15 Best Dog Foods for Less Poop in 2023

Diet can affect how much poop a dog produces. So, if your dog has larger than normal poops, you may want to adjust its diet.

By understanding how dogs digest certain ingredients, you can supply them with low-residue essentials. A healthy diet can help your dog feel good, achieve better health, and reduce waste.

Here’s our list of the best dog foods out there.

Let’s dive in!

The Best Dog Foods for Less Poop

1. Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Salmon, Barley, Rice, Oat Meal, Fish Meal

This best dog food for less poop boosts your dog’s digestive and skin health. The recipe contains highly digestible salmon, oatmeal, and rice that provide essential macro-nutrients and omega fatty acids to nourish your dog. It also has glucosamine and chondroitin to support healthy joints and mobility.

Live probiotics and prebiotic fibers strengthen your dog’s digestive health and encourage nutrient absorption so that your dog is happy and healthy.

2. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach and Skin Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Brewers Rice, Chicken Meal, Yellow Peas, Soybean Oil

This tasty dog food from Hill’s Science Diet can alleviate stomach issues and prevent excessive pooping. 

It features easily digestible ingredients, including chicken, brown rice, and soybean oil, to support your dog’s dietary needs and overall health. This recipe also delivers omega fatty acids and vitamin E to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat. Another great feature of this dog food is its probiotic and prebiotic support, promoting healthy gut flora and stronger digestive health.

3. Diamond Care Sensitive Stomach Formula Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Potatoes, Egg Product, Potato Protein, Tomato Pomace, Chicken Fat

Diamond Care Sensitive Stomach Formula is a great choice for dogs with a fragile digestive system. It contains carefully selected ingredients and exchanges meat for egg protein for sensitive dogs. This low-residue recipe can help your dog have smaller bowel movements each day. Plus, this recipe is completely free from gluten, grains, corn, soy, and wheat so that your dog can fully digest a tasty meal.

The recipe includes probiotics that promote gut flora and improve digestive function to further strengthen your dog’s GI tract. Also, the formula has numerous vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids that support your dog’s overall health.

4. Natural Balance LID. Limited Ingredient Diets Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Salmon, Menhaden Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Sunflower Oil

Natural Balance’s dog food has limited, digestion-friendly ingredients for sensitive dogs. The primary ingredients include real salmon, menhaden fish meal, sweet potatoes, and other wholesome ingredients that repair muscles and make your dog more energetic. Additionally, Natural Balance’s dog food provides the nutrition, quality, and taste your dog deserves. This recipe is completely free from gluten, grains, peas, corn, and lentils, so your dog can easily digest and absorb nutrients. It also helps reduce the amount of stool your dog produces.

5. Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Formula Turkey & Potato Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Potatoes, Turkey Meal, Peas, Canola Oil

This holistic and highly nutritious dog food can help reduce stool volume. It’s a limited ingredient recipe that features a single protein and easily digestible carbs for muscle nourishment and optimal energy levels. Apart from that, the dog food contains LifeSource Bits that deliver vitamins and antioxidants and a pumpkin for soothing a taxed digestive system.

The recipe has a great nutritional profile and contains no grains, dairy wheat, corn, soy, artificial flavors, and preservatives. So, if you want to fulfill your dog’s nutritional, try Blue Buffalo’s Basics limited-ingredient dog food.

6. CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Salmon, Menhaden Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Canola Oil

Cutting down on high-residue ingredients can make your dog poop less, and this recipe does exactly that. Canidae Pure LID dog food is ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Its features easily digestible ingredients like salmon, menhaden fish meal, sweet potatoes, and peas that support overall health without causing stomach upsets or excessive pooping.

Aside from that, the recipe also includes probiotics, antioxidants, fatty acids, and vitamins that promote gut flora and build strong immunity.

7. Nulo Freestyle Limited+ Puppy Grain-Free Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Deboned Salmon, Salmon Meal, Chickpeas, Canola Oil, Dried Chicory Root

Nulo Freestyle Limited+ dog food contains low-residue and low-fiber ingredients to fulfill your dog’s nutritional needs and improve digestion. This high-protein recipe helps build muscle mass and is ideal for optimal growth. Also, this recipe is free from grains, soy, peas, and artificial preservatives.

This recipe contains GanedenBC30 probiotics to strengthen your dog’s digestive system and reduce stool volume. It also has omega fatty acids to nourish your dog’s skin and coat.

8. Wellness CORE Ocean Whitefish, Herring and Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Whitefish, Herring Meal, Salmon Meal, Peas, Lentils

If your dog is sensitive to grains and poultry, the Wellness Core Ocean Dog Food is a great choice. This recipe contains seafood-sourced ingredients, including whitefish, salmon, and herring meat. It also features various fruits and vegetables that deliver essential micronutrients for optimal nourishment.

This recipe contains probiotics that promote gut flora and encourage better digestion. The omega fatty acids added in this recipe promote the growth of healthy skin and a lustrous coat. The formula contains glucosamine to support healthy joints. Finally, it is free of by-products, corn, fillers, soy, and artificial additives.

