Dog Health
Your dog can't tell you how they feel. Every morning, they leave the report in the yard.
A vet reads four things in a stool. Most owners walk past all four, twice a day, and bag them without looking.
There is a sentence at the bottom of an article on Ollie's own blog that is easy to skim past, because it arrives after two thousand words about stool and reads like a throwaway line. It is not. It is the whole problem of owning a dog.
It is always better to err on the side of extra caution, especially since your pup can't tell you what hurts! Ollie Blog, How Often Should My Dog Poop?, March 2025
Your dog cannot describe a symptom. They cannot say the word yesterday. They cannot tell you that the thing in their gut has been going on for three weeks and is slowly getting worse, and they have no way at all of telling you that it started the week you switched bags.
So the information has to arrive some other way, and it does. It arrives every single day, in four or five places, in a form so ordinary that almost nobody reads it. The stool in the yard. The waist you can or cannot see from above. The coat under your hand on the sofa. The breath when they yawn near your face.
Your vet reads those four things in about ten seconds at an annual appointment, from a single sample. You have three hundred and sixty five of them and you throw every one away.
01 The four C'sWhat a veterinarian is actually looking at
Ollie publishes the framework their vets use, and it is worth knowing even if you never buy anything from them. According to Dr. Jessica Vogelsang, quoted on their blog, a dog's stool gets evaluated on four things, and they all begin with C.
| The C | What is normal | What a change can mean, per Ollie's blog |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Chocolate brown, like a tootsie roll | Black can mean bleeding in the upper GI tract. Red streaks, bleeding lower down. Grey or yellow like clay, an issue with the pancreas or gallbladder. |
| Consistency | A 2 on a seven point scale | Hard or soft once in a while is not a major concern. Consistently hard or soft, or soft alongside other symptoms, is a reason to get checked. |
| Content | Nothing in it that should not be | Fur, foreign material and parasites including worms. This is the one a clinic checks under a microscope, from a fresh sample. |
| Coating | None. It lifts cleanly off the grass | A mucous coating can indicate large bowel inflammation or diarrhea. A little blood can be straining. More than once, call the vet. |
The four C's as published by Ollie, attributed to Dr. Jessica Vogelsang, in How Often Should My Dog Poop? A Healthy Dog Poop Chart.
Read that table again with one thought in mind. Every row is something you can see from standing height, with a bag in your hand, in the four seconds you already spend there. None of it requires equipment. What it requires is knowing what the normal version looks like, which is the part nobody ever taught you.
The consistency scale, 1 to 7
Once is weatherA single hard or soft one, with everything else normal, is not a major cause for concern on its own.
Twice is a patternConsistently hard or soft, or soft with other symptoms, is the line Ollie's blog draws for getting the dog checked.
Ollie's own description of a healthy one is four words long, and it is the most useful sentence on their site: compact, moist, and easy to pick up. Their digestion page adds the tactile version, which is oddly precise and impossible to forget. When squeezed, it should feel like molding clay.
What Ollie says healthy looks like
- Well formed. Not too firm, not too loose. Compact, moist, easy to pick up, holds its shape as a log.
- Regular. Consistently on time. Most dogs go between one and five times a day, and settle into their own routine at roughly the same hours.
- Brown. Like the color of a chocolate bar, with the occasional fleck from fruit and vegetables.
- Proportionate. On the smaller side, relative to the dog. This one is not about health directly. It is about the food, and it is the next section.
Compiled from Ollie's Poop Check-Ins page, their digestion screening page, and Dr. Jenny Alonge's guide to healthy dog stool on the Ollie blog.
02 The size tellWhy the amount is a nutrition reading, not a waste problem
This is the part almost nobody knows, and once you know it you cannot stop noticing it on every walk.
Your dog's poop is, essentially, undigested food. So, if you feed your dog more digestible food, your dog produces less poop. Ollie, Gut Check Your Pup's Digestive Health
Which turns the bag in your hand into a crude but honest instrument. It is not measuring how much your dog ate. It is measuring how much of what your dog ate went straight through without being used.
