Why Do Dogs Eat Poop (Coprophagia) and How to Stop It

Q: Is it harmful for dogs to eat poop?

Eating their own feces is generally not directly harmful, but exposes dogs to parasites, diseases, and social problems. Eating cat feces can transmit toxoplasmosis, and feces from wild animals may contain parasites or diseases. Medical issues causing coprophagia can be serious and require veterinary attention.

Q: Can you train a dog not to eat poop?

Yes, training can reduce or eliminate coprophagia when combined with addressing underlying causes. Teach 'leave it' command, increase mental stimulation, manage environment, use taste aversion products, and address medical/nutritional causes with your veterinarian.

By For Pets With Love Dog Behavior

Why Do Dogs Eat Poop (Coprophagia) and How to Stop It

📌 Quick Answer: Dogs eat poop (coprophagia) due to natural instincts, nutritional deficiencies, boredom, medical conditions, or learned behaviors. Most cases are harmless but indicate underlying issues. Solutions include: ruling out medical problems with your vet, ensuring a balanced diet with proper nutrition, providing mental stimulation and exercise, immediate cleaning of areas where dogs eliminate, training with commands like “leave it,” products that make stool taste unpleasant, and managing access to feces. Consult your vet if behavior started suddenly or is accompanied by other health changes.

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What Is Coprophagia?

Coprophagia (cop-ro-fay-gea) is the scientific term for eating feces. While disgusting to humans, it’s relatively common in dogs, especially puppies and young dogs. Understanding the cause helps determine appropriate solutions.

Coprophagia types:

Autocoprophagy: Dogs eating their own feces
Allocoprophagy: Dogs eating feces from other animals
Species-specific: Eating feces from same-species animals vs. other species

Reality check: Research suggests approximately 16-24% of dogs engage in coprophagia at some point. It’s not necessarily abnormal behavior, though it can indicate underlying issues or health concerns.

Why Dogs Eat Poop: Common Causes

Natural Instincts

Evolutionary roots:

Wolf ancestors: Wolves sometimes eat feces to obtain nutrients missed during initial digestion
Scavenging nature: Dogs naturally investigate and sometimes consume potential food sources
Maternal behavior: Mother dogs eat puppies’ feces to keep den clean and protect from predators
Investigatory behavior: Puppies explore the world with their mouths, including feces

This is particularly common:

In puppies under 6 months old
Dogs recently from wild backgrounds or shelters
Breeds with strong scavenging instincts

Nutritional Causes

Possible nutrient deficiencies:

Insufficient calories: Not enough food leads to seeking alternative sources
Vitamin/mineral deficiencies: Particularly B vitamins, iron, or zinc
Digestive concerns: Dogs who don’t digest food fully may be seeking partially digested nutrients
Poor-quality diet: Low-nutrient foods leave dogs seeking alternative sources

Medical conditions affecting nutrition:

Pancreatic insufficiency: Insufficient digestive enzymes
Malabsorption syndromes: Food passes through without adequate nutrient absorption
Intestinal parasites: Stealing nutrients before absorption

Behavioral Causes

Environmental and social factors:

Boredom or attention-seeking: Owners often react strongly when dogs eat poop
Insufficient exercise: Excess energy becomes directed at inappropriate behaviors
Lack of mental stimulation: Intelligent dogs need jobs and entertainment
Inappropriate confinement: Dogs kept in small spaces with waste accumulation
Learned behavior: If punished for defecating indoors, dogs may try to “eliminate the evidence”

Stress and anxiety:

Separation anxiety: Coprophagia sometimes increases when dogs are stressed
Environmental anxiety: Changes, new pets, relocations may trigger the behavior
Competition: Multiple dogs in household competing for resources

Medical Causes

Conditions requiring veterinary attention:

Digestive issues:

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: Can’t produce enough digestive enzymes
Intestinal inflammation: Inflammatory bowel disease causing malabsorption
Pancreatitis: Pancreatic inflammation affecting digestion
Gastritis: Stomach inflammation creating unusual urges

Metabolic diseases:

Diabetes: Excess hunger leads to seeking alternative food sources
Cushing’s disease: Hormonal imbalance increases appetite
Thyroid conditions: Hypothyroidism can create unusual eating behaviors

Other medical factors:

