We love our dogs, and we try to do everything for them. That includes picking up dog poop. Not a glamorous job, but important. But what if your dog’s poop is mushy? How can you make your dog’s poop easier to pick up? We’re glad you asked!
Dog poop that is softer and mushier usually means your dog has some gut health issues you need to address, but the good news is that’s pretty easy to do!
What Makes Dog Poop Hard To Pick Up?
The number one reason dog poop is hard to pick up is because your dog’s gut health is off balance. When your dog’s gut is healthy, the consistency and texture of their poop is how it should be. You’ll be able to scoop the dog waste into dog poop bags with ease, because your dog’s digestive system did what it needed to do well–and the end result is the perfect poop.
Your dog’s gut is responsible for digesting food, and that includes absorbing nutrients and forming your dog’s waste. If you’re wondering why it’s hard to pick up your dog’s poop, it’s likely because there is an imbalance in your pet’s microbiome. This leads not just to digestive issues like mushy dog poop or even dog diarrhea, but can affect their overall gut health and immunity too. Even if your dog’s poop is easy to scoop in the pooper scooper because it’s harder and almost rock-like, this isn’t optimal for their gut health either. The perfect poop consistency is a bit like Play-Doh, moldable and easy for you to pick up and put in the poop bag.
Common Reasons It’s Hard To Pick Up Your Dog’s Poop
Pet owners know that being a responsible pet parent means taking care of the not-so-pretty sometimes. When it comes to dog owners needing to pick up dog poop, if the consistency is not firm, it’s really hard to use pooper scoopers or even pick up dog poop with a poop bag.
But there’s a bigger reason you want to investigate your dog’s poop. As we said, dog poop that is not the right consistency is the result of a gut issue, but like what? Here are some common reasons it may be hard to pick up dog poop because it’s soft, and you may want to investigate further.
- Low Fiber
- Diet change
- Infection (viral or bacterial)
- Intestinal parasites
- Tumors
- Toxins
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Intestinal tract obstruction
- Food intolerance
- Weak immune system
- Metabolic conditions like kidney and liver disease
Whether it has to do with your dog’s diet or other causes that might be affecting their intestinal flora, the proof of their health is usually signaled in their dog poop. Yes, you want picking up dog poop to be easier, for sure, but you also know your dog’s waste is something to work on so they’re healthier overall.
How Can I Make Poop Easier To Scoop?
- Inspect their poop. This is the easiest thing to do when you’re initially wondering about the right consistency for dog poop. See if you see anything odd–did they eat something that upset their gut? Check out the color; is the dog poop telling you something specific you need to talk to your vet about?
- Improve their diet – Your dog’s food is one of the most common causes of soft dog waste. Allergies to food ingredients like grain, gluten, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives can be the source of the soft stool of your dog. Improving your dog’s diet is what will lead to your dog’s healthier gut, and a healthier gut means the perfect poop.
- Consult with a veterinarian – If your dog’s poop is consistently squishy and mushy, and you’ve supplemented their gut health appropriately, check with your veterinarian to be sure there isn’t a metabolic condition you’re dealing with.
Firm Dog Waste: Quality Food And Gut Health
Your dog’s food is probably the main contributor to soft dog poop. As a dog owner, look for dog food that is low on fillers and has higher concentrations of premium ingredients and fiber. Adding quality fiber is typically the number one suggestion a veterinarian will give when you’re trying to firm a dog’s waste.
What Can I Give My Dog to Make Dog Poop Firmer?
Luckily, making dog poop firmer and easier to scoop can be delicious for your dog too! Bernie’s Perfect Poop was created to include a premium fiber–Miscanthus grass. This fantastic fiber will help firm up dog poop as it goes through the digestive system, and it also makes sure that there’s not too much water and your dog ends up with diarrhea. Adding a high fiber formulation supplement like Bernie’s Perfect Poop to your dog’s daily meal will help improve the texture of your dog’s poop, which will make it easier to pick up your dog’s poop. Bernie’s Perfect Poop is an all-natural supplement that contains additional premium dietary fibers such as pumpkin and flax-seed.
Additionally, though, Perfect Poop also has the prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes that help your dog’s gut be its healthiest. That excellent gut will help your dog process food better, and that will also help you pick up your dog’s poop more easily.
