of days) to clear out what is irritating the gut. But, in this case, I seek the advice of our veterinarian.
Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian or a nutritionist. If your dog's poop is signaling a serious health issue, please contact your veterinarian DO NOT leave a comment asking for a diagnosis. Such comments will not be approved.
Read More About Raw Feeding
Dog Raw Diets: Does A Dog Poop Less?
Raw food diets for dogssome love them and some hate them (veterinarians are divided on the issue) but everyone who tries a raw food diet for dogs typically does so for one main reason: theyre looking for better health for their dogs. The proof of good dog gut health is in the poop, and so today were taking a look at how often raw food diet dogs poop, and what you can do to make sure your dog has the best gut health no matter what food hes on.
To raw or not to raw?
This is a question that dog parents talk about with their veterinarians all the time. On one hand, many dog nutritionists and veterinarians advise and suggest raw food diets for dogs because it allows dogs to eat more as their ancestors did and protects their guts from some of the issues that come with todays highly processed dry kibble.
On another, many nutritionists and vets dont advocate for dog parents to feed dogs raw food diets, citing concerns about infectious disease, malnutrition and even death. In fact, a quick Internet search will show that most major canine organizations, including the AKC, the American Veterinary Medical Association and even the CDC discourage raw diets for dogs.
Just like every health decision for family members, the decision to feed your dog a raw diet or not is one to discuss with your veterinarian.
Why raw diets for dogs?
So why do so many dog parents want to feed their dogs raw diets? As we said, the main reason is for the health of their dog. Raw dog food diet advocates say that raw diets help dogs eat more like their ancestors did in the wild, and they have better overall health. Fresh whole foods are better than highly processed and packaged foods for humans, right? So goes the theory for many with their dogs diet. More, many advocates believe that fresh, whole raw foods are better absorbed by dogs, and therefore fuel dogs more efficiently and better.
And while it makes sense, again, many veterinarians have concerns about raw food diets for dogs. They worry about infectious disease that could make your dog (or you) sick if the food isnt handled well. They worry about making sure raw dog food diets have all the necessary vitamins and nutrients to appropriately fuel dogs, and prefer foods that are monitored to be sure they offer what dogs need.
Raw dog food diets and poop: How much does a raw diet fed dog
We say it all the time. You can tell a lot about your dogs gut health by his poop. Many who feed their dogs raw dog food diets say the number one benefit of raw diets for dogs is the poop.
Rather, the lack of poop, if you will.
When food goes through your dogs digestive system, its digested and absorbed. The more vitamins and nutrients that are absorbed to fuel your dogs body, the less fecal matter (poop) there is to come out the back end. And what does come out is less noxious in smell and size because so much has already been absorbed.
So its like basic logic, right? Raw dog food diets mean theres more nutrient absorption and less poop.
Except, not always.
Because as weve said, if your dogs raw food diet doesnt have all the vitamins and nutrients your dog needs to fuel his body, it doesnt matter how much he absorbs. He still may suffer frommalnutrition, and that can result in things likediarrhea,constipation,allergic reaction,leaky gutand more.
And that sort of defeats the whole purpose, doesnt it?
Readhow much a dog should poopto learn more about consistent and regular bowel movements.
Bernies Perfect Poop: Good dog gut health without the raw
Of course you want the best for your dog. But the best for your dog always comes back to the best gut health. As science continues to show the importance of gut health for not just dogs but their humans too, thats what we focus on atBernies Perfect Poop.
In fact, our sole goal in creating Perfect Poop was to optimize gut health in our dogs Bernie and Lady. They were both eating raw diets and honestly? One of our biggest motivations for finding the best fiber was to help our dogs have enough fiber to reduce some of the mess from the blood and guts of a raw meal. Not to mention, we wanted them to get the most from the food we gave, because doing so can help optimize their overall general health and immunity. We wanted to create something to help them have all the energy they need to live their best dog lives. And thats what we want for your dogs too.
How do we do this?
We start premium fibers like Miscanthus grass, pumpkin and flax seed. Ensuring your dogs fiber consumption means that you are helping his body regulate the digestive system. When your dog has a fiber-rich diet, he can sufficiently absorb all the essential nutrients from the food hes eating. We combine soluble and insoluble fiber to move food through thedigestive tract at just the right speed, and to help reduce issues with constipation and diarrhea.
The pre- and probiotics in Bernies Perfect Poop also help his gut health be the best it can be. Prebiotics are non-living fiber and they nourish the beneficial probiotics that are found in your dogs gut. Its like food for the probiotics, and a healthy canine microbiome is one where beneficial bacteria thrive and keep bad bacteria out of the digestive tract. This is also key for ensuring your dog absorbs all the nutrients he should from his food.
And when you add in the digestive enzymes we include in Bernies Perfect Poop, you are helping your dog digest his food as it should be for maximum nutrient absorption. When our dogs start eating, they begin creating digestive enzymes that will break their food down to be absorbed by their guts. Adding Bernies Perfect Poop to their food means youre also adding additional and powerful digestive enzymes for maximum digestion. Our proprietary blend of Protease, Amylase, Cellulase, Hemicellulase, Lipase, Papain, and Bromelain help your dog break his food down to be absorbed and used by the different cells and organs of his body.
Which takes us back to one of the reasons people feed their dogs raw dietssmaller poops that smell less. When you supplement your dogs diet with Bernies Perfect Poop, thats what you can count on getting!
Bernies Perfect Poop: The best way to help your dogs gut health
At the end of the day, we all love our dogs. Whether we feed them dry kibble, fresh foods, raw diets or combinations, we just want them to be their healthiest and happiest. Thats what drives us at Bernies Perfect Poop, and thats why we do what we do.
Sure, we want less smelly and easier-to-pick-up poop. And we love better dog breath and fewer upset tummies.
But what we want most is what helps them have stronger immunity and happier outlooks on life. That good health starts in the gut, and starts with Bernies Perfect Poop!
