Health & Nutrition

Health Indicators in Your Dog’s Stool

Cream Dog with Thought Bubble Saying "The Scoop on Poop"

Your dog’s poop can be a great indicator of their overall health. Understanding what your dog’s poop is telling you can even help prevent some health issues down the road. That's why our nutritionist Sara asks about your dog’s stool while building their blend. Our experts have created the chart below to help the next time you wonder what your dog’s poop is telling you.

The Ideal Poop

Every dog is unique, so your dog’s standard of normal, healthy stool may differ slightly from another dog’s. For the ideal poop, we look into factors such as texture, shape, and color to give you a glimpse into your dog’s health.

  • Color: Chocolate brown
  • Shape: Log-like and firm
  • Consistency: Moist, easy to pick up
  • Size: Proportionate to amount they eat
  • Content: No extra mucus, grass or signs of worms.

The Dog Poop Color Chart

It’s a good idea to note the color of your dog’s stool. Color changes could be a sign of a health issue. Chocolate Brown: Ideal!

  • Green: Excessive grass consumed or possible gall bladder issue
  • Orange/Yellow: May be a biliary or liver issue.
  • Red Streaks: Blood in dog stool
  • Black & Tarry: Could mean bleeding in the upper GI tract
  • Grey & Greasy: Possible pancreas or biliary issue
  • White Spots: Looks like grains of rice, may be a sign of tapeworms

More Poop Facts

Dog’s scoot their butts for a couple of reasons. Maybe it’s just part of your dog’s bathroom routine. Talk to your vet if your dog is scooting more than they normally do, it may be a sign of:

  • Loose stools
  • Impacted anal glands

When dogs change their food, their poop changes too. Any time you introduce new food into your dog’s diet, don’t be surprised to see changes on the other end as well.

  1. Gradually add new food to current food
  2. Transition to new food over 7-10 day period
  3. Consult your vet before any dietary changes

The Proof is in the Poop

Personalized nutrition can make a difference in your dog’s life – and their poop! That’s why Just Right tailors a dog food blend to your dog’s age, activity level and health needs. Select the ingredients you know they’ll enjoy, and partner with our experts to build a blend that nourishes your dog’s uniqueness.