Ollie publishes the numbers for both sides of that comparison, and the gap is larger than most people assume.
Digestibility, as published by Ollie
The share of the food the dog actually absorbs. What is left is what you pick up.
Figures published by Ollie on their digestion screening page: most kibble sits in the 80 to 85 percent digestibility range, Ollie fresh food is 95 percent digestible. They add that the higher figure is also why you can feed less of it.
Ten to fifteen points of digestibility does not sound like much until you translate it into the only unit that matters to you at seven in the morning. It is the difference between a bag you barely notice and a bag you do.
The readings that need a photograph, because memory is not good enough
Stool is the daily one. The other three change so slowly that no one notices them happening, which is exactly why they get caught late. You do not see your own dog gain nine pounds. You see a photograph from eighteen months ago and feel slightly ill.
Weight, and the nine point scale
Vets do not weigh a dog and look it up in a table. They score the body. Ollie describes the method on their weight page, and it is the reason a photograph works at all: the assessment is visual.
- Body condition scoring, which their page calls the gold standard for weight evaluation.
- The indicators: profile, fat distribution, and waist and rib appearance.
- A nine point scale, which sorts the dog into underweight, healthy weight, or overweight.
- The output: a personalized plan and recommended portion sizing, not a number to worry about.
Their own line on why it matters is short enough to remember. A healthy weight can add years to their life.
Odin, Labrador Retriever, 45 pounds lost. His owner's account, published on Ollie's reviews page: when they rescued him he was very over fed, overweight, had trouble getting up and down and had issues getting in and out of the car. Their last line is the one worth reading twice. I am confident we added years to his life.
Remi, Golden Retriever, 85 pounds down to 58. Her owner reports she had allergies to things found in dry kibble, was losing clumps of hair, itching nonstop and had low energy. Three of the four readings in this article, all moving at once, on the same dog.
Skin and coat, the slow one
A coat degrades over months. Ollie's framing of their skin and coat Check-In is seasonal for a reason: itching that shows up every spring and disappears every autumn is a pattern nobody spots from memory, and a photograph in March next to a photograph in September settles it in two seconds.
Teeth and breath, the one everyone avoids
Almost nobody brushes their dog's teeth, and Ollie says so on their own page rather than pretending otherwise. We get it, their copy reads, it is not easy or sometimes even possible to brush your pup's teeth. So they ask for a photograph instead and tell you where the gums and the teeth stand.
Breath is the version of this reading you get for free, several times a day, without asking. It is also the one their customers mention unprompted, which is the tell that it was bothering them.
Nobody keeps notes on a dog. So the notes have to keep themselves.
Here is the honest reason the four readings above go unread. It is not that owners do not care. It is that there is nowhere to put the observation. You notice something in the yard on a Tuesday, you think about it for four seconds, and by the time you are back inside it is gone. There is no file. Three weeks later at the vet you say it has been a bit off lately, which is worth almost nothing.
What Ollie built is not a diagnostic device. It is the missing filing cabinet, and the filing action is taking a photograph.
What a Check-In actually is
The inputOne photograph from the phone in your pocket. For weight, taken from the side. For digestion, of the thing in the yard.
The outputAn analysis from their veterinary team and, where it applies, adjusted portions written straight onto the dog's account.
Steps as published by Ollie on their Weight Check-Ins page: upload a photo to the app, get feedback within 24 hours, receive expert guidance.
There are five kinds, they are free with a membership, and Ollie's page is explicit that you can run them as often as you want.
| Check-In | You send | Ollie's own description |
|---|---|---|
| Digestion | A stool photo | Dealing with poop that's impossible to pick up? Been there. Upload a photo and we'll help you get their gut in a good place. |
| Weight | The dog, from the side | Picky eater? Too many treats from the dinner table? Snap a quick pic and we'll create a plan to help them hit their ideal weight. |
| Dental | Teeth and gums | We get it, it's not easy (or sometimes, even possible!) to brush your pup's teeth. Send us a photo and we'll let you know where their gums and pearly whites stand. |
| Skin and coat | The coat, seasonally | Ditch the itch and keep your pup happy and healthy in their own skin (and still smelling like corn chips) with regular and seasonal Check-Ins. |
| New food | Progress on the switch | Switch to fresh without the stress. Get personalized, expert guidance from the Ollie Health team as your pup transitions to their new food. |
Descriptions quoted from Ollie's Health Check-Ins page.
