Coprophagy, or the act of eating poop, is extremely disgusting to humans, but it’s a natural and common behavior for some dogs: A 2012 study found that 16% of observed dogs had eaten poop six or more times, and 23% had eaten poop at least once.1 Poop eating is especially common among curious puppies and mother dogs cleaning up after their puppies.
However, while poo-eating is a natural behaviour, it’s something you want to stop as it poses the risk of bacterial infection and parasites such as roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. In this guide, we’ll give you some tips to curb your dog’s poo-eating habit and explain why they do it.
9 tips to prevent eating poop
If you find that your dog regularly eats things that he shouldn’t eat, stay calm no matter how disgusting it may be. Don’t get angry or punish your dog. Remember that this behavior is normal for dogs and not as unpleasant as it may be for humans. Instead, try some of the following tips:
1. Consult your veterinarian
The first and most important thing to do is to take your dog who is eating poop frequently to a vet to make sure that a medical problem isn’t causing the behavior. A nutritional deficiency is one example of a potential cause, and if a nutritional deficiency is diagnosed, your vet may prescribe supplements to improve the situation.
Other potential triggers include malabsorption, dementia, certain medications, diabetes, parasites, thyroid problems, and conditions related to Cushing’s disease.
2. Restricting access to waste
Whether it’s in the cat litter box or in the garden, pick up the feces as soon as possible to keep your dog away from it. It’s also wise to do a quick check of the garden before letting your dog play. If your dog is obsessed with the cat litter box, try placing it somewhere your dog can’t get to.
3. Consider a muzzle
Some people choose to muzzle their dogs to prevent unpleasant incidents while out on walks. Popular options for this purpose include basket muzzles (which are roomy enough but prevent the dog from scavenging for food) and field guards, which protect the dog’s eyes, nose and ears from hackberry.
Four. Use distraction techniques
If you see your dog heading towards the poop, call his name and distract him with a favorite toy, such as a tug toy or a ball. Even better, if your dog loves to carry things, let him carry a toy on your walks. Be careful with this method, though, if your dog is very attached to his toys; he may not like it if other dogs approach while carrying a prized toy.
Five. Lead your dog
Keeping your dog on a lead when you’re out is the best way to keep the situation under control. If you’re in a park or forest, a longer lead gives your dog more space to move around while still allowing you to maintain control.
6. Check your dog’s diet
Make sure your dog is eating the right amount for his weight – this information will be on the food packaging. If your dog isn’t eating enough or his diet contains poor quality foods, he may scrounge to make up for it.
Feeding small, frequent meals of a quality branded food may help, but if you want to change your pet to a more filling diet, get permission from your vet first.
7. Mentally stimulate your dog
It’s not uncommon for dogs to eat poop because they’re bored or trying to get attention. If you think your dog is doing it to get attention, don’t react. This will show your dog that the behavior doesn’t deserve a response from you.
Instead, make sure your dog gets enough physical and mental exercise throughout the day, which will tire them out and release pent up energy, making poop-eating a less appealing behavior.
8. Teach them the “let go” signal
Admittedly, it’s not easy to train your dog not to scavenge for food, since it’s an instinctual behavior, but it can be helpful to train your dog a “leave it” cue to use when he’s near something smelly or dangerous.
There are many ways to teach this command, but one way is to hold a treat in your hand, let your dog know the treat is there, and then hold your hand out to the side and put your arm behind his back every time he tries to jump for the treat.
When your dog stops trying to get the treat or staring at the treat in your hand and instead looks elsewhere, reward him by saying “yes” or by clicking with the clicker and giving him a treat from your other hand. Once you’ve practiced this for a while, you can add the verbal cue “let go.” Again, there’s more than one way to teach a command, so if this isn’t working, you can always try other methods.
9. Adding Certain Foods to Your Diet
Some say that adding certain foods to their diet, such as pineapple, can help reduce their appetite for poop and discourage them from eating it. There are also chews and powder supplements made specifically for dogs with coprophagia. There’s no guarantee that these will work, though, and some dogs can be quite persistent. But it might be worth a try. Always check with your vet before adding any foods or supplements to your dog’s diet.
Why do dogs eat poop?
The most basic reason why dogs like to eat poop is because they like the taste. As gross as it sounds, dogs don’t taste or smell the same way humans do. Plus, dogs use their noses and mouths to navigate the world around them and get information about things. But there are other reasons why dogs eat poop.
Puppy Behavior
Puppies are especially curious and spend a lot of time exploring their big, unknown new world. That’s why they might “experiment” by eating poop. They might also eat poop because they saw their mother eating poop. It’s normal for puppies to imitate their mother’s behavior.
Motherly behavior
One way a mother dog keeps her puppies and their environment clean is by eating their feces. This behavior originates from a survival tactic used by dogs’ wild ancestors. Without feces around, there is less risk of bacteria and parasites that can make the puppies sick.
What’s more, when puppies smell poop on their mother’s breath, they may not be able to distinguish between poop and food, something animal behaviorist Stephen R. Lindsay calls “appetitive inoculation.” Handbook of Applied Behavior and Training.
Hunger or greed?
Some dogs are more greedy than others. In the 2012 study mentioned at the beginning, dogs that were reported to be especially greedy were those that frequently ate feces. Similarly, dogs that are undernourished or eat poor quality food may scavenge in an effort to restore balance.
Boredom or anxiety
If your dog is understimulated, they may eat poop to entertain themselves or get your attention. Separation anxiety is also a cause, and not only can it lead to your dog eating things they shouldn’t, it can also lead to destructive behaviors like chewing or scratching furniture or toileting inside the house.
disease
As mentioned earlier, certain medical conditions and nutritional deficiencies can lead dogs to eat poop. Medical conditions that cause an increased appetite are particular risk factors, but there are a variety of conditions that could be behind this behavior.
Breed, type, sex
One of the findings of a 2012 study on coprophagia in dogs was that hounds and terriers are more likely to eat feces than other breeds. As for whether gender plays a role, the study found that neutered female dogs are the most likely to eat feces, while unneutered male dogs are less likely to engage in this behavior.
Families with multiple dogs
The same 2012 study mentioned above also found that households with multiple dogs were more likely to have dogs that eat feces, likely because there’s extra feces available for the dogs to use.
Conclusion
While a dog eating poo is never a pleasant sight to watch, the good news is that with a little patience and persistence there are ways to turn the situation around. Again, it’s always wise to visit your vet first to rule out any health issues and get expert advice on how to improve the situation.
Featured image credit: Monika Wisniewska, Shutterstock