9. ORIJEN Six Fish Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Whole Atlantic Mackerel, Whole Atlantic Herring, Whole Silver Hake, Sunflower Oil, Whole Red Lentils

Orijen features a nutrient-dense diet that only contains essential ingredients. Their Six Fish Dog Food is an ideal diet for dogs that produce frequent, extremely large poops. Almost 80% of the dog food’s protein comes from highly digestible whole fish meat to keep your dog in lean shape.

The dog food sources carbohydrates from lentils, peas, and beans, all of which have a low glycemic index and digest easily. Also, this dog food contains fruits and vegetables that deliver various micronutrients.

10. Farmina N&D Ocean Herring and Orange Medium & Maxi Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Herring, Sweet Potatoes, Herring Oil, Dried Carrots, Dried Sweet Orange

Farmina N&D kibble is one of the best dog foods for less poop out there. It obtains premium-quality protein from herring meat for lean muscle growth and uses sweet potatoes to offer your dog a tasty and easily digestible meal. The formula is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and omega fatty acids to enhance your dog’s immunity and overall health. The micronutrients come from carrots, orange, pomegranate, apples, and other fruits and vegetables. Lastly, the food doesn’t have grains, peas, and legumes so that your dog receives optimal nutrition.  

11. AvoDerm Advanced Sensitive Support Lamb and Sweet Potato Formula Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Lamb, Peas, Garbanzo Beans, Canola Oil, Sweet Potato

AvoDerm’s dog food has everything your little pup needs to live a healthy life. The recipe uses lamb meat and sweet potato as the primary ingredients. It is full of amino acids and easily digestible carbohydrates. Also, it is completely free from grains, corn, gluten, soy, or artificial additives, making this dog food a great pick for sensitive dogs.

This low-residue diet improves digestion and helps reduce stool volume. The recipe is also enriched with a range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to strengthen your dog’s immunity.  

12. ACANA Wild Atlantic Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Whole Mackerel, Whole Herring, Sunflower Oil, Whole Pinto Beans, Whole Pumpkin

This recipe features a range of seafood proteins and is ideal for picky eaters. If your dog loves fish, consider the Acana Wild Atlantic Dog Food. The recipe contains five different types of fish and offers high protein content.  

Other wholesome ingredients include fruits and vegetables such as apples, apples, carrots, and squash. The ingredients in this recipe are easily digestible, making it a great choice for less poop. Plus, the ingredients deliver vitamins, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients to support your dog’s general health and vitality.

13. Health Extension Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Deboned Salmon, Menhaden Fish meal, Lentils, Salmon Oil, Whole Sweet Potatoes

The Health Extension Salmon Dog Food is the perfect choice for owners that want to pick up less dog poop. This complete and balanced dog food features deboned salmon meat that delivers muscle-nourishing amino acids and omega fatty acids to enhance your dog’s coat health.

Aside from that, the recipe contains low-GI carbohydrates and a range of fruits and vegetables. It also contains apple cider vinegar and other interesting ingredients that strengthen immunity and benefit your dog’s overall health. The recipe includes zero by-products, hormones, rendered fats, grains, gluten, or artificial additives that may cause an upset stomach.

14. Merrick — Grain-Free Duck and Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Deboned Duck, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Fat, Sunflower Oil

This dog food is rich in high-quality ingredients to fulfill your dog’s nutritional requirements. It features deboned duck and sweet potatoes for complete and balanced nutrition.

Duck meat promotes muscle repair, while sweet potatoes provide energy to fuel your dog’s adventures. Also, this grain-free formula includes glucosamine and chondroitin for health maintenance and improved mobility. It also has natural fibers that promote digestion and omega fatty acids that make your dog’s coat softer and lustrous.

15. Purina Beneful – Grain Free Farm-Raised Chicken Dry Dog Food

Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Cassava Root Flour, Chicken Meal, Beef Fat, Dried Beet Pulp

This low-residue dog food is one of the best options for less poop. Your little dog deserves goodness in a bowl. And if you want to offer budget-friendly food, this grain-free option by Purina fits the bill. 

This kibble has real chicken as a primary ingredient for optimal muscle growth and overall nourishment. Other wholesome ingredients include spinach, blueberries, pumpkin, and blueberries. All of these ingredients contribute to a great nutrient profile. Also, the recipe is free from allergy-causing grains, low-quality fillers, wheat, gluten, and corn.

Buyer’s Guide

Here are some features to keep in mind when buying dog food for less poop:

High Protein Content

The best dog food for less poop contains high protein content. Most specialists recommend choosing protein-rich raw dog food or commercial dry dog foods with high protein levels from animal sources. Lean meat sources like fish, bison, lamb, and chicken will support your dog’s health and reduce poop volume.

Digestibility

Digestibility describes how the food passes through your dog’s digestive system and refers to the amount of nutrients absorbed by the dog. If you want to prevent excessive pooping, look for highly digestible ingredients to achieve faster nutrient absorption.

Most manufacturers mention a digestibility rating on their pet food labels. We recommend choosing a dog food that has a digestibility rating of 83% or more.

