Why Does My Dog Eat Poop? Causes & How to Stop It
We humans can struggle to imagine something as disgusting as eating poop. It's hardly a topic for polite conversation, even among pet owners. Yet, this doesn’t change the fact that many dogs DO eat poop, either their own or others.
It may be revolting, and even a reason why some dogs get rehomed - but why does it happen? Is it something you should be worried about? And, most importantly, is there some way to stop them from doing it?
Key Takeaways
Dogs may eat poop for several reasons, including instinct, curiosity, hunger, boredom, stress, or learned behavior. Most cases can be managed with proper diet, supervision, enrichment, and training.
Table of Contents
Why Does My Dog Eat Poop
Believe it or not, there are both ‘normal’ and abnormal reasons why your adult dog might start eating poop, also known as ‘coprophagia’. Some of this is for a good cause, but some of the abnormal reasons can indicate a health problem or behavioral disorder. It also matters if your dog is eating poop from other animals or dogs, or if they are eating their own poop.
Detailed Reasons Your Dog is Eating Poop
Instinct and Curiosity
Poop smells strong, which means that dogs can sense it easily and may want to investigate. Poop-eating behavior may stem from wanting to investigate these smells, check out their pack members, or associate these smells with food.
A 2018 study on the topic [1] showed that dogs don’t distinguish between herbivore and carnivore poop - like dog poop - so it could even be a predatory instinct.
Unfortunately, dog poop from other dogs, or cat poop, can contain intestinal parasites like worm eggs. The best way to prevent this is by keeping your dogs on a leash when in a park or public area. Training them to leave objects alone is also a vital skill to deter poop eating.
If you would like to see some leash options, including new hands-free seatbelt leashes, check out Sparkpaws’ Comfort Control Dog Leash Collection.
Nursing
Mother dogs may often start eating poop as a way to keep their nests clean. They often need to lick their puppies as a way to get them to go potty, and may eat what comes out as a way to keep their puppies clean and healthy. Puppies likewise may be curious and eat each other’s poop.
This is normal for the mother, and she will likely stop after a few weeks. However, if you want to discourage the poop eating, then make sure that you keep her nesting space as clean as possible without upsetting her. If a puppy gets covered in poop, you can try to wipe it down with a warm, damp cloth to clean it.
Hunger
It might seem strange, but some dogs eat poop out of genuine hunger. This may especially be true for dogs that have experienced food insecurity (rescue dogs), picky eaters, or dogs that are obsessed with food or overeating.
You can discourage a hungry dog from eating poop by changing their eating habits and keeping them away from poop by keeping the cat’s litter box behind a pet gate and picking up poop as soon as possible. You may need to include more fibrous treats that keep them full for longer, or put their dog food in a slow-feeder or lickmat to satiate their appetite.
You should also space their feeding times, providing smaller, more-frequent meals, or feeding them separately from other dogs to discourage bad eating behavior.
Positive Association
Puppies who smell poop on their mother’s breath, or who eat her regurgitated food with poop particles, may ‘assume’ that eating poop is normal and continue that behavior, or even develop a taste preference.
You can help deal with this by keeping them away from any adult dog when potty training, and luring them away from any fresh poop quickly after they finish.
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Lack of Environmental Enrichment
Some dogs eat poop out of boredom. Most dogs don’t eat their own poop as a natural behavior, so if they do, it may be a sign of mental distress.
To get bored dogs to stop eating poop, try providing them with more environmental enrichment. Such as by providing more toys, another dog, or something else to keep them occupied. You might even decide to hire a dog walker or pet sitter to make sure they are getting enough exercise while you are out.
Fear of Punishment
Dogs don’t have a great understanding of cause and effect. Puppies who have been punished for making accidents inside the house might become anxious that doing their business anywhere may get them in trouble, and start eating their own poop to get rid of ‘evidence’.[2]
To stop puppies from becoming poop eaters, pet parents need to avoid punishing them for accidents. Positive reinforcement for good behavior and going potty in the right place is a lot more effective in directing dog behavior and preventing anxious responses.
Nutritional Deficiencies
When dogs eat poop, many people may say they have a nutritional deficiency. This isn't actually a typical reason for why dogs eat poop, but just in case - poop eaters may be lacking in certain minerals or salts. Some vets believe that a thiamine (Vitamin B12) deficiency may be the problem.
This can be solved by providing your dog with supplements and a more balanced meal. Their kibble may lack flavor and minerals, so consulting with a vet and switching to a diet that is richer in real meats, dog-safe vegetables, and fibers such as barley may provide them with more minerals, other nutrients, and better gut health.
Attention Seeking
One of the reasons dogs eat poop could be that it helps them get attention from the humans in the house. Whether it's their own poop, cat poop, or other dog poop, if you come and scold them, then they are getting attention from you, even if it’s negative attention.
