The 10 Best Dog Foods For Less Poop – Low-Residue and highly digestible foods

Check out my detailed guide about the best low residue dog foods for less poop in 2022.

Too much poop usually does not indicate a particular health problem with your pooch. Most of the time, low fiber or low residue dog food can solve the situation.

With the help of other experts, I spent days finding the most suitable low-fiber dog food.

I found that the best dog food for less poop is Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Formula. It is a limited ingredient diet containing digestible protein and carbohydrate sources and has a unique omega fatty acid profile. However, it contains 4% fiber, which is guaranteed to result in less stool in your dog.

You may want to check out the other products as well as the buying guide section of my article.

Best low residue dog food brands

Dog Food	Name And Features	Pet Worshiper Rating	Where To Buy?
Overall Best	1. Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Formula High protein content Low fiber content Well digestible Suitable for sensitive stomachs and allergies	9.8	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Runner Up	2. Taste of the Wild Ancient Stream Prebiotics help with proper digestion Features added vitamins and minerals Well digestible Low fiber content	9.7	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Budget Low Residue Dog Food	3. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe Affordable Low fiber content Well digestible ingredients Prebiotics help with proper digestion	9.6	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Best Low Fiber Wet Dog Food	4. Wellness Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes High-quality protein sources Low fiber content Suitable for picky dogs Digestible ingredients	9.7	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Best For Puppies	5. Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate High-quality protein sources Low fiber content Features added fruits, veggies, vitamins, and minerals Suitable for puppies	9.7	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Best For Seniors	6. Diamond Naturals Senior Formula Low fiber content Contains glucosamine sources Suitable for Seniors Affordable	9.6	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Best For Small Breeds	7. Castor & Pollux ORGANIX Suitable for small dogs Affordable Well digestible ingredients Low fiber content	9.6	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Best For Large Dogs	8. Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Suitable for large dogs Features glucosamine Affordable Low residue formula	9.6	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Best Freeze-Dried Raw Option	9. Sojos Complete Turkey Recipe Awesome taste Easy to serve Features added fruits, vitamins, and minerals Low in fiber	9.7	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy
Best Human Grade Option	10. The Honest Kitchen Chicken Recipe Dehydrated nutritious formula Features added fruits, vitamins, and minerals Easy to serve Low fiber content	9.7	Check on AmazonCheck on Chewy

Best low residue dog foods – Detailed Reviews

If you want your dog to poop less, you need to achieve this with a proper diet. In the low fiber dog food list below, the fiber content of each product is strictly below 5%. In addition, these recipes meet the requirements of AAFCO nutrient profiles.

1. Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Formula – Overall Best

Limited ingredient diets are beneficial in several ways. If you want dog food for food allergies, then such products are good choices. On the other hand, the limited ingredients guarantee that the food is well digestible and has low residue.

This formula from Zignature contains turkey meat and turkey meal, which are excellent sources of protein. They contain all the necessary amino acids, sparing the stomach, and the meal form even contains glucosamine and chondroitin.

Chickpeas and peas are well digestible carbohydrate sources. They have high dietary fiber content, but the total fiber content of the product is only 4%. That’s enough to make your dog poop less. In addition, these carbohydrate sources are grain- and gluten-free, which is another piece of good news for dogs that have grain or gluten allergies.

Sunflower oil and flaxseed provide beneficial fatty acids to your dog’s diet. In addition, the added vitamins and minerals make the recipe even fuller and healthier.

Overall, the online perception of the product is very positive. Most clients say this diet helps a lot in supporting the digestion of dogs. In addition, it helps relieve allergic symptoms. However, very picky dogs don’t really like the taste of this product.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.8

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2. Taste of the Wild Ancient Stream – Runner Up

If the overall best option isn’t available right now, be sure to consider this product from Taste Of The Wild. Not only because of its quality but also if you want to provide your dog with a grain-rich diet.

This recipe contains ancient grains such as Grain Sorghum, Millet, and Cracked Pearled Barley. We also find Brown Rice among the ingredients. These carbohydrates contain good quality dietary fiber, which is only 3% of the total. So this dog food is absolutely suitable in case you want to see less poop in your garden.

