How to Stop a Dog Eating Poop

Coprophagia has several possible explanations, and more than one may apply to the same dog. In puppies, it is often exploratory behavior: young dogs investigate the world with their mouths, and feces can be interesting. Mother dogs also clean up after very young puppies, and puppies may imitate that behavior.

In older dogs, common reasons include boredom, lack of exercise, stress or anxiety, attention-seeking, and habit. Dogs who have been punished for toilet accidents may also eat stools to hide the evidence, which makes the problem worse. Some dogs, especially those living in crowded or confined environments, pick up the behavior from others.

Sometimes the behavior has a physical cause. Parasites, malabsorption, pancreatic problems, and conditions that increase appetite, such as diabetes or the effects of some medications like steroids, can lead a dog to eat stool. A diet that is low in calories, poorly digestible, or unbalanced may also play a part, although the evidence for specific nutrient deficiencies causing coprophagia is limited.

Make an appointment with your veterinarian, particularly if the behavior is new, sudden, or accompanied by weight loss, diarrhea, increased appetite, or other symptoms. Take a fresh stool sample, so your vet can check for parasites, and discuss your dog's diet.

Note: Eating feces from other animals, such as cats, wildlife, or other dogs, carries a risk of parasites and infections. Ask your vet about preventive treatment.

The simplest and most reliable approach is to remove the opportunity. If your dog never has access to stools, the behavior cannot be rewarded, and habits fade. This is not glamorous, but it works better than any product.

• Pick up after your dog immediately, in the yard and on walks.
• Keep the yard clear of other animals' droppings as well, and clean the litter box or place it out of reach.
• Walk your dog on a leash, and watch them closely when they toilet.
• Do not let your dog wander off to sniff piles of droppings.
• Supervise puppies carefully during toilet breaks.

Training gives you a tool to use in the moment. Teach a reliable leave-it, starting with a treat in your hand and rewarding your dog for turning away. Practice with increasingly tempting items on the floor, and always reward with something better than what they are leaving.

Also teach your dog to come to you right after they toilet. Call them, show a treat, and reward as soon as they reach you. Over time, they learn that finishing their business and returning to you is more rewarding than investigating the pile. Practice in a fenced area first, then on a long line.

1. Teach leave-it in a quiet place, with a treat under your hand.
2. Progress to a treat on the floor, covered, then uncovered.
3. Practice with other objects, and then with real-life distractions.
4. Teach a food-based recall, so your dog returns right after toileting.
5. Reward every success with a better treat.

Give your dog enough exercise, mental stimulation, and social contact. Bored dogs find their own entertainment. Provide puzzle feeders, chews, scent games, and training sessions. Feed the right amount of a complete, balanced diet, and ask your vet whether a change in food or feeding times might help.

If your dog is anxious, treat the anxiety, rather than just the habit. Stress-related coprophagia may improve as the underlying anxiety is addressed, with help from a veterinarian or qualified behaviorist if needed.

Many owners try dietary additives sold to make stool taste unpleasant. Evidence that these products work is weak, and results are inconsistent. Some owners add pineapple, pumpkin, or spices to food, with similar lack of proof. Always check with your vet before adding supplements, and avoid anything that could upset your dog's stomach.

Punishment does not help. Scolding or rubbing your dog's nose in feces is unkind, ineffective, and can teach them to eat stools in secret. Stay calm, clean up, redirect, and reward what you want.