More than 200,000 pet sitters and dog walkers list their services on Rover.com in the U.S. In fact, Rover dog walkers have gone on millions of walks with more than 150,000 different dogs. That’s the equivalent to walking the Great Wall of China 178 times! And during almost every walk, a dog poops, and that poop gets scooped. Every day, Rover dog walkers are picking up literal tons of poop. That’s just one of the reasons they’re true dog people.
How much poop? On average, a dog produces 274 pounds of poop a year. Rover walkers scoop 9000 poops every day, which equals a whopping 2000 lbs of dog poop. That’s 63,000 poops per week or 7 whole tons of dog poop. Read on for the full scoop. (See what we did there?)
Dog poop stats
- Most dogs prefer to do their business in the morning, and 7 am is the most popular time for dogs to poop.
- Both Los Angeles and New York dogs are early risers and are most likely to poop at 5 am.
- 8 out of 10 dogs aren’t shy about pooping during a stroll with a Rover walker.
- Dogs usually take one poop on a walk.
- The biggest poopers on Rover:
- Korean Mastiff
- Longhaired Whippet
- Brazilian Terrier
Top 10 cities with the most poop
- Seattle
- Chicago
- Denver
- Portland
- Austin
- New York
- Washington D.C.
- Los Angeles
- Houston
- San Diego
Source: Rover.com Data 2018, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Local Stats: Dog Poop by City
Seattle
- Rover walkers scoop more than 1,000 pounds of poop every month. That’s like picking up an entire grand piano!
- Dogs in Seattle have taken tens of thousands of steps, walking more than 1,000 miles on Rover walks.
- The most popular time of day for a walk is 12:00 pm, and dogs like to do their business around 1:00 pm.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Poodle
- Golden Retriever
Denver
- Rover walkers scoop nearly 1,000 pounds of poop every month. That’s like picking up an entire grand piano!
- Dogs in Denver have taken tens of thousands of steps, walking nearly 1,000 miles on Rover walks.
- The most popular time of day for a walk is 12:00 pm and dogs are more likely to do their business around 1:00 pm.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Australian Shepherd
Chicago
- Rover walkers scoop more than 700 pounds of poop every month. That’s as heavy as 30 gold bars!
- Dogs in Chicago have taken tens of thousands of steps, walking nearly 1,000 miles on Rover walks.
- The most popular time of day for a walk is 1:00 pm and dogs are more likely to do their business around 1:00 pm.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Poodle
- German Shepherd
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Poodle
- Beagle
Portland
- Rover walkers scoop nearly 500 pounds of poop every month.
- Dogs in Portland have taken thousands of steps, walking more than 500 miles on Rover walks.
- The most popular time of day for a walk is 12:00 pm and dogs are more likely to do their business around 1:00 pm.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Poodle
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Poodle
Houston
- Rover walkers scoop more than 450 pounds of poop every month
- The most popular time of day for a walk is 12:00 pm and dogs are more likely to do their business around 12:30 pm.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Golden Retriever
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Golden Retriever
Los Angeles
- Rover walkers scoop nearly 400 pounds of poop every month
- Dogs in LA have taken thousands of steps, walking more than 500 miles on Rover walks.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Poodle
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Poodle
Washington DC
- Rover walkers scoop nearly 400 pounds of poop every month.
- The most popular time of day for a walk is 1 pm, and dogs like to do their business around 1:15 pm.
- Dogs in DC have taken thousands of steps, walking nearly 500 miles on Rover walks.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Beagle
- Border Collie
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Beagle
- Pitbull
San Diego
- Rover walkers scoop nearly 400 pounds of poop every month.
- The most popular time of day for a walk is 12:00 pm and dogs are more likely to do their business around 12:30 pm.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Poodle
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Poodle
San Francisco
- Rover walkers scoop more than 300 pounds of poop every month.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Poodle
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Chihuahua
- Poodle
Philadelphia
- Rover walkers scoop nearly 300 pounds of poop every month.
- The most popular time of day for a walk is 12:30 pm and dogs are more likely to do their business around 12:15 pm.
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Labrador Retriever
- Pitbull
- German Shepherd
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Pitbull
- Chihuahua
New York
- Rover walkers scoop nearly 400 pounds of poop every month.
