Best Dog Food for Less Poop – Top 10 Reviewed
We all love our dogs, but one thing about them that almost nobody loves is picking up the stinky poo that they leave behind. Especially if they have a lot of it.
While nobody likes this, it’s important to pay attention to whether or not your dog is pooping too much every day. Excessive feces can be a sign of digestive issues including bacterial infections or even immune system problems. Many times, these problems are caused by the food you’re feeding them.
To help correct those issues that lead to excessive pooping, we’re sharing Dog Food Care’s top picks for the best dog foods for less waste.
Best Dog Food for Less Poop – Top 10 Reviewed – Overview
Here are the top 5 picks (keep scrolling for more details and picks 6-10).
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall  | Merrick Dry Dog Food with Real Chicken & Brown Rice
| 10 | Check Price |
Best Grain-Inclusive  | Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food Sensitive Stomach Chicken & Barley
| 9.9 | Check Price |
Best Raw Food  | Stella & Chewy's Perfectly Puppy Freeze-Dried Raw Beef and Salmon Dinner Patties Dog Food, 14 oz. Bag
| 9.8 | Check Price |
Limited Ingredients  | Diamond CARE Sensitive Stomach For Adult Dogs
| 9.7 | Check Price |
Best Wet Food  | Weruva Classic Dog Food, Bed & Breakfast with Chicken, Egg, Pumpkin & Ham in Gravy
| 9.5 | Check Price |
Best Overall
1. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Real Chicken + Brown Rice Recipe
Merrick is one of the most popular dog food brands today due to the high-quality ingredients that they use. Even better, their blend of ingredients can help optimize how much your dog poops.
- Contains quinoa, a superfood that supports healthy digestion
- 46% ancient grains, fruits and vegetables provide essential fibers
- Does not contain peas, lentils or potatoes
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, turkey meal
- Type: Grain inclusive – brown rice, barley, oatmeal
- Best for: All breed adult dogs
- Price: $$
This particular Merrick Classic formula, along with other formulas in this review, is what’s known as a low residue dog food. Low residue dog foods are more digestible than other dog food options. When food is easier to digest, your dog can absorb more of the food’s nutrients. With more nutrients absorbed, fewer waste products come out of your dog.
This formula contains 26% crude protein and 16% crude fat for a fat-to-protein ratio of 61%. It also includes an estimated 43% of carbohydrates. Because it contains high-quality ingredients and real meat is the first ingredient, it is great for helping correct stomach issues related to excessive pooping. We recommend this formula to your pooch.
Sample buyer review…
“My corgi loves this stuff. To be honest, he’d probably love a lot of foods – corgis aren’t known as picky eaters! This is food I feel good about feeding. Xander’s eaten Merrick most of his life. And, my other corgi lived to be 16, eating primarily Merrick. The ingredient list is excellent. And, Merrick is one of the few companies to actually manufacture their own food. We’ve tried grain free Merrick food too. But, I don’t have any concern with my boy consuming healthy grains so see no need to eliminate grains from his diet. ”
Read more reviews at Amazon.com
Best Grain-Inclusive
2. Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin
This formula from Hill’s Science Diet was created specifically to help relieve sensitive stomachs. When the stomach is at ease, your dog won’t poop as much.
- Great source of prebiotic fiber for a balanced gut micribiome
- Only made with natural ingredients
- Formulated to be easily digestible with great-tasting chicken
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, brewers rice, chicken meal, yellow peas, cracked pearled barley
- Type: Grain inclusive – brewers rice, cracked pearled barley, whole grain sorghum
- Best for: All breed adult dogs
- Price: $$
This particular Hill’s Science Diet formula contains about 26% crude protein, 16% crude fat, and an estimated 52.5% carbohydrates. This makes the fat-to-protein ratio about 61%. To give your dog’s sensitive stomach an easier time, this formula contains essential prebiotics. Prebiotics optimize your dog’s levels of healthy gut bacteria. This helps reduce the amount that they poop.
Other helpful pooping ingredients in this formula include two important omega fatty acids: omega-3 and omega-6.
Sample buyer review…
“My dog really loves this dog food. I’ve tried all the other big brand names, but this is the best. The grain-free is so much easier on his stomach and he never has a loose stool as he does with the other brands. The new packaging is great too, gotta love the Velcro closure that makes it air-tight. Just great wholesome goodness. We’re extremely happy with Science Diet and won’t ever change.”
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Best Raw Food
3. Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Patties – Beef & Salmon for Puppies
The Raw Dinner Patties have a few good things going in terms of leveling out poop. First, they’re freeze-dried. Second, among the ingredients are animal livers and hearts.
