Dog probiotics are a new healthy trend in the pet industry right now and for good reason. Probiotics are proving to be an important canine dietary supplement. Latest research is showing beneficial effects on digestive health, immune response, and even mood balance. While we don't fully understand why probiotics help, the results are clear -- dogs show better health with probiotics.

When shopping for a canine dietary supplement with probiotics, it's hard to navigate the myriad products. Hosts of brands are adding probiotics to their foods and treats, and new probiotic supplements are showing up all the time at PetSmart and Amazon. Adding to that, there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to what exactly is good for dogs. We wanted to know which dog probiotics we could trust, and which are best.

Key Benefits:

  • Yeast overgrowth *
  • Gas *
  • Breath odor and body odor *
  • Skin issues (rashes, dry patches, hot spots) *
  • Stool regularity (diarrhea, constipation) *
  • Immune system *
  • Counteract negative side effects of antibiotics *

Top 2 Problems with Dog Probiotics

  1. Stability and Viability
    • When we refer to stability and viability, we're talking about how many living microorganisms actually make it to your dog's intestinal tract. To explain, many products lose their beneficial properties before the probiotics can reach the intestine. The die-off can occur in the stomach, on the food, or even during shelf storage. Probiotics need to survive until they reach the intestinal tract in order to benefit your dog's health.
  2. Inappropriate Formulation
    • Many products marketed as canine supplements are totally inappropriate for dogs. Likely, they are a human probiotic labeled for pets. Recall, bacteria is host-specific, and, what is good for a human is not always good for a dog. Giving your dog a random probiotic may be a mistake.

The information below will guide you in choosing the best probiotic for your dog.

7 Signs Your Dog Needs Probiotics →

What Kind of Probiotics Are Best for Dogs?

  1. Dry Powders or Cold-Pressed Tablets
    Powders, tablets, and capsules are more stable, pure, and efficacious than liquids, treats, or dog foods with probiotics.
  2. Simple Formulas
    Very few species of bacteria have been studied to produce good results for dogs. There are about 9 species with solid canine research. Individuals who study the effects of probiotics will agree that more is not necessarily better. That is, in some cases, 1 appropriate species may be better than 22 random ones. Remember that bacteria is alive, and each species competes for absorption and colonization in the gut. Extra species of probiotics can dilute the valuable ones and make them less effective, so we avoid super-loaded formulas with 8 or more species.
  3. Contains Prebiotics
    Prebiotics are a dietary fiber that serve as the food for healthy bacteria. Any quality product will include prebiotics , such as inulin, FOS, or acacia gum, as they enhance the activity of probiotics in the gut.
  4. No Junk
    This goes along with point #1, but, avoid supplements with flavors, fillers, and unnecessary ingredients. These ingredients may be used as a mask for a low quality formula, or may be added simply for bulking purposes. Your dog doesn't need them, and these extras may contaminate the living microorganisms.

Top Dog Probiotics Reviews →

At What Temperature Should Dog Probiotics Be Stored?

Dog Probiotic Storage and Refrigeration

Check the label for the recommendation as it depends on the specific product. Refrigeration is known to extend the life of probiotics just like it does your veggies. But note, a probiotic that requires refrigeration may not be stable. Probiotics are live cultures and are generally unstable at temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit in their active state (i.e. yogurt, kefir, or liquids containing probiotics). A significant amount of bacteria die-off can occur when the materials are exposed to extreme conditions or moisture.

Dry probiotic powders and tablets (in the inactive state) should be stored at a temperature below 75 degrees Fahrenheit unless otherwise indicated, and, should be kept dry. When storing dry probiotic powders in the refrigerator, be sure to avoid moisture contamination. Bottom line, read the label for instructions.

Dry Probiotic Powders vs Liquids, Foods, and Treats

Dry powders have longer shelf lives and stability. They are the most stable type of probiotic for dogs since they contain healthy bacteria in their inactive state. In this dry, inactive state, probiotics can be stored for over a year from the manufacture date, if kept free from contaminants. Foods and liquids do not store as well and are more susceptible to spoiling and contamination.

Further, dry powder supplements for dogs are more efficacious than treats, liquids, or dog food with probiotics. This is because the process of incorporating probiotics in food products often destroys the living organisms. (Exception to this is cold pressed probiotic chewables) (4).

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Dry probiotic powders usually do not require refrigeration and will not react the same way to temperature change as a liquid probiotic. The way it works is this: the dry bacteria is reconstituted (brought back to life) naturally in your dog's stomach. Next, they thrive in this acidic environment, and then move to the intestines. In the intestines the probiotics multiply hundreds of times over.

How Many CFU Does My Dog Need?

CFU, or colony forming units, is the count of living bacteria in a serving (sample) of a probiotic supplement. Clinical research indicates that somewhere between 2-6 billion per day is enough for basic GI wellness. Dogs have more efficient GI systems than humans, so a super-loaded formula may be contraindicated for dogs.

Which Species or Strain of Probiotic Is Best For Dogs?

Science has backed about nine species of probiotics that show benefit to dog digestive health. That said, one should not necessarily combine all 9 species in one formula [1-6].* Probiotic species that have been studied for canine applications include:

  • L. acidophilus
  • L. rhamnosus
  • B. animalis
  • L. fermentum
  • L. reuteri
  • L. salivarius
  • E. faecium
  • L. plantarum
  • Bacillus coagulans
Note: While there exists positive research on Enterococcus faecium, we prefer to avoid it due to the controversy concerning potential pathogenic activity (1, 2).

Some clinical studies go as far as identifying specific strains of a species for beneficial effect, but there are very few of these studies. Further, these studies are often sponsored by the companies that market them, which we talk about next.

What is the difference between a species and a strain?

A strain is the specific identification of characteristics of a bacterial species. For example, a Labrador and a Beagle are both dogs, but each has unique characteristics. Just like there are innumerable breeds of dogs, there are innumerable strains of probiotic species.

  • L. rhamnosus is a species of probiotic.
  • L. rhamnosus GG is the strain of that probiotic.

Some strains are marketed as more beneficial than others. Big money goes into developing research for these specific strains by manufacturers as a way to differentiate their qualities, but we suggest you don't get caught up in the details. We find that these "super strains" are driven more by marketing than science and may cost you more just for the designer label.

The Bottom Line

First, read product reviews and do your research based on the guidelines above. As a baseline, this will help you pick something safe for your pet.

Second, keep in mind that each canine GI tract is its own ecosystem and has its own needs. Managing your expectations about how probiotics will affect your dog in the first few weeks will give you confidence that the product is working or it is not.

Lastly, there is no one-size-fits-all for probiotic supplements. That said, some are better for dogs than others. The information on this site is intended to help narrow down any trial and error. We've selected our top 3 products below.

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Our Selection Process

The market is flooded now with all kinds of supplements for dogs. First, we researched products which met our criteria for stability, quality and appropriateness for dogs . We did not select any products which were awarded less than 4 stars.

Next, we used one product per animal. We evaluated the product on its usability and palatability.

Our third consideration was overall value.

Note: We did not do an evaluation on safety as this is not for us to determine one way or another. We do, however, consider safety to be within the subject of appropriateness. Caution is advised on certain products and it is up to you to determine what is safe or otherwise for your pet.

After months of testing, we landed on a few of our favorite probiotics for dogs.