What Should Healthy Dog Poop Look and Smell Like? 

When you scoop your dog’s poop, pay attention to the following factor; 

• Color; Healthy dog poop should be a chocolate brown. You may see normal and abnormal color variations depending on their diet or if they are experiencing a health issue. 

  • Brown; Normal poop can range from light to dark brown. ​

  • Black; May be an indication of upper intestinal bleeding. 

  • Green; Can result from infections, bile problems, or grass consumption and greed colored food in their diet. 

  • Gray/White; Sometimes indicates problem with liver or bile flow. 

  • Red; Indicates fresh blood, potentially from gastrointestinal problems, infections, or ingesting certain foods. 

  • White Specks; Can be a sign of intestinal worms or undigested food particles.

• Shape; Dog poop should be log-shaped and formed. May have segments, which is normal. If your dog's poop is soggy or watery, its a sign of a disturbance in the digestive system. If your dog's poops are in pebble form, it can indicate dehydration. 

• Consistency; Dog poop should be firm but pliable and hold its form. Very hard or soft stool can indicate a problem. 

• Size; Volume of dog poop may vary depending on the dog's diet or any problems. The more a dog eats, the more they will poop. A diet that is higher in fiber will also likely cause larger poops. 

• Contents; Dog poop may show what your pet is ingesting besides their normal food such as grass, toys, and other particles. There may also be the inclusion of worms, mucus, or blood, which can indicate an issue. 

• Smell; Normal dog poop has a mild, faint odor. If your dog's poop smells overly foul, they are likely experiencing digestive upset.  A small amount of flatulence can also be normal, however if is seems overly frequent or overly foul smelling, your dog may be experiencing digestive upset. 

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How frequent should a dog poop?

• Most healthy adult dogs poop 1-3 times a day on average. Puppies will likely need to poop more frequently than that depending on their age. How much a dog eats will determine how much they poop. Healthy dogs can go up to 48 hours without pooping. Generally, going a day or two without a bowel movement isn’t cause for alarm. If more time passes or you observe straining to defecate, that can indicate a problem.

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Poop problems to look out for; 

• Bloody stool; Blood in the stool is a sign of inflammation of the digestive tract called gastroenteritis. This can occur when your dog eats something harmful to them, goes through a stressful experience, has a parasitic or bacterial infection, or even has cancer.

• Worms in the poop; Internal parasites such as tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms are unfortunately very easy to pick up and are within just about every environment. Adult dogs have a stronger immune system and can often times rid themselves of these parasites on their own. Puppies do not and often times need to be dewormed regularly. 

• Excess Mucus in the poop; A little mucus can be normal as it helps the poop move through the digestive tract and sheds regularly. If you see an excess amount of mucus, that can be a sign of an infection. 

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Causes of diarrhea in dogs; 

• Eating something they should not;  Dogs may consume a variety of foods and items without discrimination. Whether it’s a poisonous plant, a scrap of human food, or one of their own toys, their eating habits can occasionally be harmful to them.

• Food Intolerance; Some canines simply can’t tolerate certain ingredients, even if they’re deemed safe for dogs. (Note an intolerance is different from a food allergy, which can also lead to gastrointestinal signs and/or may include skin issues too.)

• Parasitic Infection; Parasites such as roundworms, hookworms and giardia can all cause serious digestive upset in dogs.

• Abrupt Change in Diet, If you add anything new or change dog food too quickly , your pet’s digestive system may struggle to keep up. It’s recommended that you switch food slowly over the course of 7 to 10 days. Even changing it slowly may result in an upset stomach. 

• Stress; Common stressful situations that can trigger GI upset in a dog include changes in the household or environment, boarding, separation anxiety, and introduction of a new pet or family member.

• Side Effects to Medication; Many medications and some supplements, including antibiotics, may lead to the unfortunate side-effect of dog diarrhea.

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease; In dogs, IBD stands for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder characterized by inflammation in the digestive tract. IBD in dogs is an umbrella term for a group of diseases such as Colitis that occur in the small and large intestines.

• Infections; Diarrhea can also be a sign of an underlying viral or bacterial infection such as parvovirus or salmonella.​​​

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What to do if you notice a problem with your dog's poop– When to Call the Veterinarian

Most canine companions experience stool problems from time to time. Whether your dog can’t poop due to constipation or has watery diarrhea, these types of issues aren’t all that uncommon. Often, they pass on their own within a day or two.  

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If your dog experiences diarrhea; 

•  First withhold food only for 24 hours. This will give their distressed GI tract a chance to rest and recover. (Never restrict water. Your dog will need lots of water since they are losing fluids through diarrhea). Do not move them to a chicken/rice diet, that can actually cause more harm than help. 

• After the 24 hours, feed them their normal diet at about half the amount for their first meal and slowly increase it back to normal over the next couple days. Add a couple table spoons of plain pure pumpkin into their food, it is rich in fiber and contains prebiotics for promoting gut health. 

• If you are not already, think about adding in a daily probiotic/prebiotic supplement to support their digestive health. 

• If the diarrhea persists or is reoccurring frequently, contact your veterinarian. 

• If you see worms in your dog's stool and you have not dewormed prior, take a sample in to your veterinarian and get your pet dewormed. If you have recently dewormed then the good new is that the dewormer is working and ridding your dog of worms. Make sure to do a follow up round of dewormer in 10-14 days to fully eradicate the worms.

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If you want to help promote your dog’s digestive health or treat a bout of diarrhea, a probiotic supplement may be a good idea.  

For issues that don’t resolve on their own within a few days, or go away but frequently return, contact your veterinarian.  If your vet is acting off, lethargic, not wanting to eat their food, acting droopy, etc. contact your veterinarian. 

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As a pet owner, you want your dog to be healthy and happy. While it may not be the most pleasant topic, understanding different types of dog poop can help you provide better care for your canine companion. 

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Why Do Dogs Kick After They Poop?

If your dog likes to kick back with their hind legs after pooping, this is common behavior. Known as “ground scratching,” post-poop kicking may be a form of communication with other canines. It can spread their scent, as odor is released through dogs’ paw pads.  

Another possible reason for kicking is it sends visual cues. The scratches in the ground left from kicking are signs of a dog’s presence.