Best dog food for loose stools
Occasional loose stools are often down to a diet change, a rich treat, table scraps or a sensitive stomach, and a single-protein, easily digestible food is usually the sensible place to start once anything more serious has genuinely been ruled out by a vet.
What usually causes it
A sudden switch of food, a rich treat, table scraps, or simply a change in routine can all trigger a short bout of loose stools in an otherwise healthy dog. This is common and usually settles within a day or two once the trigger stops, without needing a permanent diet change at all.
A genuine, ongoing sensitivity or intolerance is a different picture: stools that stay loose over weeks, or that come back every time a particular food or ingredient is reintroduced. That pattern is where a dedicated sensitive or limited-ingredient food is more likely to make a real difference than switching between ordinary foods at random.
What to look for on the label
Foods marketed as sensitive or limited-ingredient are usually built around a single named protein source rather than a mix of several meats, which makes it easier to identify and remove whatever doesn't agree with your dog. Many also include added prebiotics or fibre sources aimed at supporting normal gut function.
Grain-free isn't automatically the answer for a sensitive stomach — some dogs do better on it, plenty don't, and grain itself is rarely the actual cause of loose stools. The single-protein, limited-ingredient approach is generally a more useful place to start than chasing a grain-free label on its own.
How to change food without making it worse
A sudden switch is itself one of the most common causes of loose stools, so introduce any new food gradually over seven to ten days, mixing increasing amounts in with the old food rather than swapping overnight. This applies even when the new food is specifically chosen to help.
Give a genuine change several weeks to show whether it's actually helping, rather than judging it after a couple of days. If stools haven't improved by then, or get worse at any point, that's a conversation for your vet rather than trying yet another food on your own.
When it needs a vet, not a new food
Loose stools with blood, ongoing vomiting, weight loss, lethargy or a dog who seems generally unwell are not something to manage with a diet change alone, and need to be seen properly rather than waited out. The same goes for diarrhoea that continues beyond a couple of days regardless of what's being fed.
A food change is a reasonable first step for an otherwise well dog with mild, recurring loose stools, but it isn't a substitute for a proper diagnosis when something more is going on.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Harringtons Adult Dog Salmon & Potato
Complete salmon and potato dry dog food with 21% protein in a 1.7KG bag
£6.25
Common questions
- What ingredients should I avoid if my dog has loose stools?
- There's no single ingredient that causes loose stools in every dog, which is why single-protein, limited-ingredient foods are useful — they let you identify what actually doesn't agree with your own dog rather than guessing at a universal culprit.
- Is grain-free food better for a dog with a sensitive stomach?
- Not automatically. Grain is rarely the real cause of loose stools, and some dogs do fine on grain-inclusive food while others do better grain-free. A single-protein, limited-ingredient food is generally a more useful starting point than choosing on the grain-free label alone.
- How long should I try a new food before judging if it's working?
- Give it several weeks rather than a few days, since a dog's gut needs time to adjust to any new food, including one specifically chosen to help. Introduce it gradually over seven to ten days first, mixed in with the old food, to rule out the switch itself as the cause.
- When should I take my dog to the vet about loose stools?
- If there's blood, ongoing vomiting, weight loss, lethargy, or the loose stools continue for more than a couple of days regardless of diet, see a vet rather than trying another food change. Those signs point to something that needs a proper look rather than dietary trial and error.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.