Why Does My Dog Eat Poop? Tips to Break the Habit

We have some expert-recommended strategies to help your dog break the habit of eating poop for their benefit. Poop can be full of parasites, viruses and bacteria and when a dog eats poop, they can become infected with these contaminants. 

If you find your puppy eating poop, try to understand the reasons behind the behaviour. A guide to bringing your new dog or puppy home will help you to establish training techniques quickly. 

Our dog poop guide can tell you how many times a day a dog should poop and help you to identify what is healthy and what is not. 

Reasons Why Your Dog Is Eating Poop

For those asking, ‘why is my dog eating poop?’ We have a list of common reasons why some dogs exhibit this behaviour. But why do dogs eat poop? Noone can ever be entirely certain.

It is surprisingly common though, especially among puppies.

Do make sure to have a look at this dog poop colour guide to understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy dog poop. 

To get your attention

If your dog has learned that they invoke a strong reaction from this behaviour, it may continue to eat poop in order to get your attention when they want it. 

This is similar to other negative attention-seeking behaviours, such as biting, jumping, nipping or chasing. 

Genetic factors

Dogs are omnivorous and they are scavengers. They will forage for food and usually, the smellier the better. Often dogs eat things that have no nutritional benefit just for fun. 

Interestingly, a recent study suggests that coprophagia could be inherited from wolves, who, if sick and cannot defecate away from the pack, will eat their own faeces to risk spreading disease to the pack. 

Undigested food in poop

If your dog is eating their own poop and it appears that there is undigested food in its faeces, it is possible that they have a medical issue preventing them from correctly digesting their meal. 

Your dog may be unwell

It could be a sign of disease in the intestinal tract, liver or brain. Certain diseases like diabetes or thyroid disease can lead to increased hunger which could cause coprophagia. Some medications can also lead to an increased appetite.

Nutritional deficiencies

Your dog could be eating faeces in an attempt to gain the nutrients they need. If they have a dull or brittle coat, dry, scaly, itchy or inflamed skin or are under or overweight, they may not be benefiting from a balanced diet.

Stress and anxiety

Isolated dogs spending large amounts of time in crates may resort to coprophagia through boredom. Anxiety from constant punishment or simply because of your dog’s nature could also lead to the behaviour. 

Risks of Dogs Eating Their Own Faeces

Generally speaking, when a dog eats their own poop, there isn’t a great deal of risk to themselves. However, any bacteria or parasites that are in their poop can be transmitted to humans indirectly. 

Many parasitic intestinal worms are present in an infected dog’s stools and can either reinfect the host or be transmitted to another. 

If your furbaby licks your hands or your face, then you can become infected. Even if your dog licks themselves and then is petted, there again is a risk.

Your furbaby will have a foul smelling mouth due to the habit as well, which is never pleasant for anyone in their general vicinity.

Tips to Help Your Dog Break the Habit of Eating Poop

For a dog eating its own poop, trying to break the habit as quickly as possible is generally advised. If you’re looking for how to stop dogs from eating poop home remedies, we do have a few tools that might be able to help. 

Whether the behaviour is emotionally triggered or due to illness or nutritional factors, our tips to make dogs pee and poop quickly might be able to reduce the time spent around faeces. Be sure to understand why is your dog’s poop solid/wet/runny, for an indication of whether they are healthy or not.

Provide vitamins and supplements

To ensure that your dog does not have any nutritional deficiencies in their diet, offer them supplements to enrich their diet. 

You can simply add certain vitamins or supplements directly onto their food or give them as treats.

Maintain a consistent schedule

Always use positive reinforcement when training your furbaby. Redirect your dog away from their faeces after defecating by offering treats or rewards.

Clean up their stools quickly to avoid temptation. By restricting their access to faeces, you can prevent the issue from occurring. Maintain this schedule. 

Potty train your furbaby

Teaching your dog to go to the toilet on cue is a great way to have more control over their coprophagic behaviours. When they are pooping on command, you are ready to clean up after them and stop the habit in it;’s tracks. 

Make sure your dog has a well-balanced diet

If you are feeding your dog the right amount for their size, age and activity level then they should be receiving a balanced diet, however, it may be worth checking with a veterinarian who can offer you more specific advice. If you haven’t tried NZ-made food by us, give our taste tester pack a try. 

Ensure your dog is getting enough exercise

Regular exercise and enrichment can stave off boredom and help them to burn off some energy that can otherwise be directed into some undesirable behaviours. 

Offering your dog a larger space if possible, some puzzle toys and other mental stimulation if left alone for a short while would be advantageous, and make sure you take your dog out to exercise often. 

Final Thoughts

If your dog eats poop, you’re not alone. It is a common habit and often starts in puppyhood. You can nip this behaviour in the bud by removing temptation and having a strict routine surrounding toileting. 

With our tips to clean and dispose of dog poop with these dog poop products that pet owners should have, you can quickly clean up after your dog so that they have no chance to eat their own poop. 

The behaviour can be emotionally triggered or due to an illness or nutritional deficiency. Have a chat with your veterinarian if it is concerning to you.