Healthy Fats

Fats are vital for your dog’s energy, taste buds, and healthy immunity. However, excessive fat content can damage your dog’s digestive system. It can make your dog produce large piles of greasy poop. The best dog food for less poop contains less than 15% healthy fat content.

Stick to Dry Kibble

Dry kibble is nutritionally dense and contains fewer calories than wet dog food. Wet food contains additional juices and water. As a result, you need to feed your dog extra wet food to match its dietary requirements. So if your dog isn’t a picky eater, you should stick to dry dog food for less poop.

Be Mindful of Quantity

Food quantity plays a part in how much poop your dog produces. Dogs must eat nutritionally balanced dog food to fulfill their dietary needs and sustain their lifestyle. Your dog may have specific nutritional requirements based on its age, breed, and activity level. So, you should follow AAFCO guidelines and read feeding instructions on food labels.

The dietary content of food varies from brand to brand. If you’re making a switch to premium nutrient-dense dog food, you might notice that your dog will need less kibble to stay healthy.

A Low-Residue Diet

A low-residue diet is completely free from unnecessary fillers and helps reduce the amount of stool your dog produces. It also supplies dogs with the healthy ingredients they need to stay active and thrive. Low-residue diets feature nutritionally dense food and are highly digestible for better nutrient absorption and less waste. It is a temporary eating plan to soothe a taxed digestive system.

Examples of foods on a low-residue diet include:

• • White bread
• • White rice
• Cooked vegetables without skin or seeds
• Fresh fruit
• Fish
• Eggs
• Poultry
• Dairy products

A low-residue diet also restricts foods that increase stool volume. Here are the examples of foods to avoid on a low-residue diet:

• Bran cereals
• Legumes
• Corn
• Leafy vegetables
• Popcorn
• Cheese

Ingredients to Avoid

Artificial Colors and Flavors

Avoid low-quality or cheap dog food that contains artificial flavors and colors. Manufacturers include these ingredients so that dog owners choose visually appealing dog food. However, it isn’t a healthy choice for your dog. Artificial dyes and flavors may cause digestive issues and allergic reactions in adult dogs.

Additives and Allergens

You should also avoid dietary allergens like dairy because they are bad for your dog’s health, even if they do not have a sensitive stomach.

What factors cause excessive pooping in dogs?

Psychological Stress

Psychological stress and separation anxiety can affect your dog’s bowel movements. It can cause stomach issues, excessive pooping, and diarrhea. If changing your dog’s food doesn’t help, consider visiting a local veterinarian.

Overeating

Eating too much can make your dog poop a lot. You should feed your dog at scheduled times and avoid dog foods with fillers and preservatives. Also, you can measure perfect meal portions for your dog’s size and activity level.

Colitis

Colitis affects a dog’s GI tract and causes inflammation. An inflamed colon can lead to excessive pooping, pain, discomfort, and diarrhea.

Intestinal Cancer

Some dog breeds can develop intestinal cancer. It is more common in senior dogs and has clinical symptoms such as:

• Excessive pooping
• Diarrhea
• Weight Loss
• Blood in feces

Unfamiliar Surroundings

Unfamiliar surroundings can cause stress and discomfort in dogs. If you’ve recently moved, your dog may feel stressed and depressed, causing an upset stomach and other digestive problems.

Dietary Changes

Be careful when you’re changing your dog’s diet and dog food. That’s because sudden dietary changes can upset your dog’s stomach and cause excessive pooping. Most dog food manufacturers include information on their food labels on introducing new food to your dog gradually.

How can I reduce the size of my dog’s poop?

If your dog consistently makes large poops, you may need to change his diet and activity levels. These changes can make your dog’s stool easier to pass and reduce stool quantity.

Some steps to take include:

• Increase your dog’s intake of low-residue foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.
• Increase your dog’s physical activity level. Examples include walking or other activities that can stimulate additional bowel movements.
• Try providing several small meals throughout the day instead of a large meal at one sitting. This helps reduce the volume of food that your dog’s intestines process at a time.
• Refrain from using laxatives unless your vet specifically tells you to.

You can also talk to your vet if these tips don’t do much to change your dog’s poop size.

Home Cooked Meals for Dogs

Some dogs benefit from bland, home-cooked meals. A simple dinner of cooked chicken and brown rice, without any seasoning, might help settle an upset stomach and reduce stool volume. Many dog owners prefer homemade meals for their dogs. This is an excellent option for dogs with sensitive stomachs, as long as it fulfills your pet’s nutritional needs. You can check with your veterinarian to make sure the meals you’re cooking contain essential nutrients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times should my dog poop?

It is normal for dogs to poop up to five times a day, depending on age, general health, eating habits, and food quality.  

What should I do if my dog’s poop looks abnormal?

Scoop it and take it to the local vet for analysis. Also, take note of any symptoms your pet may be having that could indicate digestive problems.

Can bacteria cause excessive pooping in dogs?

Yes. One of the most common reasons for excessive pooping is bacteria. It can also cause diarrhea and other digestive problems.

What does healthy dog poop look like?

Healthy poop is chocolate brown and has a firm consistency.