Why Dogs Eat Poop – Causes and Solutions
To eat poop may not be strange in the dog world, it’s part of their menu. Some poop is even good for dogs to eat.
Poop-eating, sometimes quite natural
If the poop eating is something you need to address depends on the stool.
When dogs eat herbivore feces
Eating feces from herbivores like horses, cows, moose, or rabbits is entirely natural for carnivores. The feces of herbivores contain microorganisms and fibers that carnivores need in small amounts, which are found in the stomach contents of fallen prey. Horses are regularly dewormed against parasites, and sheep and cows sometimes need deworming and antibiotics. Their feces may contain large amounts of deworming medication, which can be dangerous for a dog to ingest. Stools from grass eating wildlife are fine to enjoy.
When dogs eat carnivore feces
However, if your dog eats its own feces (coprophagia) or the feces of other carnivores, it may be a sign of an imbalance in the diet. Your dog may lack proteins, trace/nutrients, and eating feces may be a way to create balance. A veterinary visit provides you with the safest answer or change your dog's diet and see if the poop eating stops. But keep in mind, there may also be other veterinary medical reasons that need to be investigated.
Can raw fresh food stop poop eating?
Try giving your dog raw fresh food instead of the dry food from the local grocery store. Many dogs stop eating feces when quality food is given. However, if the dog eats feces because it has become accustomed to it as a puppy, the behavior is more difficult to overcome. Professional help from a dog psychologist may be needed in this case as additional training is required for a period of time.
Tattletale training can prevent poop-eating
"Tattling-training" can work well when tackling unwanted feces eating. It is a training method that, in short, aims to get the dog to divert attention from a trigger (poop) and return to you instead of eating feces found outside. You teach the dog to come to you and "tattle" about discovering feces and this is rewarded. As a result the dog stops eating poop outside because the reward you offer is often better than the feces. You need to reward the dog with something super delicious and preferably toss your treat away from the feces. You can add a cue such as "yuck, leave it" every time you stop the dog on the leash and reward when he/she moves away from the feces. With time and training, you will have a dog that has learned to choose not to eat feces and instead turn to you for guidance and rewards.
Watch out for poop containing deworming agents
Horses are regularly dewormed against parasites; sheep and cows also need deworming occasionally. In this case, the feces can contain large amounts of dewormer, which can be dangerous for the dog to ingest. So keep an eye out to make sure your dog stays healthy! If your dog has problems with food and diet, you can also check out the article on Food allergy in dogs - symptoms and solutions or Appetite problems in dogs: how to solve food refusal for further insights. For more information on how to deal with resource defense, please read our article on Resource defense in dogs - understanding their zones and limits.
Written by: Caroline Alupo
Caroline Alupo is Petli's co-founder. She has a master's degree in ethology and is also a trained dog trainer and dog psychologist. She has 19 years of experience as a professional dog trainer. Read more about Caroline here.
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