The product contains well-digestible nutrient-rich protein sources. These are Salmon, Salmon Meal, and Ocean Fish Meal. Together with Canola Oil and Salmon Oil, these ingredients are excellent sources of omega fatty acids.

The prebiotic content of the product is good for the functioning of the digestive system. This will not only make digestion more efficient, but it will also have a good effect on your dog’s overall health.

Also, according to online customer reviews, the recipe has an excellent effect on dogs’ digestion. The problem here is similar to the previous product: very picky dogs don’t like to touch it.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.7

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3. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Recipe – Budget Low Residue Dog Food

If you’re on a tighter budget, it’s no wonder you’re looking for an affordable option. Whole Earth Farms is a good choice in this case. It’s a low residue dog food that also saves your wallet better than its competitors. Plus, you won’t have a complaint about the ingredients.

In addition to high-quality protein sources, carbohydrates, and fats, we do not find any excess fillers. Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, and Carrots are not only perfect grain-free carbohydrates but contain natural dietary fiber. This improves digestion, plus the total fiber content in the product is only 3.5%.

Incidentally, protein sources (Pork Meal, Pork, Beef, Lamb) are also well digestible, contributing to your dog having fewer and healthier stools.

The added vitamins, minerals, and prebiotics support the functioning of the intestinal and immune systems as a whole.

Customers are satisfied with this product. Most dogs love it, and because of the good quality ingredients, it has helped a lot in various health complaints (e.g., allergies).

The only problem with the product is that the packaging does not reveal the exact amount of certain nutrients. Examples include Omega-3 fatty acids, chondroitin, and glucosamine.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.6

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4. Wellness Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes – Best Low Fiber Wet Dog Food

There are times when you may want to consider buying wet dog food. This is the case, for example, when you have a particularly picky pooch. This is because dogs prefer wet foods much more. In many cases, it also helps to put a little bit of wet food on the kibble as a topping. Due to various dental problems, it may also be justified to purchase such products.

But that’s not the only reason I recommend Wellness Beef Stew. It contains grain-free carbohydrate sources (Carrots, Potatoes, Peas) with a total fiber content of only 1%. Their digestibility is also high so that this product will be a perfect low residue wet dog food.

In addition, it contains protein sources such as Beef, Beef Liver, and Egg Whites. These ingredients have a high biological value and sparing the stomach and digestive system.

The recipe also contains added vitamins and minerals, which ensure that our dog’s immune system will work with high efficiency.

Most dogs are totally satisfied with the taste of this wet food based on online reviews.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.7

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5. Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate – Best For Puppies

In addition to the small kibble size, puppies should be provided with as many nutrients as possible. Until the age of one, dogs are considered puppies, during which they need to build strong bones and muscles. This can only be done with the help of the best diet.

I really like Farmina dog food because they have excellent ingredients. This puppy recipe contains 60% animal sources, 20% organic grains, and 20% healthy fruits and vegetables.

Chicken, eggs, and herring are sources of protein that are well digestible, rich in essential amino acids, and add omega fatty acids to the recipe.

Spelt and oats are grains that can also be digested efficiently, and their dietary fiber content contributes to intestinal health. But what made this product on my list is the low fiber content, only 1.7%.

Considering these characteristics, I can sure that this is the best possible low fiber diet for your puppy.

Customers repeatedly praise this product because their dog is less poop. The price is a bit high, but this is perfectly normal for a dog food of this quality.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.7

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6. Diamond Naturals Senior Formula – Best For Seniors

When looking for the best low residue dog food for seniors, I wasn’t just considering fiber and digestibility. This is because old dogs also have special nutritional needs.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are essential to them. Just like low calories because they are very prone to obesity. This recipe contains 318 calories per cup, and the glucosamine content is not negligible either (720 mg/kg). The latter is due to the chicken meal, which provides all the essential amino acids for your old pooch in addition to chicken.

Brown and white rice and oats are digestible grains and add only 3% high-quality dietary fiber to the food.

Different prebiotics has an excellent effect on digestion and overall health. The same can be said for added vitamins, minerals, fruits, and vegetables. Additional benefits of this senior formula include its very low price.