Parasites: Intestinal worms stealing nutrients
Medication side effects: Some medications cause increased appetite or behavioral changes
Dental pain: Dogs with dental issues sometimes seek softer alternative food sources

Learned Behavior and Reinforcement

Owner-reinforced behavior:

Negative attention: Owners often react strongly, providing attention
Reaction cycles: Dogs learn the behavior gets attention (even negative)
Inconsistent correction: Sometimes punishment, sometimes ignored
Access opportunities: Easy access to feces reinforces the habit

When Coprophagia Is Concerning

Behaviors that warrant immediate veterinary consultation:

Sudden onset:

Dog who starts eating poop suddenly after years of normal behavior
New adult behavior in previously well-adjusted dog

Accompanied by other symptoms:

Weight changes: Unexplained weight loss or gain
Digestion issues: Diarrhea, vomiting, constipation
Appetite changes: Increased hunger or decreased appetite
Excessive drinking: Polydipsia can indicate medical issues
Energy changes: Lethargy or excessive panting

Risk to the dog:

Parasite exposure: Eating feces from other animals transmits parasites
Disease transmission: Especially from cat feces (toxoplasmosis) or wild animals
Toxin exposure: Feces from medicated animals can contain drug residues
Dental damage: Teeth damage from hard, dried feces

Effective Solutions and Prevention Strategies

Step 1: Veterinary Examination

Before implementing behavior modification:

Complete health screening: Rule out medical causes
Blood work: Check for underlying metabolic conditions
Fecal examination: Check for parasites
Diet assessment: Evaluate nutritional adequacy
Medication review: Some medications may contribute

What to tell your vet:

When the behavior started
What type of feces is being eaten (own, other dogs, other species)
Any changes in diet, environment, or health
Medications, supplements, or recent medical treatments
Changes in appetite, energy, weight, or digestion

Step 2: Nutritional Optimization

Address potential dietary causes:

Diet improvements:

High-quality food: Adequate protein, nutrients, and appropriate calories
Appropriate portion: Ensure dogs aren’t hungry between meals
Feeding schedule: Regular meals may reduce foraging behaviors
Supplements if indicated: B complex vitamins, digestive enzymes, probiotics (vet-approved)

What to look for in food:

Complete and balanced: Appropriate for life stage and activity level
Appropriate protein levels: Not too low (deficient) or too high (excessive)
Digestible ingredients: Quality ingredients dogs absorb efficiently
Appropriate calorie level: Maintaining ideal weight without calorie restriction

Step 3: Environmental Management

Prevention beats treatment:

Immediate fecal removal:

Clean up immediately: Remove feces as soon as eliminated
Restrict access to cat litter boxes: Use covered boxes or place where dogs can’t access
Fence supervision: Monitor yard time, especially for dogs who eat other animal feces
Dog-proof areas: Especially during training and reconditioning phases

Supervision:

Direct supervision: During yard time, especially problem times
Leashed elimination: Keep dogs on leash during elimination in public areas
Barrier methods: Use fences or gates around problem areas
Monitor other animals: Clean up after cats promptly

Step 4: Behavioral Training and Redirection

Train alternative behaviors:

“Leave it” command:

Teach basic “leave it”: Reward for backing away from items
Practice with stool-like objects: Use treats or toys for initial training
Gradual progression: From items to actual feces under controlled conditions
Immediate rewards: Reinforce strongly and immediately

Alternative activities:

Provide appropriate chew items: Satisfies chewing urges appropriately
Increase exercise: Tired dogs engage in fewer problem behaviors
Mental stimulation: Puzzle toys, training sessions, scent work
Positive reinforcement: Reward desired behaviors more than correcting undesired ones

Timing is everything:

Redirect immediately: The moment you see the dog approaching stool
Create positive alternatives: Offer treats or toys immediately
Don’t punish after the fact: Dogs don’t connect delayed punishment to the action

Step 5: Taste Aversion Products

Products that make feces unappealing:

Available options:

Commercial products: For-Bid®, CoproBan®, Deter®, various powder supplements
Veterinarian recommended: Brands recommended by your veterinarian
Natural alternatives: Some owners report success with pineapple or pumpkin seeds

How they work:

Administer to original source: Often added to food of animal producing the feces
Taste aversion: Products make feces taste bitter, spicy, or unappealing
Gradual effect: May take several days to weeks to see results
Not universal: Not all products work for all dogs