- Dogs in New York have taken thousands of steps, walking more than 600 miles on Rover walks.
- Primetime for pooping: 1:15 pm
- Breeds the get the most walks
- Poodle
- Labrador Retriever
- Shih Tzu
- Breeds that log the most poops
- Labrador Retriever
- Poodle
- Shih Tzu
Healthy Poop Habits for Dogs: A Vet’s Guide
Q: What is the normal frequency/times in a day a dog should poop?
Healthy dogs normally defecate once to twice per day.
Q: What is the ideal shape and color dog poop should look like?
Stool should be firm but not excessively hard or dry. It should be easy to pick up but not be dry and crumbly.
Q: What can dog poop tell pet parents about the health of their dog? I.e. if they are dehydrated, digestion issues, illness
Problems with stool often indicate digestive issues, GI inflammation, bacterial imbalances, dietary sensitivities, parasites, etc.
Q: Can dogs get constipated? If so, what should pet parents do to help?
Dogs can get constipated although it is not common. Adding a little fiber to the diet can help in mild cases. The fiber, in this case, could be something like canned pumpkin or a small amount of powdered psyllium husk (Metamucil, etc). The amount to give is dependent on the size of the dog. Dog owners should consult with their veterinarian to find out an appropriate dose.
Q: What causes dogs to get diarrhea? What can pet parents do to prevent and/or help a dog that has diarrhea?
Diarrhea can be caused by digestive issues, GI inflammation, bacterial imbalances, dietary sensitivities, parasites, etc.
Prevention can sometimes be achieved with a dietary change and/or probiotics. In some cases, specific therapy may be required such as treating for parasites, giardia, etc. More severe or chronic cases may require a medical evaluation by your veterinarian
Q: What are red flags that pet parents should be aware of just from observing their dog’s poop? When should a pet parent seek a veterinarian?
Any persistent change in stool quality is worth a call to your veterinarian. Specifically- soft stool/ diarrhea, excessively hard stool, blood or mucus in stool, straining to defecate, etc.
Q: If pet parents are concerned about their dog’s poop and want to elevate this up to a veterinarian, is it best practice for them to share an image of the poop?
In general, a picture of stool is not super helpful for veterinarians. Since taking a photo on a cell phone is easy, there is no harm done, but a verbal description is usually sufficient.
Why Dogs Eat Poop
Q: Why do dogs eat poop?
The science isn’t completely clear on why dogs eat feces, which is known as coprophagia. Assuming the dog is eating an appropriately balanced diet (meaning basically any commercially available brand), nutritional deficiencies leading to coprophagia are very unlikely. In truth, eating feces is almost exclusively a behavioral issue rather than a physical one. Some dogs are always hungry and literally will eat just about anything, including poop. Others literally seem to seek it out as though they enjoy it. Anyone who has both a dog and a cat knows that dogs also love cat poop.
Q: Are there any health risks associated with dogs eating feces?
Yes. Outside of the obvious “gross” factor, eating feces can transmit parasites to your dog.
Q: What can dog guardians do to break their dogs of this habit?
Breaking the habit depends on whose poop your dog is eating. If it is their own or from another pet in your house, the first step is to be vigilant about cleaning up. Coprophagia is a crime of opportunity. Also, there are additives that can be mixed with a dog or a cat’s food that makes their poop less tasty (as if that is possible), so the offending dog will be less likely to eat it. If your dog is seeking out feces while on walks, training is key. A well-trained dog will always check with their owner before stepping out of line. Lastly, keeping him/her on a leash to prevent access or using a basket muzzle to prevent them from picking things up off the ground can be effective deterrents.
Q: Are there any breeds that this tends to be more common with?
I haven’t noticed the behavior to be more prevalent with a certain breed. A dog’s personality and environment are the leading factors. In my experience, the most frequent offenders are food obsessed dogs – especially ones in a multi-dog household where they may feel there is competition for food.
Dog Poop: Further Reading
Why Does my Dog Take so Long to Decide Where to Poop?
What Does Unhealthy Dog Poop Look Like? This Color and Consistency Chart Will Show You