The purpose is stated plainly on the digestion page, and it is a good deal more modest than most health marketing. Get peace of mind at hours when a clinic is closed. Avoid unnecessary and expensive trips to the vet. Detect minor issues before they become major problems.
Figures published by Ollie on ollie.com and their Health Check-Ins page.
★★★★★
A wonderful idea, simple to submit a picture with very fast results. It makes me feel more confident in Ollie and your commitment to a quality food for all dogs. I feel you really care about my dog.
Lori & Fiona · on the Poop Check-Ins pageOllie member
★★★★★
It was a confirmation of what I was thinking: I rescued her 2 weeks ago and didn't know her eating history. Her size indicates that she was overweight and the screening confirmed it as well. Now that we're on Ollie, we can follow your feeding plan to help her lose weight.
Glenn & Betty · on the Weight Check-Ins pageOllie member
★★★★★
I liked the peace of mind it gave me that my dog is on the right path. She's struggled with food sensitivity and diarrhea and it was the main reason I switched to Ollie, so I'm glad to know it's agreeing with her.
AJ & Woonie · on the Health Check-Ins pageOllie member
Member quotes published on ollie.com. Read the rest on the Health Check-Ins page.
See how the Check-Ins work Free and unlimited with an Ollie membership, at ollie.com 05 The one leverFour readings, and only one thing you change every single day
Notice what the four readings have in common. Stool, weight, coat and breath are all, in large part, downstream of the same input. You cannot change your dog's age or their breed. You change the bowl, twice a day, forever.
A scoop from a bag
One portion, all dogs
The same dry food, measured by eye, sized for a range rather than for the animal in front of you.
What Ollie sells
Portioned per dog
A plan built from the dog's own details, delivered pre portioned, and adjusted by their vets after a Check-In.
Ollie's own description of what they sell is human grade and freshly made, and the ingredient list is the sort you can read out loud. This is what they say goes into it.
Ollie's own breakdown of what is inside the fresh recipes, from their fresh dog food page. They list the fish oil specifically for brain, joint, skin and coat health, which is two of the four readings on this page.
Five recipes, each built around one protein, so a dog that reacts to one has somewhere to go.
The five fresh recipes as listed on ollie.com. Ollie states the food is WSAVA compliant and made in USDA facilities.
06 What movesWhat their members report, in the same four categories
Read the reviews on Ollie's own site with this article's framework in your head and something odd happens. People who were never asked about stool, coat, weight or breath keep reporting on stool, coat, weight and breath, in the same sentence, unprompted.
★★★★★
On Ollie, Snickers' fur got fluffier and softer. She gained weight and has maintained that healthy weight and her poop is firm and consistent. It doesn't even stink like it did before with her old food! Even her breath smells good and her teeth aren't gunky! She is an Ollie baby for life!
Snickers, Maltipoo · ollie.com reviewsVerified review
That single review touches all four readings. Coat, weight, stool, breath and teeth, from an owner who was writing about dog food.
★★★★★
Cosmo had terrible gut health and frequently had diarrhea. Since switching to Ollie, he now has normal poop, a shiny coat, fewer ear issues, and lost 18 lbs.
Cosmo, English Labrador · ollie.com reviewsVerified review
★★★★★
Josie was suffering from inflammation of her intestines with monthly loose stool which could be difficult to control. Since she's been enjoying Ollie fresh food, she has had no bouts of diarrhea and her digestive system is much more balanced. She loves the food and jumps for joy when it's feeding time.
