Can Overfeeding a Dog Cause Diarrhea? Learning from My Mistakes

Short, answer. Yes, overfeeding a dog can cause diarrhea. When a dog consumes more food than their digestive system can handle, it can lead to gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea. And some foods are harder on the system than others—as I'll explore.

A few years ago, I noticed that my lab mix, Bruno, was experiencing frequent, unexplainable bouts of diarrhea. After some investigation, I discovered that my partner had been giving Bruno extra dog bones when I was away, leading to overfeeding. This unintentional "double dipping" was overwhelming Bruno's digestive system.

I couldn't be mad. My partner wants to treat Bruno to tasty food experiences as much as I do. That's when we decided to work together to share chew time with our dogs. I couldn't keep this bonding experience to myself.

So, can overfeeding a dog cause diarrhea? It certainly can. We learned the hard way. And I'm hoping we can help you avoid the same messy experience with some basic feeding guidelines for optimal dog health.

Am I Overfeeding My Dog?

Maybe. Here are the signs to look for.

• Frequent diarrhea. The topic of our conversation is loose stools! If they happen more than occasionally, they can indicate that the digestive tract is struggling to break down food. So, it flushes the intestines with water to move it on through.
• Dehydration. Dehydration often comes with diarrhea as they need more water to aid digestion. Plus, the body is pulling water out of the cells that need it, leading to excess thirst. Bruno could lap up a whole water bowl in 5 minutes while this mystery was in progress.
• Weight gain. If a dog is overeating regularly, its body may try to balance it out first. But eventually, it starts catching up with them. This can happen almost overnight with dogs who spend a lot of time indoors.
• Lethargy. Think about it. Having intestinal issues hurts. Dog upset stomach is the same as mine. Dogs often respond not by whining but by retreating to a dark, quiet place to rest. They don't feel up for usual activities.

How to Stop Overfeeding Dog—and the Messy Results

1. Review the Portion Size on Their Food Bag

Let's start with their kibble because this makes up most of their diet. Most bags will list a cup amount by dog weight. This is only a ballpark. Physically active dogs like mine may actually need a little more.

But always start here and adjust as needed.

2. Take Inventory of All the Treats

All dog treats should add up to no more than 10% of their diet, according to the American Kennel Club.

This will include everything that isn't their kibble—so dog bones, training treats, organ meat treats, bully sticks, joint health treats, and any little extras you give them to say I love you.

It can add up quickly. Fortunately, treats and kibble often have a calorie count on the bag, allowing you to compare objectively.

3. Do Some Math

1 cup of kibble = 400 calories per cup (that's an average, so check your particular dog food)

Bruno needs 4.5 cups a day based on his weight of 75lb and his active outdoor lifestyle. He's all muscle!

So, 400 X 4.5 = 1800 calories

He can have around 180 calories of treats a day. I can use this as a guide for treats with clear calories in the bag.

4. Check Serving Sizes

Many treats will give you a suggested serving size based on the 10% rule.

For example, beef lung training treats bag says 1 treat per 5lb of dog daily. Two ounces of dried beef lung training treats (Bruno's faves) are about 100 calories.

So, Bruno (75lb) can have 15 treats/day if these were his only treats. My terrier (20lb) can have fewer. But fortunately, these collagen-rich organ meat treats are easy to break into pieces.

Here's the thing. We don't train every day. So, that leaves a lot of room for other nutritious dog treats.

We also enjoy a good marrow-filled dog bone around here. So, I need to split their 10% among all their treats.

Marrow bones are a little more complicated to account for. But they're so nutritious that I can't let that stop me. Moderation is key!

Dogs don't eat the marrow all at once. One bone can last weeks or months, with some marrow seeping out with each chew session.

5. Choose Healthy Treats

Think about dog health first. It doesn't matter how many treats you give a dog. If they're low quality, they can cause dog upset stomach and dog diarrhea.

Dog treats should be health-promoting, filling in the nutrition gaps in an all-kibble diet. So look for nutrient-dense treats with:

• Additional protein
• B12 for mood support
• Collagen, the structural protein
• Glucosamine for joints
• Omega 3 for joints, skin, brain, heart, and immunity
• Other vitamins and minerals

I also shop for single-ingredient treats like beef dog bones and beef organ meat. That way, I'll know no added sugar, additives, or preservatives—just a whole food that tastes good to dogs.

6. Be Aware of Fat Sensitivity

Dogs need fat for dog health. So, it's never okay to avoid all fat. But some dogs are more sensitive to fatty foods in larger amounts.

For example, dogs with pancreatitis struggle to make the bile that breaks down fat. And some senior dogs may have more sensitive tummies in their final years. This can lead to doggy diarrhea that is both uncomfortable for them and messy for you to clean up.

Here's what to do.

Even though marrow bones have a substantial amount of healthy fats, they also have saturated fat. So, you may need to limit marrow bone chew time more than you would with another dog. Also, consider lower fat treats like beef lung bites.

If you do give them a marrow bone, remember you can refill it once the marrow is gone. Avoid extra fatty treats like cheese, peanut butter, and yogurt. Opt for tasty fillings like pumpkin or squash.

This will allow them to continue getting teeth cleaning benefits and mental stimulation from the dog bone with less fat. You can find more dog bone refill recipes in this free guide.

7. Plan Out a Treat Schedule

Now, you're ready to develop a treat schedule. It doesn't have to be super strict. Give yourself a little flexibility to treat your dog. But here's what our treat plan looks like after we take all of the above in mind.

I give the dogs their marrow-filled dog bone 2X a week for 15-20 minutes. I freeze it in between uses to keep stuff from growing on it.

We usually train once or twice a week, so they get lots of lung treats on those days. I like to buy them in bulk.

Then, I leave room for at least one trachea treat a week. I call it their joint supplement. But it's also so much fun for them to chew and clean their teeth, too.

And that's it! If dog diarrhea continues after reducing overfeeding—or if it's severe and worrisome—please contact their vet.

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