These features can make this product the perfect choice if you want your senior dog to poop less.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.6

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7. Castor & Pollux ORGANIX – Best For Small Breeds

For small breeds, the kibble size must be the right size to chew. But that’s not the only reason I chose this recipe. The ingredients are all organic and of impeccable quality. Chicken and chicken meal provide your small but active pooch with 26% protein and enough glucosamine.

Carbohydrate sources include grain-free veggies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, and tapioca. This gives this recipe a relatively low fiber content of 3.5%.

Good quality fat sources (chicken fat, sunflower seed, flaxseed) also add omega fatty acids to your dog’s diet. Sure, there could be more omega-3s, but 0.4% isn’t that awful either.

Ingredients include added vitamins, minerals, fruits, and prebiotics. Together, these have an excellent effect on digestion. The result is a pretty good low residue dog food that is even healthy.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.6

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8. Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed – Best For Large Dogs

For large breeds, not only the kibble size is important, but also the glucosamine content. This is because these dogs are very prone to various joint problems.

The Nutro large breed formula contains chicken and chicken meal as a source of protein. This guarantees 850 mg/kg glucosamine, which is perfect as a starting point.

Brown rice, sorghum, brewers rice, and oatmeal are well-digestible carbohydrate sources that give the recipe a 3.5% fiber content. This is just enough for healthy digestion, but it doesn’t cause too much poop in your dog.

This recipe also includes added fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals. This way, you can reduce the amount of stool of your pup and take care of his health.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.6

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9. Sojos Complete Turkey Recipe – Best Freeze-Dried Raw Option

Dehydrated dog foods are convenient as they are easy to serve by adding water. It’s no different with this product, which is all made from raw and natural ingredients.

Thanks to the freeze-drying process, not only is its nutrient content maximal, but its taste is also impressive. But let’s talk about the ingredients.

We only see three sources of protein on the package, namely turkey, eggs, and turkey liver. They are extremely high-quality animal sources, with good digestibility, full of essential amino acids.

The main source of carbohydrates is sweet potatoes, so the product is grain and gluten-free. This is important as it is a good alternative to carbohydrate intake for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

We also find vegetables (broccoli), fruits (apples), added vitamins (D, E), and minerals (zinc, calcium). Together, they make the recipe very healthy but don’t raise fiber too high (4%).

Overall, this is excellent dog food for less poop if you want to provide something extraordinary for your pup. The price is a bit high, but its quality is simply unquestionable.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.7

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10. The Honest Kitchen Chicken Recipe – Best Human Grade Option

The chicken formula from Honest Kitchen is very similar to the previous dehydrated product. However, I by no means wanted to leave it off my list as it can be considered a human-grade recipe due to its fantastic quality.

The high protein content comes from chicken, which is well digestible and rich in nutrients.

Ingredients include potatoes and organic grains. Not only do they provide your dog with all-day energy, but they are also well digestible and contain moderated high-quality dietary fiber. The result, of course, is less poop from your beloved dog.

Like the previous recipe, it also contains added fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals. You absolutely don’t have to worry about your dog’s health if you choose this formula. The price is also slightly lower than the Sojos product.

Pet Worshiper rating: 9.7

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What changes the quantity and quality of dog poop?

Understanding pooping is simple and easy for everyone. We eat food, and our body uses the necessary nutrients from it. The waste then escapes in the form of poop through the intestines. 

The nutrient composition of dog food can greatly affect the poop of canines. It matters how much protein, carbohydrate, fat, and fiber your chosen dry dog food contains. The quality of these is not negligible either.

Of course, many other things affect poop. Lots of fillers, grains, and additives all adversely affect digestion. 

In this article, I will focus primarily on fiber from the ones mentioned above.

How does fiber affect dog poop?

From the above, you can also see that diet is one of the most important factors in this whole topic. Fiber is an essential thing and is needed. It is essential for the formation of a proper intestinal flora. 

However, too much fiber can have negative effects on dogs. Dogs will poop more frequently as more fiber means more filler because they can’t digest these fillers properly.

Unfortunately, if you only feed your dog with dry kibble, there is a chance that too much fiber will get into his body. After all, these foods usually contain more fiber. These filler materials are usually rice hulls, beet pulp, or soy. 

