What It Means When Your Dog Eats Poop (And How To Prevent It)

Some dogs will eat just about anything, including things you would think they wouldn't find appetizing, like pieces of the TV remote, shoe leather, or even animal feces. Perhaps your pup is one of them, but you didn't realize it until after they licked your face with their foul-smelling breath. Referred to as coprophagia, this behavior is unfortunately common among dogs. Coprophagia can be caused by anxiety, medical conditions, or natural instincts.

Dogs can develop anxiety after repeatedly being scolded for pooping indoors during training, so they eat their feces to hide it and avoid punishment. Other dogs that eat stool do so as a result of an intestinal, liver, or brain disease. Additionally, some pet experts suspect that coprophagia occurs as an instinctual behavior passed on by undomesticated dogs that ate excrement to obtain nutrients.

Regardless of the cause of your dog's stool-eating bad habit, you can put a stop to it in a number of ways. You can limit their access to the stool, use a deterrent product, train them with the "leave it" command, have them treated by a veterinarian, or change their diet.

One of the easiest ways to stop your dog from eating stool is to limit their access to it. Pick up after your dog in the yard daily, or as often as time allows, to prevent future ingestions. When taking your canine companion out on walks, keep them leashed at all times or just keep a close eye on them to ensure they don't eat something they shouldn't.

If your dog has been snacking on your indoor cat's excrement from the litter box, you have several options for keeping them away from the droppings. Make a mental note or set an audible reminder to scoop your litter box once or twice a day, or more often if you have more than one cat. The less time stool stays in the box, the less likely it will attract your dog's attention.

As another option to prevent your dog from eating cat poop, place the litter box in a room or area that your dog can't access, or consider purchasing one of the best top-entry litter boxes. A top-entry litter box can block a small breed's access to the litter level. However, if you have a medium or large breed, elevate the box a few inches or more, if necessary. Most cats can jump several feet high, so they'll still be able to access the box at a higher height.

If you were to make a list of all the frustrating, disgusting, or otherwise unpleasant things that dogs do, it would be a long one. Eating poop is just one of many. That's why manufacturers have created various types of deterrent products, including ones for coprophagia. 

Zesty Paws Chew No Poo Bites for Dogs can be a good option if your dog eats the feces of other dogs in your home. These bites contain a capsicum extract that, after being ingested, digested, and eliminated in waste, causes stool to have an unpleasant taste for any other dog that attempts to eat it. If your dog eats their own feces, consider NaturVet's Coprophagia Stool Eating Deterrent Plus Breath Aid. These chews can be used if your dog eats another dog's stool as well, and they work just like the Zesty Paws chews. They contain parsley, yucca, chamomile, and a proprietary enzyme blend to prevent coprophagic behavior in dogs.

Sometimes, all a dog needs to break a bad habit is some good old-fashioned training. Many canines can be trained to discontinue unwanted behavior by repeatedly being told in a firm voice to "leave it." This command is commonly used by both dog parents and trainers to stop a dog from eating things on the ground.

Remember to reward your dog for obeying the "leave it" command during training. The reward can be in the form of an edible treat or verbal praise — or both. Being rewarded for ignoring feces after being told to leave it can help reinforce your expectations and decrease the chances that they'll eat excrement in the future.

After consistently being trained to leave it, your pup will likely abandon any future attempts to eat any droppings they find, whether it's at the dog park, in their yard, or in a litter box. However, it's important to watch your dog closely during the training period to give the "leave it" command at the appropriate moments to increase the chances of seeing these results.

In some cases, a dog's excrement-eating behavior indicates a medical condition that causes an increase in appetite. Examples of such conditions include thyroid disease, diabetes, and Cushing's disease. Malabsorption caused by a gastrointestinal disease or parasites may also lead to coprophagia.

Your veterinarian can conduct a comprehensive exam on your dog and inquire about their bowel movements to determine if they have a specific illness. If a parasitic disease is suspected, they may test your pet's stool or perform a blood test. They can also discuss the options for how to help your pup, and provide treatment options as necessary.

Treatment options for a coprophagia-related medical problem range from medication to a special diet to insulin to surgery, depending on the condition. It's also important to bring your pet in regularly for health checkups. Your dog's veterinarian will determine the appropriate schedule, which may be annually, biannually, or more frequently.

Dogs can have nutritional deficiencies in their diet, just like humans can, but for canines, these deficiencies can sometimes lead to coprophagia. In fact, a 1981 study in the American Journal of Veterinary Research revealed that nearly two dozen beagles that consumed a thiamine-deficient diet developed the disorder, among other health problems.

Packaged dog foods available in stores typically include all the nutrients that your dog needs, so it's unlikely that such a food would lead to a thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. On the contrary, raw food diets or homemade dog food are more likely to be associated with this vitamin deficiency. Your veterinarian can evaluate your dog's diet during their next visit, so be sure you have details about the kibble or ingredients that you've been feeding them.

If your vet recommends modifying your dog's diet, they may suggest a different type of food or giving them a daily vitamin B1 supplement, like Nixit Stool-Eating Preventative for Dogs. Or, if you prefer to stick with a homemade diet, they may give you tips on how to prepare vet-approved homemade dog food. One tip might be to simply add more ingredients that are high in thiamine, such as whole grains, meat, fish, or vegetables. Whatever method you choose to stop your dog from eating stool, you'll appreciate their fresher breath the next time they lick you.

Always consult your veterinarian before making changes to your pet's diet, exercise, or care. To find an accredited veterinarian in your area, you can search the American Animal Hospital Association's online database.