WHY YOUR DOG’S POOP GETS LOOSER AS THE WALK GOES ON

Why your dog’s poop gets looser as the walk goes on: The truth about adrenaline poos

Ever noticed this?

Your dog’s first one or two poos on a walk are pretty perfect – firm, easy to pick up, good quality.

But later in the walk, by poo number three or four, things get… less than ideal. Smelly, loose, almost impossible to scoop up neatly.

Sound familiar?

You might be seeing what’s often called an adrenaline poo – and it could be your dog’s way of telling you something about their walk.

What is an adrenaline poo?

When your dog goes out for a walk, excitement, stimulation, and sometimes even stress can trigger a rush of adrenaline.

This “fight or flight” response fires up the sympathetic nervous system – preparing your dog’s body for action.

What’s one thing that happens?

The digestive system speeds up. The body moves resources away from digestion to focus on movement and alertness. Food rushes through faster, less water is absorbed, and – you’ve guessed it – poo becomes looser.

It’s the same thing that happens to athletes

Remember Paula Radcliffe’s famous London Marathon moment? Even top runners can’t escape the call of nature when adrenaline and physical exertion hit. In fact, up to 90% of endurance athletes report experiencing “runner’s trots” due to the combined effect of hormones, movement, and nerves.

It’s not just a human thing. Your dog’s body works in a very similar way.

The gut-brain connection

There’s a powerful link between your dog’s gut and their brain – often called the gut-brain axis. When your dog is highly stimulated, their digestion literally changes pace.

Here’s what can happen during an adrenaline surge:

– Increased gut motility: Poos move through faster.

– Reduced water absorption: Resulting in soft, loose stools.

– More frequent bowel movements: A mix of excitement or stress and physical activity.

This is why your dog’s first poo might look perfect, but by the third or fourth stop, things have gone downhill.

Is it normal? Should you worry?

Occasional adrenaline poos are pretty common, especially in dogs that find walks exciting, busy, or even a little overwhelming.

But – if it’s happening frequently, getting worse, or if your dog is already anxious or reactive on walks – it might be time to rethink what those walks look like.

Sometimes, shorter, calmer walks can make a big difference.

For some dogs, cutting back on the length or intensity of a walk can reduce the adrenaline surge – and their digestion can settle as a result.

If you’re supporting a dog with anxiety, reactivity, or sensory overload, pushing through long, busy walks might not always be helping.

5 quick tips to help your dog’s gut on walks

Track the pattern: Log when and how the poos change on each walk.

Experiment with walk style: Try shorter, slower walks in quieter places and see if poo consistency improves.

Start calm, stay calm: Use sniffing games, ACE Free Work, or simply hang out quietly at the start to reduce early walk arousal.

Add decompression days: Replace some walks with enriching at-home activities like sniffing games, garden time, or low-pressure play.

Get expert help: If loose poos are frequent, chat with your vet or a professional trainer or behaviourist to rule out deeper gut or stress issues.

What does this mean for you?

If you’ve been thinking your dog’s tricky-to-pick-up poos are “just one of those things,” they might actually be offering you useful feedback.

In my book STOP! Walking Your Dog, I explore how walks can either support or unknowingly increase a dog’s stress levels – and how small changes can lead to calmer, happier outings (for you and your dog). And yes – it might just improve their poo too!

👉 Grab your copy here https://go.puptalk.co.uk/stopwalkingyourdog/

You’re not alone

I first noticed this with my own dog Bodie. His early poos on a walk are always great. But by the end? Smelly, squishy, awkward.

On days when we skip a walk and he poos in the garden – they’re perfect every time.

It’s not just coincidence – it’s adrenaline in action. He’s not stressed, but it’s the reason I know Bodie does much better on just one walk a day and other mental and physical activities at home for the rest of the day.

I know some dogs are comfortable toileting in their own garden. If you need support in any area of helping your dog, please reach out to me for help.

Please note:

If your dog is consistently having diarrhoea, please check with your vet. There can be many causes of diarrhoea and it can quickly dehydrate a dog. Runny dog poo is a little different. It will probably have some form or shape and won’t be entirely liquid.