Why IS My Dog Eating Her Poop? Understanding and Stopping Coprophagia

Discovering your dog has a penchant for poop-eating, scientifically termed coprophagia (kop-ruh-fey-jee-uh), can be unsettling for any dog owner. While it’s a behavior that deeply disgusts us, it’s important to understand that your dog isn’t engaging in this habit to intentionally gross you out. In fact, coprophagia is a relatively common issue in the canine world, and thankfully, there are effective strategies to curb this behavior.

Before you consider drastic measures like rehoming or, in extreme cases, euthanasia – which are sadly reactions some owners have when faced with this issue – know that you’re not alone and there are solutions. Behavior modification techniques and readily available products can help make poop less appealing to your dog, helping to break this unsavory habit.

Decoding Coprophagia: Why Dogs Eat Poop

While the subject of dogs eating poop may not be a glamorous one, it’s important to delve into the reasons behind it. Researchers have explored this behavior, and while it’s not fully understood, studies suggest both behavioral and physiological factors play a role.

A study presented at the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior annual conference, led by Dr. Benjamin Hart at the University of California, Davis, shed light on the prevalence of coprophagia:

Frequent Poop Eaters: A significant 16% of dogs were classified as “serious” poop eaters, meaning they were observed eating poop five or more times.
Occasional Indulgence: Nearly a quarter of dogs, 24%, were seen eating poop at least once.

Dr. Hart’s interpretation of these findings is rooted in canine ancestry: “Our conclusion is that eating of fresh stools is a reflection of an innate predisposition of ancestral canids living in nature that protects pack members from intestinal parasites present in feces that could occasionally be dropped in the den/rest area.” In simpler terms, the instinct to eat poop might be ingrained in a dog’s DNA, a holdover from their wild ancestors as a way to manage potential parasite threats within their living spaces.

Dogs evolved as scavengers, with a less discerning palate than humans. What we consider repulsive, a dog might perceive differently. Animal behaviorist Steven R. Lindsay, in his book “Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training,” proposes that coprophagia could be a survival mechanism developed to withstand periods of food scarcity. When resources are limited, dogs might not have the luxury of being picky eaters.

Is Eating Poop Normal Dog Behavior?

For some animals, like rabbits, eating poop is not just normal, it’s essential for nutrient absorption. Rabbits extract crucial nutrients through this process, and preventing it can lead to serious health issues, especially for young rabbits. Dogs, however, don’t require poop consumption for nutritional needs.

Nevertheless, coprophagia is considered a normal and natural behavior during certain stages of a dog’s life. Mother dogs exhibit this behavior shortly after giving birth, licking their puppies to stimulate elimination and then consuming their puppies’ waste for approximately the first three weeks. Puppies themselves also commonly engage in poop-eating, whether it’s their own (autocoprophagia), other dogs’ (allocoprophagia), or even poop from cats and other animals. Some dogs even develop a fondness for specific types of animal waste, like horse manure or goose droppings.

While eating their own poop is generally not harmful to puppies, consuming poop from other animals carries potential health risks. Parasites, viruses, or toxins present in another animal’s stool can be ingested by the puppy. Fortunately, in most cases, this poop-eating phase subsides as puppies mature, typically before they reach nine months old.

Alt text: Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy curiously nibbles on grass in a sunny park, illustrating normal puppy exploration behavior.

Why Does My Adult Dog Suddenly Eat Poop?

If your adult dog suddenly develops a poop-eating habit, it’s crucial to consult your veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Several health issues can trigger coprophagia in adult dogs, including:

Parasites: Intestinal parasites can disrupt nutrient absorption and increase appetite.
Medications: Certain drugs, like steroids, can have side effects that include increased hunger.
Malabsorption Syndromes: Conditions that hinder nutrient absorption in the digestive system.
Diabetes Mellitus: This metabolic disorder can lead to increased appetite and thirst.
Cushing’s Disease: A hormonal disorder that can also cause increased appetite.
Thyroid Disease: Imbalances in thyroid hormones can affect metabolism and appetite.
Nutritional Deficiencies: Diets lacking essential nutrients or sufficient calories might drive a dog to seek out alternative food sources, including poop.

Beyond medical reasons, environmental stress and behavioral factors can also contribute to coprophagia in adult dogs.

Environmental and Behavioral Triggers for Coprophagia:

Isolation: Dogs kept in isolation, such as in kennels or basements, are more prone to poop-eating compared to dogs living closely with their families. Lack of social interaction and stimulation can lead to various behavioral issues, including coprophagia.
Confinement in Small Spaces: Prolonged confinement in restricted spaces can induce stress and anxiety, sometimes manifesting as poop-eating. This is often observed in dogs rescued from overcrowded shelters.
Anxiety and Punishment During House Training: Harsh punishment or negative reinforcement during house training can inadvertently trigger coprophagia. Dogs might eliminate and then eat their poop in an attempt to remove the “evidence” and avoid punishment, creating a negative cycle.

Alt text: Depressed Golden Retriever lies forlornly on grass, symbolizing anxiety and stress, potential triggers for coprophagia in dogs.