On the other hand, cheap, lower-quality dog ​​foods contain much worse fibers. Examples are wood fiber or sawdust. I know it’s hard to believe, but unfortunately, it’s true.

Things to consider to make your dog have less poop

One of the basic conditions for less poop is a proper low residue diet. I will write about nutritional conditions in more detail later. However, here are a few basic considerations here if you want to fix the problem. Based on these, you can get closer to choosing the most suitable dog food.

Fiber content

Fibers are indigestible for dogs and therefore increase the amount of poop. I’m not saying fiber is harmful to dogs. This ingredient also has a role in the diet of canines. You don’t necessarily have to choose completely fiber-free dog food, but avoid products from companies that contain too much of this nutrient.

Raw diet

A raw diet is one of the most effective ways to less poop. This is because this way your dog is guaranteed to get less fiber and the digestibility of raw foods is also adequate in general. So consider this option as well. Some brands produce raw dog food.

Digestibility

Dogs can digest carbohydrates. Nevertheless, it is more difficult for them than digesting animal sources. Truly balanced formulas have a moderate carbohydrate content and digestibility of over 80%. It is best to choose a dog food in which carbohydrates are gluten-free and complex.

Fat content

The ideal amount of fat for dogs is 6-15%. More fat can result in more frequent bowel movements. The quality of fat sources is also an important consideration. You should prefer animal fats and fat sources containing omega fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6).

High-quality protein sources

Protein sources are not only essential for amino acids, but they also lack fiber. Therefore, high protein dog foods result in less poop.

Supplements for digestion

A variety of digestive supplements promote the health and efficiency of your dog’s digestive system. Examples are probiotics and prebiotics. Many dog ​​food brands include these ingredients as supplements.

Best fiber sources in dog foods

The following foods are very good sources of fiber. This is because the quality of the fiber consumed is very important.

• Carrots
  
• Oats
  
• Apples
  
• Whole grains
  
• Beet pulp
  
• Flaxseed
  
• Legumes
  
• Psyllium husk

If you find these fiber sources in a dog’s food, then it is a good quality product.

Benefits of fiber in dog foods

Based on what I’ve written so far, I don’t want you to feel that fiber is something undesirable. So I gathered some of the positive effects of fiber. Because of this, it is essential that whatever dog you buy has enough fiber content.

Your dog will eat less calorie

The fibers saturate the stomach more easily. For this reason, it is an excellent idea to give food with higher-than-average fiber content to obese dogs.

It improves digestive function

I have already mentioned the positive effect of fibers on intestinal flora. Besides, fibers absorb water. This will help prevent constipation or diarrhea.

Better blood sugar levels

The fibers slow down the rate of carbohydrate absorption. This is why they normalize blood sugar levels.

Helps with anal gland issues

Fiber makes stool firmer. This puts pressure on the anal glands, and they will be less likely to become clogged.

How much fiber does dog food contain?

The proportion of fiber in the diet of wild dogs is about 4%. I’m not saying this should be adhered to anyway, but it can be a good guideline. Nevertheless, most kibble dry foods can have a fiber content of 15% or more. 

Moreover, there are “dietary” dog foods with a fiber content of up to 30%. I hope I don’t have to say that this is not good for dogs at all.

My suggestion is to try to avoid this 30%. And the fibers should be from adequate sources.

Do we need low fiber dog food for less poop?

Based on what has happened so far, the question has probably arisen in you: is it sure that too much stool is a problem for dogs? Well, the answer to that is that it depends. Dog feces reveal a lot. Such as diet, but even certain health problems.

Colitis, bacterial infections, kidney disease, are conditions that can prevent nutrients from being properly absorbed. Therefore, in case of too much poop, it is worth visiting your veterinarian first.

But you don’t have to worry too much. The most common cause of excessive bowel movements is low-quality dog ​​food.

You need to switch from low quality dog food

There are costs to keeping a dog, so it’s understandable if you want to choose the cheapest dog food possible. However, most manufacturers save on costs with low-quality ingredients.

Such is when so-called fillers are added to the recipe. These fillers saturate your dog better, but they have very little nutritional value. Examples are corn, wheat, soy, hull, husk, etc.