Josie, Yorkshire Terrier · ollie.com reviewsVerified review
★★★★★
Bane is the typical GSD with lots of allergies. His got so bad that his ears were losing hair! On top of that, he was underweight because getting him to eat was a dancing act. Now he is drooling and prancing around waiting for his food and is so happy to eat it and his coat/ears are so thick and full.
Bane, German Shepherd · ollie.com reviewsVerified review
Reviews published on ollie.com/reviews and quoted as published there. Individual results vary, and none of these are typical outcomes promised by anyone.
Ollie also publishes what happened across their membership rather than in single cases, which is the more useful number even though it is less moving.
What Ollie reports across members
Published on their reviews page and their Health Check-Ins page.
Ollie's published figures. The first three appear on their reviews page, the fourth in their Health Check-In survey results, where 94 percent also said the Check-Ins were proof of the company's dedication to dog longevity. Ollie does not publish the sample size or the survey method for these.
What none of this is
Three things worth saying flatly, because the alternative is a page that oversells a photograph.
- A Check-In is not a diagnosis. It is a trained read of a photograph. Ollie's own blog sends you to a clinic for black stool, red streaks, mucus more than once, vomiting, suspected blockage or anything that persists past a day.
- It is a membership feature, not a product you can buy alone. The Check-Ins come with the food. If you do not want the food, this is not a service you can subscribe to.
- Fresh food is not a treatment. The reviews on this page are individual accounts published by the company, not clinical evidence, and a dog with a real medical problem needs a veterinarian and not a better bowl.
What survives those three caveats is still unusual for this category. A daily reading you already have access to, a place to file it, and someone who reads it back to you within a day.
What the first two weeks actually involve
The plan is built from a questionnaire about the dog rather than from a shelf category, and the first delivery is a starter box covering roughly two weeks.
Full Fresh plan
100 percent of the dog's recommended daily calories from fresh, human grade food. Ollie lists it from $1.57 a meal.
- Pre portioned for your dog. Built from their details rather than from a weight bracket on a bag.
- Arrives frozen. Store in the freezer, move a pack to the fridge at least 24 hours before serving.
- Free Health Check-Ins included. Ollie's own description of why: for all those is this normal moments that come with being a pup parent.
Half Fresh plan
A fresh half serving covering 50 percent of daily recommended calories, on top of what they eat now. Listed from $1.00 a meal.
- The cheaper way in. Same food, half the plan, for owners not ready to move the whole bowl.
- Also the honest test. If the four readings in this article are going to move, half a bowl is enough to start seeing it.
They also publish a guarantee on the starter box, in one sentence, which is the only line on their site that reads like a bet rather than a promise. If your pup's not obsessed, we'll refund your starter box.
Build the meal plan Full Fresh or Half Fresh, at ollie.com 09 Common questionsBefore you look in the yard tomorrow
How often should a healthy dog go?
Ollie's blog puts most dogs between one and five times a day, varying with size, diet, age, activity and number of walks. The useful signal is not the number, it is that your dog has one and it stopped being true.
My dog's stool changed after I switched foods. Is that bad?
Ollie's blog lists dietary change first among normal causes, and says to make any change gradually and give the gut a few days. Their New Food Check-In exists for exactly this window.
What should send me to a vet rather than to an app?
Per Ollie's own blog: black stool, red streaks, grey or clay colored stool, a mucous coating seen more than once, vomiting, suspected blockage, or anything still wrong after 24 hours on a bland diet.
Do the Check-Ins cost extra?
No. Ollie states they are free for members in the app, and unlimited, as often as you want.
Is fresh food really more digestible, or is that marketing?
It is Ollie's own published figure and should be read as such: most kibble at 80 to 85 percent, Ollie fresh at 95 percent. The claim is at least falsifiable by anyone who picks up after their dog for a month.
The short version
Your dog files a report every morning and you have been throwing it away. Four things are in it, a vet reads all four in ten seconds, and each one of them is downstream of the bowl you fill twice a day. The only genuinely hard part was that there was nowhere to write any of it down, and the fix for that turned out to be a photograph.
Start with the Check-Ins Free with a membership, five kinds, unlimited, at ollie.com