- Raw, freeze-dried dinner patties made in small batches
- Minimally processed with no added hormones or antibiotics
- Contains New Zealand green mussel for joint support
- First 5 ingredients: Beef, salmon with ground bone, beef liver, beef kidney, beef tripe
- Type: Grain-free
- Best for: All dog breed puppies
- Price: $$
We highly recommend this Stella & Chewy formula to help reduce your puppy’s poops. Unlike the typical dry kibble, these are freeze-dried patties that are easy to digest. If you’re at all skeptical about them, you can try adding a couple to your existing puppy food. We predict that they’ll love it!
This formula is just one of Stella & Chewy’s raw food, all-natural dog food options. It has a very high protein content with 46% crude protein, 34.5% crude fat, and an estimated 15% carbs with a fat-to-protein ratio of 75%. If you’re interested in getting your pup on a raw diet that helps reduce poop, then give these patties a try!
Sample buyer review…
“I am just amazed! I have tried everything for my Pomeranian Felix with no luck! I walk two labs that eat anything, they had a bag of Stella & Chewy’s treats, I took two home for Felix with no hopes. He loved it! I have given this dog steak and he walks away from it! He loves his beef food! He hears me take the bag out of the pantry and freaks!…”
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Best Limited Ingredient Recipe
4. Diamond Care Sensitive Stomach Formula for Adult Dogs
Several of the main ingredients in this formula are plant-based. For some dogs, plant-based formulas can help reduce poop.
- Limited selection, high-quality ingredients make for an easily digestible meal
- Proprietary prebiotics that survive the GI tract to support gut health
- Selenium, zinc and vitamin E to promote a healthy immune system
Give this formula from Diamond Care a try if you think your dog’s excessive pooping comes from having too much meat.
- First 5 ingredients: Potatoes, egg product, potato protein, tomato pomace, chicken fat
- Type: Grain-free
- Best for: All breed adult dogs
- Price: $$
A great formula to try if your dog’s stomach is extremely sensitive is this one by Diamond Care. It contains 28% crude protein, 14% crude fat, and an estimated 50% carbs. That brings its fat-to-protein ratio to 52%.
Sample buyer review…
“14 year old 50lb callejera has had mushy poops for months. Tried prescription probiotics, stopped pain meds, tried different foods, no change. UNTIL this food. She loves the food – we use it as treats as well as meals. What a joy to be able to use a single baggy to pick up her poop rather than multiple bags and paper towels!!”
Read more reviews at Amazon.com
Best Wet Food
5.Weruva Grain-Free Bed & Breakfast Canned Dog Food
Wet foods like this one from Weruva tend to ease stomach problems in dogs. With fewer stomach problems, they’re not going to poop so much.
- Delicious option for your dog that contains white meat chicken, eggs and ham in gravy
- Pumpkin and sweet potato provide essential fibers
- Does not contain corn, wheat or soy. No artificial colors or preservatives
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, egg, pumpkin, sweet potato
- Type: Grain-free
- Best for: All breed adult and puppies
- Price: $$$
Sometimes, wet dog food can be easier for your dog to digest. As a result, their pooping habits get back to normal levels. If you want to give wet food a try, this one should be on your list. The Bed & Breakfast formula has 57% crude protein, 10% crude fat, and an estimated 25% carbs. Its fat-to-protein ratio is 18%.
Sample buyer review…
“My dog is crazy about this food. It’s so fresh looking and looks homemade versus a mush type dog food. The ingredients are visible and distinguishable. The chicken is white and shredded. Then there are clearly cut pieces of ham, pumpkin and bits of egg. The smell is fairly benign and again not a typical strong dog food smell…”
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6. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Recipe
This formula from Taste of the Wild mimics a dog’s ancestral diet which can help reduce the amount that your dog poops.
- First 5 ingredients: Water buffalo, lamb meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, peas
- Type: Grain-free (and gluten-free)
- Best for: All breed adult dogs
- Price: $$
The Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine recipe is a grain-free, high protein, and natural dry dog food recipe. It contains several animal protein sources including unique ones like water buffalo and venison.
It contains 32% crude protein, 18% crude fat, approximately 37% carbohydrates, and has a fat-to-protein ratio of 56%. Not only is this another low residue recipe, but it also contains a higher amount of fiber than other dog foods. With approximately 4% crude fiber, it helps prevent both diarrhea and constipation.
Sample buyer review…
“My dogs have been in Taste of the Wild for years now and they absolutely love it. It has eliminated their allergies while providing them good low fat protein. We have tried every flavor and they like them all but love the bison!… ”
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7. The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated – Grain-Free Chicken Recipe
Honest Kitchen’s dog food is human-worthy. It’s great for optimizing poop because it contains all the ingredients that we like, comes in a dehydrated form, and includes none of the bad stuff like artificial ingredients and fillers.
- First 5 ingredients: Dehydrated chicken, organic flaxseed, dehydrated potatoes, dehydrated sweet potatoes, dried apples
- Type: Grain-free
- Best for: All breed adult dogs
- Price: $$$
Honest Kitchen is the first human-grade dog food line. It has an excellent limited ingredient list including high-quality ingredients that are free of preservatives, by-products, fillers, and GMOs. When a pet food is dehydrated, it has more digestibility.