Punishing them may not help the poop-eating behavior at all. Rather, quickly get the poop out of the dog’s reach by cleaning it up. You can also try to distract them with a toy or a treat.
Underlying Health Conditions
Sometimes, when your dogs eat poop when they haven’t done it before, it could be a sign of an underlying medical issue. Veterinary medicine suggests a few medical problems a dog owner should look out for if their dog suddenly starts eating poop.
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Diabetes, Cushing’s Disease, and thyroid issues (Hyperthyroidism) are all diseases and imbalances that can cause your dog to eat a lot more than normal. This crazy hunger may drive them to start eating poop if they can’t find other food sources
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Intestinal Parasites are small creatures that live in your dog’s digestive tract. They can cause nutritional deficiencies and anemia if left untreated. They can cause your dog to start eating poop out of hunger or lack of nutrients.
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Malabsorption Syndromes can be an issue with your dog’s digestive tract, such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), or even a symptom of allergies that make it difficult to digest food properly and cause nutritional deficiencies.
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Medications such as steroidal medications can cause dogs to feel hungrier than normal.
Pet parents should speak to a veterinarian right away if they notice that their dogs eat poop, just to rule out any unknown medical condition, before starting behavioral training.
Stress and Anxiety
Eating poop can be a form of stress relief for some dogs. As mentioned, it can remind them of their mothers, or be a leftover soothing behavior from a time when they were kept in kennels or other small areas with little mental enrichment.
Their anxiety could be separation anxiety, nervousness, or a response to a stressful event like a move, a new baby, bullying from other animals, etc.
To stop your dog from eating poop out of stress, you will need to address the cause of the stress. This could mean crate training, providing them with a quiet space, getting a pet sitter, or speaking to a vet or dog behavior specialist.
Living With an Elderly Dog
Sometimes, dogs eat the poop of their packmates, especially if it's not in their usual place. An elderly dog suffering from cognitive decline or incontinence may go potty inside your house - other dogs in the house may then eat their waste. We don’t know why this behavior exists, but it could be a way to hide the sick and weak in the pack from predators.
You could try moving the elderly dog’s bed to a more secluded location and quickly cleaning up any messes.
Why Dogs Love Cat Poop
Dogs may especially love digging up and eating cat poop. Since cats are obligate carnivores, their poop is rich in protein and often smells quite strong, which attracts dogs. You can prevent this by keeping your litter box behind a pet gate that your cat can access.
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Other Methods to Discourage Poop Eating
There are a few effective methods you can try to discourage your dog once you’re sure there's not a medical reason for it.
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Feed a balanced diet. Regardless of the cause, a good diet full of fiber and vitamins can discourage poop eating, help with anxiety, and manage some contributing health conditions
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Train them to ‘leave it’. The ‘drop it’ command is a vital command for all trained dogs to learn.
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Block access. They cannot eat the poop if they can’t get to it.
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Designated potty breaks. Getting your dogs to go on a schedule will give you more control over the situation and can prevent boredom or habitual eating.
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Teach your dog to be clean. Keep your dogs’ food away from their potty areas, and use positive reinforcement to train them to use one specific area for their toilet needs.
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Keep them on a leash. If you know your dog has a problem, then keeping them on a leash when out and about can remove temptation and give you more control. Use a good, strong leash, such as Sparkpaws’ Comfort Control Dog Leash.
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Unpalatable Additives. There are some enzymes you can give your dog to make their poop taste bad to others. Natural alternatives can include chamomile tea, MSG, and parsley.
Conclusion
In most cases, dogs eating poop is an unpleasant but not unusual behavior. Eating poop can stem from natural instincts, curiosity, hunger, stress, or habit, though it may occasionally signal an underlying health issue.
By maintaining good hygiene, providing proper nutrition and enrichment, and using positive training techniques, most dogs can be guided away from this smelly habit. If the habit appears suddenly or becomes excessive, consulting a veterinarian is the best way to rule out medical causes and ensure your dog stays healthy and happy.
Ext Links
[1] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my dog eat poop?
Isolated incidents of eating poop are relatively harmless, but may indicate an underlying behavioral, emotional, or health condition.
What is a dog lacking when they eat dog poop?
Dogs who eat poop may be lacking Thiamine (Vitamin B12), but it could also be malabsorption of other minerals, too.
What dog breeds are prone to eating poop?
Any dog can start eating poop for a number of reasons. However, some owners reported that 38% of border collies and 40% of Shetland Sheepdogs had a history of eating poop. So there may be some breed dispositions.
Will a dog throw up if they eat their own poop?
Not necessarily. Vomiting after eating poop could indicate parasites or an irritation of the stomach lining.