Important considerations:

Results vary: Some dogs respond, others don’t
Trial and error: May need to try multiple products
Not a standalone solution: Works best combined with environmental management and training

Step 6: Increase Stimulation

Address boredom and attention-seeking:

Regular exercise: Daily walks, playtime, or appropriate physical activity
Mental challenge: Training sessions, puzzle toys, interactive feeders
Quality time: Attention and interaction on your terms, not theirs
Diversified activities: Variety prevents boredom and maintains interest

Special Cases

Puppy Coprophagia

Mostly normal in puppies:

Natural exploration: Puppies explore with mouths, feces included
Maternal behavior: Mothers may set the example
Often outgrows: Most puppies stop by 1 year of age

Intervention when:

Behavior continues past 1 year
Puppy seems frantic or obsessive
Accompanied by health or behavior concerns
Other puppies or animals at risk

Female Dogs Coprophagia

Gender-specific considerations:

Behavior may increase during heat cycles or pregnancy
Maternal behavior especially when nursing puppies
Hormonal influences may affect appetite and behavior
More common in intact females than spayed females

Multi-Dog Households

Complex dynamics:

Hierarchy issues: Coprophagia may reflect social dynamics
Resource guarding: Some dogs guard feces as resources
Competition: Multiple dogs escalate elimination consumption
Separate management: May require individual strategies

When to Seek Professional Help

Behavioral professionals when:

Behavior persists despite months of intervention
Behavior escalates or becomes obsessive
Multiple behavioral issues present simultaneously
Owner frustration affects dog-human relationship

Possible services:

Veterinary behaviorist: Medical and behavioral approach
Applied animal behaviorist: Comprehensive behavior modification
Professional dog trainer: One-on-one training and management strategies

Prevention and Long-Term Management

Lifelong strategies:

Continue environmental management: Prevent access when possible
Maintain diet optimization: Regular veterinary assessments
Ongoing training: Maintain “leave it” and other commands
Observation: Watch for behavior recurrence or changes

Monitoring health:

Regular vet checkups: Especially as dogs age
Annual examinations: Catch potential issues early
Parasite prevention: Deworming and preventative medication
Monitor stool appearance: Changes in elimination may indicate health issues

FAQ

Q: Why does my dog only eat poop at night? A: Coprophagia occurring only at night may be due to owner absence (lack of immediate supervision and immediate cleanup), boredom during typical sleep hours, or circadian rhythm differences in appetite and behavior. Some dogs exhibit problem behaviors when owners are asleep because they’re unsupervised and opportunities are available. Increased evening exercise, mental stimulation before bed, and environmental cleanup before owner sleep may help.

Q: Should I use shock collars or punishment to stop coprophagia? A: Strongly discouraging. Physical punishment or aversive collars may suppress behavior temporarily but don’t address underlying causes. Punishment can create anxiety, damage the dog-owner relationship, and may cause dogs to become more secretive or develop additional behavioral issues. Positive redirection, environmental management, and addressing medical/nutritional causes are more effective and humane approaches with better long-term results.

Q: At what age do most puppies stop eating poop? A: Most naturally outgrow coprophagia by 1 year of age. Some puppies stop sooner (6-9 months), while others occasionally continue briefly past a year. The behavior is particularly common in puppies under 6 months old as they explore the world with their mouths. If coprophagia continues significantly past 1 year, becomes especially concerning (eating other animals’ feces), or increases in intensity, investigation becomes more important than waiting for natural outgrowing.

Q: Does spaying or neutering affect coprophagia? A: Possibly. Some dogs show decreased coprophagia after spaying or neutering, especially if the behavior was hormone-related. However, not all dogs show improvement, and some dogs develop coprophagia after these procedures. Hormonal changes affect appetite, behavior, and social dynamics, which can impact coprophagia. Don’t rely on sterilization alone to solve the problem—it’s one factor that may help in some cases.

Q: Can coprophagia be a sign of pica? A: Yes. Pica is the compulsive eating of non-food items. While feces is technically the byproduct of digestion, coprophagia sometimes falls under pica-related behavioral disorders, especially when accompanied by eating other non-food items like dirt, rocks, or paper. When dogs eat multiple inappropriate items, veterinary evaluation becomes more important as pica can indicate more serious underlying medical or behavioral conditions than simple coprophagia.

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