Picking up dog stools is part of the work of being a pet parent. After a while, we shrug it off as one of those things, get a bag and dispose of the waste with no second thought. But, there may come a time when you find loose dog stools that are out of the ordinary or cases of diarrhea. So, what can you do to minimize this risk?
The simple answer to this problem may lie in finding the best dog food for firm stools. A change in diet can allow your pet to get the nutrients they need or avoid ingredients causing intolerances. There are many formulas for puppies and adults out there that can help.
What Causes Loose Stools in Dogs?
Your pet may be experiencing gastric distress caused by issues with their nutrition, eating habits or intolerances to their food. Many puppies develop food sensitivities and these adverse reactions to specific ingredients might result in vomiting, diarrhea and other allergic reactions. The problem here is that you might need a little trial and error to figure out what is wrong and which diet to give them. Hypoallergenic food can help.
Other causes of loose stools in dogs include overeating, which places unnecessary stress on the digestive tract, eating too quickly, or eating things they shouldn’t out of the trash. The latter is amendable with the right training. You can also teach family members not to feed scraps to dogs from the table. But, dietary conditions require another solution.
Why Can a Change in Dog Food Help With Loose Dog Stools?
The solution of how do I firm up my dogs stool might come down to switching to a new brand of dog food. The best dog food for loose stools will help dogs with more balanced diet, often with a limited formula or a high-fibre formula. After a while, you should find that your dog’s stools firm up and they don’t suffer so much from upset stomachs and diarrhea. This is likely if the cause is down to allergies or intolerances caused by their previous food. Below are some of the best formulas with high fibre and other helpful ingredients for puppies and adults.
Choosing the best formula by age, not just by ingredients.
It is important to consider the protein count, fibre content and additional sources of vitamins and other helpful ingredients. But, you also need to be sure that you choose the ,best food to firm up stools in dogs that is right for your dog’s age. Many brands will provide alternative versions of top dog foods for loose stools for puppies, adults and even seniors.
Our top pick for puppies.
Our top pick for puppies is the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy Dog Food. While there are some users that notice issues with their dog’s coat. The formula here is impressive with the consideration to other ingredients, not just the limited proteins and carbs. You can choose from nice flavours, know that you are helping with digestive and brain health, and then move onto a suitable adult version at a later date.
Our top pick for adults.
Our top pick for adults is one that goes all out to provide a comprehensive meal full of brilliant ingredient and nutrients. The Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food has a range of fibrous materials like peas, kale and potatoes. There is also taurine and a very high protein count. Therefore, it should be a good choice for better health, not just for adult dogs dealing with diarrhea.
The Best Puppy Formulas for Loose Stools
1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Puppy Dog Food
This first option is one that is as much about providing a limited formula for dogs as it is about providing nutrients for puppies. The latter is something that other limited-formula products can neglect. This one is a simple option with one meal and one carb – either chicken and brown rice or lamb and oatmeal. From there, you also get plenty of vitamins and helpful ingredients for your puppies development. This includes DHA, something that all young animals get for brain development from breast milk. There are some that question the low-fat content and see an issue with coat health. But, this could still be a helpful choice for many pets.
- The simple limited formula.
- The addition of the DHA.
- Various flavors and sizes available.
- Potential issues with coat health.
2. Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Dog Food with Grains
Our first choice is a limited ingredient option that uses one form of animal protein so that there aren’t too many risks of allergies. You can choose from different flavors, including salmon and chicken, but the lamb with brown rice is popular. While there are grains in some options, there are grain-free versions out there. There is also no soy or wheat, which limits the risk of those intolerances, and no artificial colors or flavors. If this puppy formula is successful, you can move onto adult and senior versions as they get older.
- Free-from artificial ingredients preservatives.
- A veterinarian-approved option with vitamins and minerals.
- The option to move onto an adult version.
- Some versions do contain grains.
3. Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
If you prefer the idea of dog food that is based on fish proteins instead, this could be the option for you. This product has a specialist formula with a wide mix of fruits, vegetables and a good amount of healthy fish. You can choose from herring, salmon and whiting. The meals are rich in antioxidants and vitamins and are also grain-free. Also, unlike our top choice, there seems to be plenty of fatty acids here to help with the health and look of their coat. The biggest problem here is the price. This is a high-end blend with top ingredients so you have to pay a bit more for the privilege.
- The grain-free fish-based formula.
- Lots of vitamins and antioxidants.
- More fatty acids for coat health.
- This one is quite expensive.
The Best Adult Formulas for Loose Stools
1. Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Reduced Fat
This first choice will be popular with pet parents because there is a lot of fibre content here with all the different vegetables in the mix. This includes kale, broccoli and sweet potato. This leads to a crude fibre content of 5%. But, you also get a higher protein count of any of the high fibre dog food options for adult dogs at 33%. This is actually one of the more complicated formulas because of the wide range of ingredients, salmon oil for fatty acids and additional element like taurine. There may be something there that you disagree with, so read the label in full first.
- A high protein content.
- Lots of healthy ingredients for plenty of fiber.
- Additional taurine and fatty acids.
- Not really a limited diet option with all those ingredients.
2. Merrick Dry Dog Food with Vitamins
The great thing about this product is that it focuses more on the things that you don’t have to worry about than the things you do. This is a true limited ingredient formula with nothing to worry about because there are no nasty additives, preservatives or any major allergens. That means there is no gluten, wheat or soy. Instead, you get tasty food with a sole protein source and plenty of vitamins and minerals. The best option in flavors is probably the turkey because of the risk of chicken allergies. Furthermore, you get a high protein count of 28%. Just be aware that the recipe gets a few tweaks now and then and fussy dogs might not be keen on new versions.
- The high protein content.
- The lack of allergens and additives.
- The use of turkey over chicken.
- Changes to the formula.
3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain Free
The last option for consideration here is this product from Blue Buffalo. We already know we can trust the brand to deliver when it comes to puppy food. This adult formula is no different. Your pet can enjoy a nice limited ingredient option with a quality source of protein – chicken, duck or salmon – and plenty of fibrous sweet potatoes and peas. There is also careful consideration over the vitamins and minerals for better general health. Again, some owners may not be happy with all the ingredients because of the use of potatoes.
- The choice in protein sources
- The high vitamin count
- The high fiber count
- Mixed views on some ingredients used
Take your time to find the right fit for the best dog food for firm stools.
There is no guarantee that these formulas will cure your dog’s digestive issues overnight. Nor is there any guarantee they will like the taste. But, there are plenty of options out there with advantageous ingredients that can help. Try a few out to see which is the best fit for your dog.