There are manufacturers that also put cellulose in their products. This is completely reprehensible as cellulose does not bring any additional benefits to your dog’s diet. It’s just a fiber.

High fiber content can cause more poop and food will be less digestible.

Aim for highly digestible dog food

It’s simple. The better the digestion, the less poop. So it would help if you were looking for easily digestible foods. These provide your dog with a nutrient-rich diet. 

But how can you tell if a dog’s food is easy to digest? There are clear signs of this. 

1. First, observe the ingredients. The less the ingredient, the better the digestibility.
   
2. If your dog doesn’t need to eat enough to feel full, it can also indicate this.
   
3. If you need to collect less stool from the litter, that also suggests that.
   
4. Consistent pooping habits are also great indicators of digestibility.

Not to mention that this means less cleaning for you. You can get the best digestibility with the Low-Residue Diet. I will write about this below.

What is Low-Residue Diet?

The low-residue diet is designed to provide dogs with the right nutrients. But manufacturers try to omit all unnecessary ingredients and fillers from the recipe. This will increase nutrient absorption and reduce waste. 

So you can see that a low residue diet can have a good effect on your dog’s health. Because these foods are very digestible, they result in less poop. Experience has also shown it to be effective against some digestive diseases. Examples are inflammatory bowel disease, nausea, and even diarrhea.

You need to pay attention to the following when you want to buy food like this for your dog.

High protein content

Protein is one of the most important ingredients to look out for. The best protein sources are meat, poultry, fish, or egg. Lean meats are very beneficial because they are well digested, contain all the essential amino acids, and do not contain excess fat and calories.

Note that there are dogs that are allergic to chicken. For them, lamb, duck, or venison (or other chicken-free dog food) are better alternatives. The ideal protein content should be at least 18%.

Digestibility

I have already written a few sentences about digestibility in this article. The point is, this means how fast the food passes through the dog’s body. This depends on several factors, such as the ingredients used and their interactions.

In many cases, manufacturers give the digestibility of food as a percentage. For a low-residue diet, you should look for food with a digestibility of 80% or more.

Fats

Fats are clearly important for the normal functioning of the body. However, too much fat can lead to health risks such as diarrhea, oil poop, or obesity. Products with a fat content of less than 15% are ideal.

Dry kibble can be better

Dry food is usually much more concentrated than wet. There is more water in wet food. So your dog needs to eat more of it to get enough nutrients. Of course, if your dog has a problem chewing, you don’t have to stick to dry form.

Pay attention to the quantity

As I have already written, the amount of stool is determined by the amount of food consumed. However, be sure to adjust the quantity to give maximum support to your dog’s lifestyle and activity. 

If you switch to better quality food that is more concentrated, you cannot use the same amount of it. In this case, you can do three things. One is to ask your vet. The other is to follow the instructions on the product. And third, watch and monitor your puppy’s weight. If it changes in a positive direction, he will probably need less food.

What to avoid when choosing a low residue dog food?

Now you know what a good low residue food should look like. You also know what to look for. In addition to these, you should even look for the AAFCO stamp on the packaging. This way, you can make sure you have the right nutrient profile. However, below I list the things you should definitely avoid when shopping.

Poor meat meals or meat by-products

If you see these ingredients, you should not choose that product because they are difficult to digest. The protein source must be pure and of good quality.

Artificial colors and flavors

Keep in mind that manufacturers usually want to put these into their products for one reason. They want to improve the poorer quality a bit. Besides, these substances make food harder to digest and can cause allergic reactions.

Frequently asked questions about low residue dog foods

I’m sure you still have questions. Below you can read the most common ones.

My choice for the best dog food for less poop

As you can see from my article, a good quality low residue dog food is essential for less poop. It should consist of all-natural and easily digestible ingredients with low fiber content.

The recipes from my list were gathered based on different aspects. My favorite is Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Formula, which ranks first in a worthy way with 4% fiber content and digestible animal and plant sources.

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Resources:

• The Facts About Carbs, Fiber, and Diabetes
• What Happens if I Feed My Dog Too Much Fiber?
• Alternative Dietary Fiber Sources in Companion Animal Nutrition
• Understanding Types of Fiber & Clinical Uses
• When to Use Low Residue Dog Food

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