Why Does My Dog Eat Poop?

Maybe your dog is looking for attention.

Reasons Why Some Dogs Eat Poop

If you’re totally disgusted when you see your dog eating poop, then read more about why it happens.  Find out the most common reasons why your dog eats poop.

The medical term for eating feces is Coprophagia.   There are many reasons why your dog eats poop.  Some of the reasons are physical and some could be psychological.  Once you know the probable causes of Coprophagia, you can help your dog stop eatinghis poop.

Medical causes for eating feces

Some medical problems can cause your dog to eat poop.  The Douglas Island Veterinary Service says that the following health problems can cause dogs to eat poop:

• Pancreatitis
• Infections in your dog’s intestine
• Inability to absorb nutrients
• Feeding your dog a high fat diet

Coprophagia is not the only symptom of these diseases.  If your dog isn’t showing any other health related symptoms, especially diarrhea, then eating feces is probably a behavioral issue.

Behavioral reasons why your dog eats poop

Seeking Attention – Usually, when your dog eats poo, you reprimand him.  You either pull your dog away from the feces or actually lecture him how disgusting it is to eat poop.  It’s probably the most effective way for your dog to get your attention.  Your lecture has the opposite effect than you intended.  Your dog eats more poop to get more attention from you.

Imitating – Dogs are intelligent animals and want to please their owners.  When your dog sees you picking up poop in a doggie bag, she learns to do the same thing by eating it.

Learned – Your dog could learn coprophagia from other dogs.  Maybe your dog saw the neighbor’s dog or another dog at a dog park eating feces and copied the behavior. 

Maternal – When a mother dog delivers puppies, it’s perfectly normal for her to eat the feces of her puppies.  She’s keeping her puppies and the whelping box clean.  Another reason mother dogs eat feces is to prevent predators from smelling the puppies.

Dominance – Many times, a submissive dog will eat the poop of dominant dogs, especially when they are living in the same house. 

Hunger – Many dogs only eat once per day. If you feed your dog once per day, you could try switching to a few small meals throughout the day. Maybe your dog is hungry and eats poop to supplement his diet.

How to Get Your Dog to Stop Eating Poop

There are no fail-safe treatments for dogs eating poop, but the following methods can help:

 Treat the Food - Adding enzymes to your dog’s diet helps break down nutrients so he gets more nutrition, not needing to supplement with feces.  Meat tenderizer is a common ingredient that can provide enzymes to your dog’s diet.

Treat the Feces - After your dog has a bowel movement, don’t pick it up right away.  Pour hot sauce or other bad tasting, non-toxic product on the poop.  When your dog eats the feces, he’ll soon learn that it’s not a tasty treat. This might stop the behavior.

Pick up the Feces – Picking up the poop right after your dog eliminates helps break the habit of eating feces.  This is the most effective method found by dog owners.  If you’re unable to go outside with your dog and pick up the poop right away, put a muzzle on him so he can’t eat it.  Go outside as soon as you can, pick up the dog’s poop, and then remove the muzzle.  This will also break the cycle.

Avoid Punishment – Punishment never works to prevent coprophagia.  The dog only knows that he is getting attention and doesn’t associate the scolding with the poop eating.  It’s a waste of time and energy to try to stop the behavior with punishment, plus you risk breaking the trusting bond you have with your dog.

Positive Reinforcement – When you notice your dog start to eat feces, tell him to ‘leave it’ , ‘come’, or ‘sit’, whichever command he’s most familiar with.  If your dog responds to the command, give him a treat and praise.  Quickly, pick up the poop and distract the dog with some other activity.

Resource: Douglas Island Veterinary Service:  Coprophagia in the Canine