Why does my dog eat poop?

As nasty as it seems to us, for most puppies and dogs, coprophagia (eating their own feces and/or the feces of other dogs/cats/horses etc) seems perfectly normal.

For many it's a habit that they grow out of once they leave their momma and littermates, but for others it can become a habit, but it's a habit you need to discourage as coprophagia can have serious health consequences at worst... and at best it's just yukky!

Quick Links:

• Does he have worms?


• Is he missing nutrients?


• Coprophagia Deterrents

About Coprophagia

Although, once weaned and out of the nest, many puppies tend to stop this practice, others continue the habit even when they've moved to their 'forever homes'.

Generally puppies will grow out of stool eating within a few weeks, but for some it can become a long-lasting pattern that leaves their owners scratching their head and sighing... "WHY is my puppy eating poop?"

Is it bad or dangerous if my dog eats feces?

BUT, if little Fido seems intent on snacking on every random poop he finds, or thinks 'kitty crunchies' from the cat litterbox are the best treats ever, then it can become hazardous to his health.

Many of the most dangerous and contagious dog illnesses are transmitted through feces. If your pooch ingests the poop of a sick dog, he could get very ill himself.

The same applies to cat poop, plus cat litter isn't a great thing to be swallowing at the best of times! It can 'clump' together and cause an intestinal blockage, or at the very least make your puppy vomit.

Parasites such as worms can also be transmitted through the ingestion of feces, that is not something you want for your puppy.

What to do if your dog eats poop

• Take a look at the dog food you use
  Be sure that you're feeding your pooch a high quality, nutritious diet. A good dog food is highly digestible and results in fewer stools, and those stools are definitely less attractive as potential snacks because they're not full of the undigested fillers and junk that cheaper, lower quality foods contain. Take a look at my 10 Best Dog Food Choices for more on this.


• Don't overfeed
  Watch that you don't give your pup too much food. Overfeeding can result in undigested dog food in his feces, which makes them smell and taste really good to Fido!


• Pick up the poop
  Scoop the poop from your yard promptly. Don't just leave it there and wait for the weekend (or whenever), to clean up. Do it on at least a daily basis.


• Use a leash
  Keep your pup on a leash when you take him out. If he's a dedicated stool eater use the leash even if he's just going 'potty' in the back yard. If he tries to nibble on his stool, tell him "NO" firmly and 'pop' or tug his leash as a correction. Redirect his interest right away with a treat or a game.


• Try the hot stuff!
  You can try pouring hot sauce (or something similar) onto the stool piles. It will make them a lot less appetizing to your puppy. Of course, if you're going to take the time and trouble to do this, it's just as easy to pick them up.


• Or try tenderizer
  Some people find that a bit of meat tenderizer sprinkled on their dogs' food can make the stools less palatable.


• Coprophagia deterrents/preventatives
  To eliminate the stool eating, there are a few simple but effective products available that can be added to your dogs food. Once the food containing these products has passed through Fidos' digestive system, the resulting feces are very unappealing! If you're tired of asking 'why does my dog eat poop?', try one of these to break that nasty habit -

Why does my dog eat poop? Does he have worms?

However, usually the puppy is already a 'poop-eater' anyway. Most puppies have some worms at some time, and these are generally taken care of by the routine puppy deworming which takes place at the same time as he receives his vaccinations. Don't rely on coprophagia to diagnose a case of worms, if your pup has worms, you're much more likely to see symptoms such as ....

• Loss of weight. A puppy with a worm problem often looks skinny but has a round, distended belly.


• Dull, coarse coat


• Worms in stool. You may be able to see worms in your pups' stool, or in severe cases his vomit may contain worms.

Why does my dog eat poop? Is he missing some nutrients?

For a stray dog who has to fend for himself, and is often on the border of malnutrition, stool eating may be the result of extreme hunger and a need for nutrients. But for a well taken care of pet, it's highly unlikely.

However, if your pup is being fed a food which contains a lot of additives, fillers and so on, a high proportion of that food is indigestible to him.

These sorts of dog foods have a low nutritional value, and due to their poor digestibility, often a good percentage of the food passes through his digestive system pretty much untouched. When this happens, the stools may seem more attractive to your puppy, after all - they're made up of a lot of the ingredients he finds in his food bowl!

Changing over to a high quality/premium dog food that your puppy can actually digest fully can be helpful in these instances.

I hope the information on this page has answered your question 'why does my dog eat poop?'.

If you follow the tips and advice above, and are patient and persistent, this nasty habit should soon be a thing of the past.

Puppy Behavior

Puppy Health

Dog Illnesses

Puppy Worms

Dog Food


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