5 Best Dog Foods For Less Poop

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One of the necessary facets of dog ownership is cleaning up after your pooch. You can pick up less by feeding your pet one of the best dog foods for less poop.

Having a dog as a pet is wonderful! You want to do the very best you can for them by taking care of their needs to the best of your ability. 

Being on poop patrol is a given. If you use the right dog food, such as Whole Earth Farm dry dog food, you will spend less time picking up after your dog, and you will have less poop to dispose of.

By using a portion of particular dog food, such as the ones we have reviewed in this article, you can reduce the waste that you have to clean up.

Here Are Our Top 5 Best Dog Foods For Less Poop:

Whole Earth Farms

Whole Earth Farms is a subsidiary of Merrick Pet Care and has been producing pet products for over 11 years. All of their products are manufactured in the United States. 

This gives you confidence in the quality control over ingredients in their dog food. Whole Earth makes products using wholesome, natural ingredients. 

Having several formulas, each one starts with a premium animal protein, followed by carbohydrates. This particular variety contains protein-rich pork, beef, and lamb. 

It is a product that has no corn, wheat, soy, or poultry by-products. This formula blend has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. 

Your dog will love the addition of dried blueberries, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

The natural ingredients help to support easier digestibility. It will also promote a shinier coat with less shedding. 

The protein in the Whole Earth Farms dog food will help to build stronger nails and healthier skin. 

Whole Earth Farms Grain Free dry dog food with pork, beef, and lamb contains:

• Crude protein 26%
• 14% of Crude Fat
• Crude fiber 3.5%
• Moisture 11%

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Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach and Skin, dry dog food, works to promote both digestive health and improve sensitive skin.

Formulated with proteins and carbohydrates that are easy to digest, this dry dog food will be easy on your dog’s stomach. 

This kibble contains less protein than other types of dry dog food, so it helps reduce any kind of allergy flare-up. It also includes a variety of essential nutrients, including omega-six fatty acids, amino acids, calcium, antioxidants, vitamins A, B, C, and E. 

Hill’s Science Diet is free of artificial colors, dyes, and preservatives. Made in the United States, Science Diet is backed by Hill’s satisfaction guarantee.

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach and Skin dry dog food contains:

• Crude protein 21%
• 12% of Crude Fat
• Crude fiber 4%
• Moisture 10%

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Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free

Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free dry dog food with turkey and chicken is a natural formula for adult dogs made with ingredients that will help to support their health. 

This product is fortified with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. An essential aid to digestion, this dog food contains probiotics, which will make it easy on your pet’s stomach. 

Promoting a healthy coat and skin, the fish and flax omega blend will work well to keep your dog’s coat in good shape. 

Broccoli, kale, spinach, and parsley are also a part of the nutrient-rich ingredients. Turkey and chicken provide the needed protein and contain no meat by-products. 

This grain-free formula has no wheat, corn, or soy. Made in the United States, you can buy with confidence.

Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free Turkey and Chicken contains:

• Crude protein 34%
• 16% of Crude Fat
• Crude fiber 4%
• Moisture 10%

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The Honest Kitchen Human Grade 

The Honest Kitchen Whole grain chicken dog food is made with free-range chicken.  The dog food is dehydrated for maximum nutrition. 

This formula is excellent for all stages of a dog’s life from puppyhood to adult. Adhering to the very rigorous standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The Honest Kitchen recipe meets the human-grade quality for food…but it is definitely for dogs only. The “grade” shows you just how seriously they take the quality of the ingredients. 

Their products are only dehydrated; they do not offer kibbles or canned foods. Ingredients are simmered over low heat that gently draws out the moisture. 

The advantage of the process illuminates the need for preservatives. It also preserves the nutritional content of the raw ingredients. 

Dehydration also makes the food very compact. A 10-pound box will produce 40 pounds of food.  

All you need to rehydrate the dog food is to add water, stir, and let it sit for three minutes. It will then be ready to serve to your pooch. 