Attention-Seeking: Dogs are intelligent creatures and quickly learn how to get a reaction from their owners. Eating poop, a behavior guaranteed to elicit a strong response, can become an attention-seeking tactic. If you witness your dog eating poop, try to remain calm and avoid overreacting.
Inappropriate Food Association: Feeding dogs near their elimination areas can create an unfortunate association between the smell of food and feces, blurring the lines for some dogs. Feeding and potty areas should always be kept separate.
Learned Behavior from Mother (Appetitive Inoculation): Puppies might get confused by fecal odors on their mother’s breath after she cleans them. In some cases, mothers may regurgitate food mixed with puppy feces. This “appetitive inoculation,” as described by Lindsay, could predispose puppies to developing coprophagia.

Alt text: Affectionate Cocker Spaniel mother dog attentively watches over her puppy outside, representing early life influences on puppy behavior, including potential learned behaviors.

Living with a Sick or Elderly Dog: In multi-dog households, a healthy dog might consume poop from a weaker or incontinent dog. This behavior is theorized to stem from an instinct to protect the pack from predators by eliminating traces of weakness or illness.

How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Poop: Effective Strategies

Addressing coprophagia requires a multi-faceted approach, considering the potential underlying causes. The right solution depends on whether the poop-eating is due to a medical condition or a behavioral issue. Consulting your veterinarian is the first crucial step, especially if the behavior is new or persistent. Your vet can rule out medical causes and potentially recommend a veterinary behaviorist if needed.

Here are several strategies that have shown promise in helping dogs overcome coprophagia:

Dietary Supplements: Vitamin and Enzyme Approaches

Vitamin Supplements: A long-held theory suggests nutritional deficiencies, particularly Vitamin B deficiencies, may contribute to coprophagia. Studies have indicated that fecal microbial activity can synthesize thiamine (Vitamin B1), and deficiencies in other nutrients have also been implicated. Supplementing your dog’s diet with a high-quality dog multivitamin might address potential deficiencies.
Enzyme Supplements: Modern canine diets, often higher in carbohydrates and lower in meat-based proteins and fats compared to ancestral diets, might lack certain digestive enzymes. Digestive enzyme supplements for dogs, including those containing papain (a digestion-aiding enzyme), have shown success in some cases. Papain supplements are also available.

Taste Aversion Products: Making Poop Unappealing

The principle behind taste-aversion products is to make poop taste and smell as revolting to dogs as it is to us. These products, available as deterrent treats or powders to add to food, typically contain ingredients like monosodium glutamate, chamomile, pepper-plant derivatives, yucca, garlic, and parsley. It’s crucial to treat all dogs (and cats, if applicable) in the household with these deterrents to make everyone’s poop unpalatable to the poop-eating dog. Bitter-tasting sprays can also be directly applied to poop to make it less enticing.

Alt text: Close-up of a melancholic Pug with pleading eyes, suggesting the dog might need help overcoming behavioral issues like coprophagia.

Environmental Management and Training: Preventing Access and Rewarding Good Behavior

Often, the most effective long-term solution for coprophagia involves a combination of environmental management and consistent training.

Maintain a Clean Environment: Keep your dog’s living area, including your yard, meticulously clean and free of poop. Regularly and promptly remove feces to eliminate temptation.
Supervise Walks and Immediate Poop Removal: During walks, keep a close eye on your dog and immediately pick up their poop using poop bags.
Train “Leave It” and “Come” Cues: Solid training in “leave it” and “come” commands is invaluable. Teach your dog to “leave it” when they approach poop and to “come” to you immediately after defecating for a reward.
Positive Reinforcement: Train your dog to come to you for a treat immediately after they poop. This creates a positive association with eliminating and turning to you for a reward, rather than turning to their poop.
Cat Litter Box Management: If you have cats, keep the cat litter box clean and inaccessible to your dog. Consider self-cleaning litter boxes or use a dog gate to restrict access.

Interesting Facts About Dogs and Poop Eating

Coprophagia in puppies is often considered a normal part of exploration. While most puppies are content with sniffing poop, some explore the world with their mouths, and poop is no exception!

Here are some intriguing findings from Dr. Hart’s research:

Multi-Dog Households: Coprophagia is more prevalent in homes with multiple dogs. 33% of dogs in three-dog households ate poop compared to only 20% in single-dog homes.
Housetraining and Coprophagia: Poop-eating dogs are not harder to housetrain than other dogs.
Gender and Poop Eating: Female dogs are more likely to eat poop, while intact males are the least likely.
Freshness Preference: 92% of poop eaters prefer fresh poop, only one to two days old.
Species Specificity: 85% of dog poop eaters prefer poop from other dogs and won’t eat their own.
Greedy Eaters: Dogs who are prone to stealing food are also more likely to be poop eaters.
Texture Preference: Dogs typically prefer hard stools and are less interested in soft feces or diarrhea. Frozen poop is reportedly a particular delicacy for some!

If you’re concerned about your dog’s poop-eating behavior, remember to consult your veterinarian. Identifying the underlying cause is key to finding the right solution and helping your dog break this habit.