10 Natural Home Remedies for Dog Diarrhea

1. Keep your dog hydrated

Diarrhea can cause your dog to lose water quickly, so hydration should be your first priority.

Keep clean, fresh water available and encourage your dog to drink small amounts throughout the day. Drinking a huge amount all at once may upset an already sensitive stomach.

You can also add a little plain bone broth to the water or offer it separately. Choose a broth without onions, garlic, added seasonings, or excessive sodium.

Also consider the protein used to make the broth. Ginger is sensitive to chicken, so chicken broth would not be a good choice for her. A broth made from a protein your dog already tolerates is the safer option.

2. Consider a short fast

A short fast may give an irritated digestive system time to rest.

A 12 to 24-hour fast may be appropriate for a healthy adult dog with mild diarrhea who is alert, comfortable, drinking water, and not vomiting.

⚠️ Fasting is not appropriate for every dog. Do NOT fast:

• Puppies
• Toy breeds or very small dogs
• Diabetic dogs
• Medically fragile senior dogs
• Dogs with certain health conditions, including a history of pancreatitis, without professional guidance

Water should remain available throughout the fast. You can also ask your veterinarian or holistic pet health professional whether a bone broth fast would be appropriate for your dog.

3. Feed bland whole foods

When it is time to feed your dog, start with small portions of bland, easily digested food.

Chicken and rice is often recommended as the default meal for diarrhea, but I do not believe it is the best choice for every dog. Chicken is a common food sensitivity, and some dogs do not do well with a large amount of white rice.

I recommend alternatives such as:

• Cooked white fish
• Lean turkey
• Sweet potato
• Plain pumpkin
• Bone broth

Other options include rabbit, lean pork, oatmeal, and white rice, depending on what your dog tolerates.

Choose one simple protein and one digestible carbohydrate. Cook everything thoroughly without oil, butter, salt, or seasoning. Start with a small portion and feed three or four smaller meals rather than one large meal.

4. Add pure pumpkin

Plain pumpkin is one of the easiest natural remedies for dog diarrhea.

Pumpkin contains soluble fiber, which absorbs water and can help firm loose stool. It also feeds beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.

Make sure you use:

• Plain canned pumpkin
• Fresh cooked pumpkin
• Air-dried pumpkin from Native Pet

⚠️ Do NOT use pumpkin pie filling because it contains added sugar and spices.

Start with a small amount based on your dog’s size. Too much fiber introduced too quickly can sometimes make digestive upset worse.

🎃 PRO TIP: Whenever we open a can of pumpkin, I freeze the leftovers in an ice cube tray. That way, we always have small portions ready when we need them. The frozen pumpkin cubes also make easy treats.

📖 Recommended reading: Dogs and Pumpkin: Your Ultimate Guide

5. Support the gut with probiotics

Diarrhea can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your dog’s digestive tract. A dog-specific probiotic may help restore that balance, particularly after antibiotics, stress, a dietary change, or recurring digestive problems.

Look for a pet probiotic that clearly lists:

• The bacterial strains
• The number of colony-forming units
• Storage instructions
• An expiration date or viability guarantee

Saccharomyces boulardii is one probiotic I frequently recommend for diarrhea and digestive support. Broad-spectrum pet probiotics may also be useful.

I use Daily Dog by FullBucket with my dogs and have noticed improvements in stool consistency and overall digestive health. Use coupon code RescueDogs101 for 20% off.

A probiotic can be helpful during an acute episode, but it may be even more valuable for several weeks afterward while the microbiome recovers.

📖 Recommended reading: Are Probiotics Good for Dogs?

6. Try plain yogurt or fermented foods

Plain, unsweetened yogurt can provide beneficial bacteria for dogs that tolerate dairy.

Other fermented options may include:

• Plain kefir
• Fermented goat’s milk
• A tiny amount of plain fermented vegetables without onions or garlic

Start with a very small amount. Fermented foods can cause gas or make diarrhea worse if they are introduced too quickly.

Some dogs are lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy. Ginger cannot tolerate dairy, so yogurt would not be a good option for her. If your dog has known or suspected food sensitivities, choose a dog-specific probiotic instead.

7. Soothe the gut with slippery elm or marshmallow root

Slippery elm and marshmallow root are mucilaginous herbs. When mixed with liquid, they create a gel-like texture that can coat and soothe an irritated digestive tract.

These herbs may be especially useful for:

• Stress-related diarrhea
• Irritation after eating something unusual
• Colitis or intestinal inflammation
• Digestive upset following medication
• Dogs with generally sensitive stomachs

Mix slippery elm powder with water or broth to create a paste. Either herb can be used as gentle gut-lining support.

Both herbs may interfere with the absorption of medications and supplements. Give them at least two hours apart from anything your dog takes by mouth.

8. Consider Coptis for specific situations

Coptis is a traditional Chinese herbal remedy containing berberine. It may be useful for certain short-term digestive problems, particularly patterns described in Chinese medicine as damp heat.