The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Organic contains:

• Crude protein 24.5%
• 14% of Crude Fat
• Crude fiber 4%
• Moisture 8%

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Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties

Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw patties are made starting with 85%, or more,  beef. Not only that, but the beef is also always grass-fed. 

Stella & Chewy’s feel that dogs should eat as their ancestors did in the wild. Besides the beef, the dinner patties also contain organs and bone, just as they would have in nature. 

Organic fruits and vegetables round out the patties that never contain hormones, grains, or fillers. 

Natural oils, omega fatty acids, and minimal processing of Stella & Chewy’s patties help to provide healthy skin and coat for your dog. 

Made in the U.S., the patties are made in small batches and freeze-dried. The handy thing about the patties is that they do not need to be refrigerated or rehydrated. 

The patties can be served whole or broken into pieces. 

 Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties contain: 

• Crude protein 44%
• 35% of Crude Fat
• Crude fiber 5%
• Moisture 5%

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How Much Is Too Much?

The diet that your dog eats has a lot to do with how much waste they generate. It is essential to choose a food that creates less waste but not to make it easier for you. 

While less poop may be a happy benefit, that is not a reason to choose that type of food. A large amount of waste generated by your dog indicates that your pooch is not digesting the ingredients in the dog food. 

So the volume of your pet’s stool is directly related to the amount of digestive material in the food itself. Your pet needs some amount of indigestible fiber as it helps to clean out the digestive tract. 

However, if too much of what your dog is eating goes in one end and comes out the other, you might want to look into switching their food. 

According to studies on a dog’s digestive systems, the researchers have stated that dogs are descended from the wolves of thousands of years ago.  

The pets of today have not had many changes in their digestive process or dietary needs. Given that information, it makes sense to provide your dog with a diet that resembles a wolf’s diet. 

That diet consisted of meat, bones, and a small amount of plant material. When a dog eats a diet that his body is designed for, then he will have used that food more efficiently and have less waste. 

A Balanced Kibble

Most of what a wolf ate was raw, which is not always practical (or affordable) in today’s world. The majority of dogs today have a diet of dry kibble and canned food to a lesser degree. 

If you choose a higher quality kibble that is grain-free, it will have fewer fillers that just pass through your dog’s system. 

If a kibble has higher protein, then there will be less waste, and your dog’s stool will be more solid. At the same time, it is important to have a balanced kibble. 

If the food has too much protein and not enough moisture, the food can give your dog constipation or the opposite…a loose stool.

What To Watch For

Some pet owners may think of poop patrol as just a stinky part of pet ownership, and it is.

However, it is a critical aspect of owning a pet, and the process should be one that you pay careful attention to. 

The state of your dog’s stool has a story to tell, and it one you should listen to. The color and consistency of your dog’s stool can tell you what is going on inside his intestinal tract. 

It will help alert you to a potential problem that might need your vet’s attention. Some differences in your dog’s stool from time to time is typical. 

Knowing what your dog’s stool looks like regularly will alert you when it changes. 

In general, here are some things to look for.

Normal:

You want to see chocolate-colored poop that has a consistency much like Play-Doh. It will be firm and have a mild odor.

Not normal:

If the amount of stool that your dog produces is not proportionate to the amount they are being fed and if it smells awful. 

This might occur if the food the dog is ingesting is of low quality. If you think that your dog would do better on a different product, consult with your vet before doing so. 

Switching foods, even when it is to a better product, can be hard on a pooches stomach. It is recommended that the switch is gradual. 

For example, use a ratio of 25/75 when introducing a new food. If your dog gets one cup of food, make it a ¼ cup of the new food combined with ¾ of the old food. 

Do this for a week. The following week use a 50/50 ratio. The third week will have a 75/25 ratio. The fourth week will have your pet eating new food exclusively. 

Again, talk to your vet before you switch and follow their recommendations. 

