How to Make Your Dog’s Stool More Solid

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Try these tips if your dog's stool is loose and difficult to clean up

Co-authored by Eric McClure Reviewed by Natalie Punt, DVM

Last Updated: May 21, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Lifestyle Changes & Supplements
|
• When to See a Vet
|
• Video
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• Expert Q&A
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• Warnings

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It can be worrying if your dog is having loose stools (not to mention difficult to clean up!). While it's always important to contact a vet regarding frequent instances of loose stool (or diarrhea, which is completely liquid stool), occasionally soft stool isn't a big deal (especially if there were recent changes made to your dog's diet). We've got a variety of expert-backed tips to help you firm up your dog’s bowel movements and put an end to this issue. We've also go advice on when loose stools become a problem that requires a trip to the vet.

Things You Should Know

• Switch to high-fiber dog food, or add 1 teaspoon of psyllium husk fiber powder to your dog's food once per day.
• Consider adding probiotics to your dog’s diet, which can improve soft stools.
• Feed your dog a high-quality diet full of natural ingredients. In many cases, switching to a blander diet can help with stool issues.
• See a vet if your dog’s loose stools don’t improve or if your dog is having diarrhea.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Lifestyle Changes & Supplements

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1. 1
   Pay closer attention to your dog and what they eat. If you’ve got a pup with a predilection for snacking on leaves and other garbage they find, catching them in the act is a good way to prevent stomach issues. Keep an eye on your dog when you’re walking them and don’t let them hang out under the dinner table when you and your family eat.

   • If your dog is home alone during the day, consider installing baby gates to restrict them to one part of the house. Keep the floors in that area pristine, and you’ll ensure your dog doesn’t eat up anything they shouldn’t have.
2. 2
   Try giving your dog probiotics to see if that helps. The gut relies on a population of bacteria to aid digestion. If your dog has had a poor diet and soft stools for a while, then the bowel can get an overgrowth of "unhelpful" bacteria. Try giving your dog probiotic treats every few days to see if that helps improve things.

   • Do not give your dog human probiotics. People and dogs have different gut biomes.
   • There’s some evidence that probiotics won’t help a dog’s gut in every situation, so if you don’t see any improvement after a few weeks, feel free to stop the probiotics.
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3. 3
   Add fiber to your dog's diet. Some dogs with soft stools benefit from increased fiber in their diet. Fiber helps soak up fluid like a sponge and can help normalize the feces, dry up diarrhea, or firm up stool. Either switch to a high-fiber diet or sprinkle a teaspoon of psyllium husk fiber powder in with your dog’s breakfast every day.

   • Believe it or not, you can give your dog psyllium husk meant for humans. The most popular brand is Metamucil, but any brand will work. Just avoid the husk with sugar added to it for flavor.
4. 4
   Make sure your dog always has fresh water. Dogs with soft stools lose extra water because of the raised fluid content, so it is important for them to have free access to clean drinking water to replace this lost fluid. Wash and clean your dog’s water bowl at least every other day and make sure that they always have fresh, clean water.

   • If your dog won’t drink standing water, consider upgrading to a water fountain for dogs.
5. 5
   Increase the amount of time between your dog’s meals. Most dogs need 6-8 hours to fully digest whatever is in their stomach. If you feed your dog at 8 am and then 3 pm, try moving dinner to 5 or 6 pm. If you feed your dog 3 times a day, try switching to 2 larger meals a day.

   • A lot of dogs do a lot better with 2 meals a day, believe it or not.
6. 6
   Keep your pup as stress-free as possible. If taking a bath or hearing fireworks is stressful for your dog, wait a few days and observe if the stool firms up. In some dogs there is a strong link between stress and digestive disturbances. If this is the case, reduce their overall stress in order to firm their stools up.

   • Stress causes the physiology of the intestines to become more basic (acidic intestines favor the good bacteria), making it harder for your dog to process foods.
7. 7
   Take your dog to the veterinarian if soft stool persists. While a lot of cases of soft stool can be cleared up simply through changes to diet, it can be a sign of other health problems. If your dog continues to pass soft stools, even after you have tried changing their diet, take them to a vet to get checked out.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

When to See a Vet

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1. 1
   Wait a day or so if there were recent changes to your dog’s diet. Have you recently changed your dog’s diet? Did you switch up the brand of treats, or reward them with a little piece of cheese? If so, your dog’s poop should return to normal in no time. Just monitor your dog’s behavior and stool. If things return to normal, write this off as a one-time thing.

   • If you do want to change your dog’s diet, switch their diet gradually over time. Start with ¼ new food and ¾ the old food. Then, slowly change the ratio over time.
2. 2
   See a veterinarian if your dog needs treatment for diarrhea. A single instance of diarrhea followed by normal eating, drinking, and behavior is probably nothing. But if the diarrhea persists or there are any other symptoms associated with the diarrhea, you should take your dog to a vet as soon as possible. Potential symptoms that require a vet visit include:

   • Blood, mucus, or materials that look like seeds in your dog’s stool.
   • Vomiting, lethargy, or excessive panting.
   • Whimpering, sudden aggression, or crouching over around their tummy.
     • If your dog has zero additional symptoms, don't feed them for 24 hours, but make sure plenty of fresh water is available. After 24 hours, introduce a bland diet such as cooked chicken and boiled white rice.
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Join the Discussion...

Best home remedies for my dog's diarrhea?

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WikiFlamingoFlyer522

My poor dog has diarrhea. I’ve got a vet appointment scheduled for tomorrow, but in the meantime, I really want to make sure she’s comfortabl... Read More

WikiRiverLeaper642

Aw, poor pup! I used to have a dog that was chronically sick and I learned a lot about this lovely topic. So, in terms of dehydration, pick up so... Read More

WikiChinchillaJammer673

Instead of the food you'd normally feed her, trying offering her some boiled chicken and rice, plus some pumpkin puree (where the only ingredient... Read More

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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  None of the suggestions in the article are working. What should I do?

  

  Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
  Veterinarian

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

  Veterinarian

  Expert Answer

  Dogs can have a soft stool for a number of reasons. The article focuses on the causes you can control at home such as diet, fiber content, and food intolerance. However, if a dog has a health problem such as bacterial overgrowth in the bowel, a deficiency of digestive enzymes, inflammatory bowel disease, or even bowel cancer, then this requires specific pharmaceutical intervention and the dog should see a vet.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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• Question

  My dog had Giardia but is now free from it. Her stools were firm, but a week later have become soft again. Should I repeat another round of Safeguard?

  

  Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
  Veterinarian

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

  Veterinarian

  Expert Answer

  Giardia can stick to the dog's coat, bedding, or carpets, so the dog may have accidentally reinfected herself. Provided she is otherwise well, then another course of Safeguard is a good idea. But in order to prevent reinfection occurring again, bathe the dog, wash the bedding, and steam clean all soft furnishings.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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Warnings

• Take your dog to a vet as soon as possible if your dog has frequent diarrhea or your dog has a loose stool and blood, mucus, or foreign objects in their stool. Vomiting, lethargy, excessive panting, whimpering, or frequent crouching also warrant an emergency visit to the vet.
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