Posted by Waste Happy
on September 10, 2026
Quick answer: small dogs, meaning 12 to 25 pounds, produce roughly 1.1 to 5.5 ounces of stool a day on dry kibble, depending on the breed and its weight. They go about as often as any other dog, usually once to three times a day.
What is different about small dogs
Small dogs tend toward firmer, drier stool and are more prone to constipation than big dogs (source). They also eat more per pound than large dogs, so they produce more per pound, roughly one to one and a half percent of their weight a day.
Small breeds compared
| Breed | Adult weight | Daily output |
|---|---|---|
| Russell Terrier | 9 to 15 lb | 1.2 to 3.1 oz |
| Shih Tzu | 9 to 16 lb | 1.2 to 3.3 oz |
| Bichon Frise | 12 to 18 lb | 1.5 to 3.6 oz |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 13 to 18 lb | 1.6 to 3.6 oz |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 11 to 20 lb | 1.5 to 3.9 oz |
| Pug | 14 to 18 lb | 1.7 to 3.6 oz |
| West Highland White Terrier | 15 to 20 lb | 1.8 to 3.9 oz |
| Boston Terrier | 12 to 25 lb | 1.5 to 4.6 oz |
| Dachshund | 8 to 32 lb | 1.1 to 5.5 oz |
| Shetland Sheepdog | 15 to 25 lb | 1.8 to 4.6 oz |
| Shiba Inu | 17 to 23 lb | 2.0 to 4.3 oz |
| Scottish Terrier | 18 to 22 lb | 2.1 to 4.2 oz |
| Beagle | 15 to 30 lb | 1.8 to 5.2 oz |
| French Bulldog | 17.6 to 28 lb | 2.1 to 5.0 oz |
| Pembroke Welsh Corgi | 19.8 to 30 lb | 2.3 to 5.2 oz |
How we worked it out
How much a dog produces tracks how much it eats, and how much it eats scales with body weight, but not in a straight line. Vets estimate a dog's daily energy need as 70 times its weight in kilograms raised to the 0.75 power, which means small dogs eat more per pound than big ones, and so produce more per pound too. We ran each breed's weight range through that formula, divided by the energy in typical dry kibble, and applied the measured ratio of stool to food eaten. As a check, the model predicts 62 to 105 grams a day for a 19 pound beagle, and lab beagles of that weight on kibble measured 90 grams.
Diet moves the numbers a lot. In one study of lab beagles, dogs on fresh cooked food produced about 38 percent less stool than on kibble, and dogs on raw diets about 56 to 59 percent less (source). Every figure on this page assumes dry kibble.
What that means for the bag
Size is not the issue for a small dog. Any bag fits. Small dogs tend toward firmer, drier stool, so pickup is usually easy. What matters day to day is a bag that opens fast with one hand and tears cleanly off the roll while the other hand holds the leash.
For your own number, the bag quiz is faster than any table.
Breed guides
Shih Tzu · Cavalier King Charles Spaniel · Pug · Shetland Sheepdog · Beagle · French Bulldog
Other sizes
Toy dogs · Medium dogs · Large dogs · Giant dogs · Every breed
Estimates for healthy adults on dry kibble, from breed weight ranges and published veterinary figures. Ask your vet about your own dog.
