Your dog’s bowel movements can tell you a lot about their health. How often a puppy poops and the consistency of the poop are good indicators of the presence of any diseases or digestive complaints. All puppies are different and it is essential to know what is just your new dog’s way of doing things and what might be serious.
Depending on their age, most puppies poop between four and five times per day, typically shortly after eating. There is a significant difference in bowel movements between dog breeds, and their bowel habits will change as your dog ages.
However, the key to a healthy, well-functioning digestive tract is a good diet regardless of age. High-protein puppy food can help ensure your puppy is pooping regularly and getting the nutrients they need. Open Farm’s range of puppy food is an excellent place to find the exact kind of food your growing puppy needs to build good eating and pooping habits.
Pooping Will Change With Age
After your puppy is born, they cannot form solid bowel movements until weaned off of his or her mother’s milk at around four weeks. At this age, your puppy begins eating foods that contain more fiber that adds bulk to their stool, but your pup still can’t hold its poop well. As a result, they should poop around four to five times per day.
By the time your puppy reaches eight weeks, he or she should have a more stable diet and better control of their bowels. Your puppy may begin to poop once or twice per day at predictable times, a trend that should continue for the rest of their life.
Diet Effects How Often a Puppy Poops
What you feed your puppy at all stages of development impacts their defecation frequency. Knowing how much to feed a puppy, what to feed the puppy and how often to feed a puppy are things to consider when properly caring for your new pet. As your dog grows, these questions will be answered by how they behave when eating and how often he or she goes to the bathroom.
A proper diet should involve routine and healthy food. Your dog should be fed the same amount of food at the same time of day to establish a pattern the dog can follow and adapt to. Dehydrated dog treats are an excellent incentive to reward your puppy for following proper eating and pooping habits while also boosting the protein and antioxidants in their diet.
Your growing puppy should be fed grain-free dog food to provide all the essential nutrients like fiber, beta-carotene, omega 9 fatty acid and Vitamin E, without extra filler grains that might be harsh on their digestive tract. It is also important to prevent puppies from eating table scraps or other food they might find around; they cannot digest most foods and this could cause stomach and intestinal problems.
Though it might be unpleasant, you should examine your dog’s poop to make sure it is solid and soft. These assessments can tell you if your dog is eating the correct diet and can show the presence of different diseases and problems your dog might have, like parasites and internal bleeding. If the size, texture or consistency of your puppy’s poop are different for several days, or if there are white spots, mucus or blood, contact your veterinarian for a checkup. These symptoms could indicate food allergies or gastrointestinal disease.
Good Nutrition for Good Health
The first year of a dog’s life is critical for long-term health and longevity. It is important that all dog owners set their puppies up for good lives by feeding them a proper diet. The puppy food at Open Farm is designed with the needs of growing puppies in mind. Our entire range of puppy food is ethically sourced and made from organic ingredients that support your puppy’s digestive health. Browse Open Farm for all your puppy food needs today!
