Watching your dog eat poop can leave you distressed, and, frankly, disgusted. However, while grotesque to us, eating feces isn’t unusual. The reasons run across a spectrum of possibilities, including instincts, anxiety, boredom, and poor training.
Why Dogs Eat Poop
The act of a dog eating feces is called coprophagia. The first step to curbing coprophagia is to realize that it’s a common health and behavioral issue rather than an inexplicable cringe-worthy act.
To deter your dog from eating poop, you must identify what’s driving the behavior. The causes fall into two categories: evolutionary instincts and behavioral triggers.
Common drivers that lead to coprophagia include:
- Instinct: Inherited den-cleaning behaviors passed down from wild ancestors.
- Boredom: Dogs left alone may eat stool out of boredom.
- Anxiety: Environmental changes or confinement can induce anxiety, leading to repetitive coping behaviors.
- Fear of punishment: Harsh scolding during house training can teach dogs to consume waste to hide it from owners.
- Greedy eating habits: Fast or food-obsessed eaters are statistically more inclined to consume stool.
How to Stop a Dog From Eating Poop
A multi-step approach focused on management and positive training are the best ways to stop your dog from eating poop. Your action plan on how to get your dog to stop eating poop is:
- Pick up poop immediately to eliminate access to aged feces carrying parasites.
- Don’t scold your dog for pooping in the house. This adds anxiety and encourages dogs to hide poop by eating it.
- Avoid over-the-counter deterrents. Focus on supervision and training.
- If your dog suddenly starts eating stools or shows signs like weight loss or ravenous hunger, contact your veterinarian.
We cannot emphasize enough that scolding or punishing a dog for eating stool only makes matters worse. Punishment fuels anxiety in dogs, says Dr. Chyrle Bonk, an Idaho-based veterinarian. “Coprophagia can stem from behavioral problems where a dog was punished in the past for soiling accidents that can lead to anxiety around the issue. This can cause some dogs to eat their feces in order to not get in trouble again.”
No Easy Remedies to Stop Poop-Eating
Over-the-counter supplements or household remedies like pineapple or meat tenderizers are marketed as ways to make feces unpalatable. However, clinical evidence suggests these solutions rarely solve the issue long-term.
Dr. Sarah Missaoui, a veterinarian and canine nutrition specialist, highlights the data on commercial stool deterrents: “Owners the Hart survey rated 11 commercial products and reported success rates of 0 to 2%. There’s no controlled evidence for pineapple or meat tenderizer either. What works is management: Pick up stool right away, supervise or leash the dog in the yard, and reward a solid ‘leave it.’ ”
Dr. Bonk concurs: “Most over-the-counter additives don’t address the root cause but can deter a dog from eating feces for a time. In order to truly stop coprophagia in dogs, you need to determine and treat what’s really going on.”
Research on Why Canines Eat Poop
“For roughly the first three weeks of life, the mother licks her puppies to make them eliminate, then eats the waste to keep the nest clean,” says Dr. Missaoui.
Eating poop may control parasites and pathogens, according to an often-cited University of California Davis study led by Dr. Benjamin Hart that found that 16% of adult dogs frequently eat stools and 85% eat poop less than 2 days old. The study, Dr. Missaoui says, attributes this to an inherited den-cleaning habit from wolves to get rid of feces before parasite eggs become infective.
Behavioral Perspectives on Coprophagia
Dr. Bonk says behavioral and health factors overlap: “The causes of coprophagia are often multifactorial and can be related to underlying health conditions, mainly malabsorption or nutrient deficiencies, or it can be behavioral and related to stress, anxiety, past punishments, or attention-seeking.”
Poop-Eating Is Dangerous for a Dog
In addition to finding it disturbing, you may wonder if a dog eating poop is harmful. For example, can dogs get worms from eating poop? The short answer is yes but with nuances.
“A dog’s own fresh stool carries little new risk, with one exception. Giardia cysts are infective the moment they’re passed, so a dog can reinfect itself,” Dr. Missaoui says. “Worms are different. Roundworm and whipworm eggs need weeks in the environment before they can infect [your dog], and hookworm eggs need about 2 to 9 days to hatch. The worm risk comes from stool left lying in yards and parks.”
“Animal feces contain a lot of potentially harmful pathogens, including parasites, bacteria, fungi, and toxins. The main culprits include roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, Giardia, Coccidia, Salmonella, E. coli, Histoplasma, or environmental fungi,” Dr. Bonk says.
Why Dogs Like Cat Poop
There’s a clear nutritional reason dogs like to dog dine at a cat’s litterbox: “Cat food is formulated with more protein and fat than dog food,” Dr. Missaoui says. “The AAFCO adult minimums are 26% protein and 9% fat for cats, against 18% and 5.5% for dogs, on a dry-matter basis.” So, in short, what comes out of a cat still smells like food to a dog.
“Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they naturally need a diet higher in fat and protein than dogs do. This can create some aromatic poop that is often more appealing to dogs,” Dr. Bonk adds
Should You Change Your Dog’s Diet?
One misconception is that a dog eats waste to compensate for low-quality dog food that lacks essential nutrients. However, experts paint a more nuanced picture.
Dr. Missaoui says that commercial diets are rarely to blame “In dogs eating complete diets, the Hart survey found no link between stool eating and the food. The stronger predictor was the dog itself: ‘greedy eaters’ were more likely to do it.”
However, there is a big difference between a healthy dog on balanced food and a dog whose body isn’t properly absorbing nutrients. Dr. Bonk explains that when genuine deficiencies or medical absorption issues exist, dogs may instinctively seek out alternative sources.
“Coprophagia is more often related to nutrient deficiency rather than overly enticing feces. This means that a dog that is lacking specific nutrients in their diet may seek alternative sources, including feces, in order to cover those bases,” she says.
As with any major decision involving your dog, consult your veterinarian before making major dietary shifts.
When to Call Your Vet
While coprophagia is frequently behavioral, sudden adult-onset stool eating requires professional medical attention.
“If an adult dog suddenly starts eating stool, that deserves a vet visit,” Dr. Missaoui says. “Weight loss, a ravenous appetite, or loose, bulky stool alongside the stool eating are the red flags.”
Dr. Bonk outlines several medical conditions linked to the behavior, which you should discuss with your veterinarian: “Coprophagia can be related to medical issues that interfere with nutrient absorption in the digestive tract, such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or that alter a dog’s overall metabolism, such as diabetes or Cushing’s disease.