Loose Stools:

Much like a toddler, your dog will put most anything in their mouth and eat things that they should not. 

Some dogs will get into the garbage when you are not looking or find delightful and forbidden things to eat while on their walk. 

Usually, these deviations that might cause loose stools or diarrhea will clear up once the items pass through their digestive systems, and their stool should return to normal. 

If this is not the case, diarrhea could be a sign that your dog might need to see your vet. If diarrhea does not clear up in a few days, be sure to take them in for a check-up. 

When your dog has diarrhea, they are not absorbing nutrients into their digestive system, and they can also get dehydrated quickly, so don’t let this go on for more than a few days.

Small and Hard

If your pet has small and rock-like stools, it could be a sign that the dog is constipated. 

It might be a sign that your pet is overeating insoluble fiber (found in vegetables) or that they are not drinking enough liquids. Often the ingredients that are found in low-quality

kibble can have the same effect. Another factor that contributes to constipation is if you have a  long-haired dog who licks themselves a lot. 

The ingested fur can cause their digestive system to clog up. If your pet ate something around the house like a piece of fabric or part of a stuffed toy, that could also cause a blockage. 

If your pet goes more than a day or two being constipated, get them to your vet for a check-up. 

The stool is coated in mucus.

Dogs have a natural occurring mucus in their colon that is designed to lubricate and help stools pass easier. 

There are times when you will be able to see this mucus on the stool. This is normal and might indicate that there was a self-resolving issue. 

If the presence of mucus is a regular thing, this is another time to check with your vet to make sure this is not an indication of inflammation in the dog’s intestinal tract. 

Color

As mentioned before, you are looking for the stool to be a chocolate brown. Therefore if your pet’s stool is another color and there is no clear indication why it is again time to consult your vet. 

If the stool is green, that could be a gallbladder issue. Black could indicate blood in the stool, and a yellowy-orange might signal something amiss with the liver. 

Gray stools could indicate pancreas problems. If you see turquoise or blue-green stools, it could be that your dog has ingested rat poison, and this would need the immediate attention of your vet.

If you have any doubts or see a significant change in your pet’s stool, get them to your vet to have it checked out.

AAFCO

The Association of American Feed Control Officials is a non-profit organization that sets standards for both animal and pet feeds in the United States.

You will see that some dog food bags will say “complete and balanced” on the package. To do so, they have to meet the nutritional standards that have been set by AAFCO.

All of the dog food reviews in this article are certified by AAFCO as complete and balanced. 

To say that a standard is adequate, the AAFCO uses two nutrient profiles that are based on a dog’s stage in life.

They are:

Adult maintenance

Growth and reproduction

The AAFCO nutrient profile symbol can be found at the end of each recipe and enclosed in brackets, as shown in the chart below.

A dog food company must have its claims about its food profiles validated by the AAFCO to have the certification on its label. AAFCO approved the claims in two ways. The first is a nutrient content analysis, and the second is feeding trials. 

If a dog food cannot meet either of the profiles, the company must state on the label that “This product is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.”

Nevertheless, if a dog food claims that their food is suitable for “all stages of life,” the food must have met both adult maintenance and growth and reproduction trials of the AAFCO.

In Conclusion

We love our dogs! They give us so much joy, unconditional love, and companionship. Your pet is another member of your family, and you take the very best care of them.

Part of that care is the food that you give them and the attention you pay to their stools. Feeding your pet dog food, like Whole Earth Farms that generates less poop, makes good sense. 

It is not just less picking up for you; it is that you are assured that your dog is getting all the nutrients from their food that they should and that they will be healthier for it.

Showing your love for your dog by feeding them the right food is reciprocating all the love and joy that they give you.

Ian is an avid outdoorsman and dog lover. He lives in Central Florida with his wife Heather, and their 2 dogs – Panda (Purebread Rough Collie X English Golden Retriever) & Kuma (Blue Merl Purebread Rough Collie)