This may include diarrhea that is:

• Very foul-smelling
• Urgent or frequent
• Accompanied by mucus
• Associated with signs of excess heat or inflammation

Coptis is a strong, cooling herb and is not intended as an everyday digestive supplement. I recommend using it only for a short period. Follow the product instructions and consider speaking with a holistic veterinarian or qualified herbal professional before using it, especially if your dog takes medications or has an ongoing health condition.

9. Use chamomile for stress-related diarrhea

Stress and digestive health are closely connected.

Travel, boarding, vet visits, thunderstorms, a new home, changes in routine, or tension in the household can all affect your dog’s nervous system and digestion.

Chamomile may be helpful when diarrhea seems connected to stress, nervousness, or mild intestinal cramping.

Brew a weak cup of plain chamomile tea, allow it to cool completely, and offer a small amount alone or mixed into food.

Avoid chamomile if your dog:

• Takes blood-thinning medication
• Has a known allergy to ragweed, daisies, or similar plants
• Develops itching or other signs of a reaction

10. Look at digestive supplements

Some dogs need more targeted digestive support, particularly when loose stools keep returning.

Options may include:

• Digestive enzymes
• Whole-food digestive supplements
• Prebiotic fiber
• Herbal gastrointestinal blends
• Supplements combining probiotics and gut-soothing ingredients

Digestive enzymes may be helpful when food appears poorly digested or when diarrhea follows a rich or unfamiliar meal. Dogs with pancreatitis or pancreatic disease need individualized guidance before using an enzyme product.

• Wapiti Labs G.I. Tract Herbal Formula
• Earth Animal No More Runs 

Introduce only one new supplement at a time. Otherwise, you will not know which product helped or which one caused a reaction.

Why does my dog have diarrhea?

Diarrhea is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Stopping the loose stool may provide relief, but it does not always explain why it happened.

Common causes include:

• Eating garbage, spoiled food, or something unfamiliar
• A sudden food change
• Food sensitivities or intolerances
• Parasites such as giardia or worms
• Stress, anxiety, travel, or environmental changes
• Antibiotics or other medications
• Imbalance in the gut microbiome
• Pancreatitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease or colitis
• Infection or illness
• Exposure to a toxin or foreign object

Think about what happened during the previous few days. Did your dog eat a new treat? Get into the garbage? Start a medication? Visit the groomer? Stay at a boarding facility? Experience a major change at home?

Sometimes the trigger becomes clear once you look at the whole picture.

Allergies and diarrhea

Food sensitivities can cause more than itching and ear infections. They may also show up as gas, vomiting, soft stool, or recurring diarrhea.

Ginger is sensitive to chicken and dairy. That means many traditional recommendations, including chicken and rice, chicken broth, or plain yogurt, could make her digestive problems worse.

If you suspect a food sensitivity, keep the remedy as simple as possible and choose ingredients your dog has eaten safely before.

📖 Recommended reading: Does My Dog Have Allergies?

Stress and newly adopted dogs

Loose stool is common in foster dogs and newly adopted dogs.

Almost every foster dog who came through our home needed time for their digestion to settle. They were dealing with stress, a new environment, new people, possible parasites, and often several recent food changes.

This is one reason I always pay close attention to a new dog’s poop. It can tell us a lot about stress, food tolerance, parasites, and overall health.

If you recently adopted your dog, learn more about the 3-3-3 rule and why decompression matters during those first few weeks.

When diarrhea keeps coming back

Recurring diarrhea is a sign that it is time to look deeper instead of repeatedly treating the symptom.

Consider:

• What your dog eats every day
• Whether one ingredient may be causing a reaction
• Recent antibiotic or medication use
• Gut microbiome health
• Parasites
• Chronic stress
• Household or routine changes
• Inflammation or another underlying health issue

Food, digestion, stress, behavior, and the nervous system all affect one another. This is why I look at the whole dog rather than treating diarrhea as an isolated problem.

For more natural ways to support your dog at home, download my free Natural Remedies Reference Guide.

If your dog’s digestive issues keep returning and you feel like you are guessing, a Dog Wellness Game Plan Session can help you look at food, gut health, stress, environment, lifestyle, and medical history together.

A warning about human diarrhea medications

Do not automatically reach for human medications such as Imodium or Pepto-Bismol. They can cause side effects, interact with other medications, or be unsafe for certain dogs.

Antibiotics such as metronidazole have also commonly been prescribed for diarrhea, but they can further disrupt the gut microbiome. When medication is recommended, ask why it is needed, what the possible side effects are, and how you can support your dog’s gut during and after treatment.

Final thoughts

Dog diarrhea is unpleasant for everyone involved, especially when you are standing outside trying to pick up something that is impossible to pick up.

Most dogs experience an occasional digestive upset. The goal is to keep your dog comfortable, hydrated, and supported while paying attention to what their body may be telling you.

Use the remedies that fit your dog, introduce them slowly, and keep looking at the bigger picture if the problem continues.