At the same time, it also eliminates potentially dangerous food pathogens without cutting out the nutritional value of the ingredients. This formula also has a high fiber content to further promote optimal pooping levels. This formula contains 24% crude protein and 15% crude fat for a fat-to-protein ratio of 62%. Its estimated carbohydrates are about 45%.
Sample buyer review…
“TEN STARS!!!! My dogs have always had health problems, being overweight, lack of energy, joint pains, and a weird crusting on their noses. Vets always said they were just overweight and put them on a diet. I started them on this food and it’s a MIRACLE! SERIOUSLY! They have never been healthier and everyone comments on the weight they have lost and how energetic they are! This is the NUMBER ONE dog food on the planet!…”
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8. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Puppy Chicken & Salmon Recipe Dry Dog Food
This formula from Whole Earth farms has an amazing taste that dogs love from ingredients like chicken fat. And, dog owners love salmon and sweet potatoes for optimizing poop levels.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat
- Type: Grain-free
- Best for: All breed puppies
- Price: $
Whole Earth Farms makes wholesome, all-natural ingredient dog foods. None of their products contain harmful additives such as artificial ingredients, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. Several of the main ingredients in this formula, such as sweet potatoes, promote regular, healthy bowel movements.
As a result, your puppy not only has better poops but also an easier time maintaining a healthy weight. This grain-free dry dog food formula for puppies has 27% crude protein and 15% crude fat for a fat-to-protein ratio of 55% It has an estimated 41% carbs.
Sample buyer review…
“My husband and I were not sure exactly what to buy for our new puppy, and read a lot of reviews before we purchased this…..so glad we did !! Our puppy loves it, and has had no issues with his stomach/bowels…”
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9. Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Salmon and Peas Recipe Dry Dog Food
Nulo Freestyle’s formulas are free of ingredients that commonly aggravate the stomach. When the stomach is upset, your dog is likely to poop more than they should.
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned salmon, turkey meal, menhaden fish meal, whole peas, sweet potatoes
- Type: Grain-free
- Best for: All breed adult dogs
- Price: $$$
This Nulo Freestyle formula contains several dietary probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms that promote a healthy gut environment. With a healthy gut, your dog poops just the right amount. It contains 30% crude protein and 16% crude fat for a fat-to-protein ratio of 53%. And, it has an estimated 35.5% carbs.
Sample buyer review…
“This is the second dog and the third pet (I have a cat) that I have switched to Nulo. I find that my pets seem more satisfied with this food, pooping less and not gobbling up everything in their bowl. They are maintaining a healthy weight and the vet checks are A+…”
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10. Wellness CORE Digestive Health Wholesome Grains Chicken & Brown Rice
This formula from Wellness CORE is designed specifically to promote good digestive health. Better digestion = less pooping.
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, turkey meal, chicken meal, brown rice, barley
- Type: Grain inclusive – brown rice, barley
- Best for: All breed adult dogs
- Price: $$$
With several high-quality protein sources, this formula contains 33% crude protein and 13% crude fat for a fat-to-protein ratio of about 40%. Its estimated carb content is 45%. The formula also contains both a salmon oil and vitamin E supplement. Not only do both ingredients support good digestive health to reduce pooping, but they also promote a healthy, shiny coat.
Sample buyer review…
“So I have to be careful with my dog because some foods he will not eat, some result in diarrhea or vomiting, some just give him hives and some he just picks out certain parts. This one was actually a good one. I didn’t have any bad responses and he actually likes it. He eats it as soon as it hits the bowl and all of it at that. So I think we’ve found a winner in this one…”
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Less Poop Dog Food FAQs
1. Is my dog’s excessive pooping related to problems with their digestive system?
It’s possible. While all dogs experience excessive pooping at one point or another due to an upset stomach or some other common issue, other times it’s something more serious. More serious conditions like colitis could be causing too much poop. Be sure to discuss your dog’s pooping issues with your vet.
2. What does fiber do in my dog’s diet?
Every dog needs fiber to maintain healthy bowel movements. Fiber makes sure that your dog’s poop is neither too hard nor too soft and that they’re going on a regular schedule.
3. Should I put my dog on a low residue diet?
The goal of a low residue diet is to decrease a dog’s amount of poop. If you believe your dog is pooping more than it should, going low-residue could help. Talk to your vet before making a final decision.
Final Thoughts on the Best Dog Foods For Less Poop
Excessive poop can be unnerving for dog owners. Get your dog’s pooping habits back to normal with our top picks for the best dog foods for less poop. Every dog poops, just make sure that they’re not overdoing it!
Bonus tip: Excessive poop can come from feeding your dog toxic foods such as grapes. Here’s everything you need to know about the dangers of feeding your dog grapes.
