Although we humans might think coprophagia (poo eating) is a pretty disgusting behaviour, it’s actually very common and one that is not unnatural for dogs.
There are a few reasons why your dog might grab a mouthful of this rather unpleasant snack, and it can be indicative of other problems, so what should you do about it?
Why is my dog eating poo?
No matter how disgusting we think this is, eating the poo of other animals is a natural behaviour that many of our dogs have inherited from their scavenger ancestors.
There are two distinct types of poo eating – eating the poo of other animals (cats, sheep, cows, horses etc) and a dog eating their own poo. The likely reasons behind these two types of coprophagia are different – as is how you can deal with it to make this rather yucky behaviour a thing of the past.
Natural reasons
Dogs are naturally scavengers. That is how the majority of dogs around the world who are unowned, manage to survive, and it’s how our dogs ancestors survived. One of the reasons dogs and humans became such successful companions was that we had a mutually beneficial relationship. We gave dogs food and protection, and in turn, dogs performed jobs that they excelled at – such as being an early warning system, a helpmate, and a waste disposal unit! Dogs would help keep settlements and villages free of vermin – and while they may get some food provided, mostly they scavenged on our waste. And yes, that includes poo! Animal poo and human poo. Dogs weren’t fussy when it came to survival.
Newly born puppies can’t poo without their mother stimulating them to do so by licking around their anus – and the bitch will then usually ingest the faeces, both to keep the nest clean and also to hide the evidence of having vulnerable babies.
It’s tasty! Some animal’s poo is almost irresistible to dogs – especially cat poo. Cats do not utilise protein well and so much of it comes out in their faeces, making it a tempting snack.
Environmental/Behavioural reasons
- If puppies are bred in an impoverished barren environment with little enrichment (no toys, social interactions etc), often the only thing of interest and novelty is poo, and so in the absence of anything else, it takes on value.
- Dogs who feel hungry (or ‘greedy’, eat anything dogs) may well snack on poo especially if bored, under-stimulated, left alone, or lacking in enrichment.
- Dogs who have been punished during toilet training may try to ‘hide the evidence’.
- Inappropriate diet or feeding regime.
- Owners may well exacerbate the problem by their natural reaction to ‘pounce’ on the poo immediately to clear it up before their dog can devour it, or else in their desperation to get their dog away from it. This can make the poo more valuable in the dog's mind – or make getting to the poo competitive.
Is it a health risk for a dog to eat poo?
Not surprisingly, eating poo is not that great for your dog’s health – and in some cases can be a health risk. It fills your dog up with often worthless fibre and bulk, can contain parasites, and a serious worry is that some poo can contain medication that could be dangerous to dogs.
How should I stop my dog eating poo?
First steps
Your first step is to talk to your vet, to make sure your dog doesn’t have any dietary issues or nutritional deficiency, especially if this is a new behaviour. Other things to consider include:
- Make sure you’re feeding a good quality dog food.
- Consider feeding more meals in the day – little and often. Feeding just one meal can leave a dog feeling hungry and then they are more likely to look for impromptu snacks.
- If your dog is eating their own poo, reduce the access they have to it. Clean up after your dog has been to the toilet. That means going outside with them every single time, so they don’t get the chance to eat it. Don’t however leap on the poo the instant your dog has finished as this can make them even more determined to get there first.
- Take a high value treat, such as chicken or sausage, out with you when your dog’s going to the toilet. As soon as they’ve finished, distract them immediately with the treat. Throw the treat a little way away from you so that your dog moves away from the poo to get the treat.
- While the dog’s eating you can clear up, then give your dog another treat once you've finished. Continue rewarding with treats every time your dog goes to the toilet for quite some time. It’ll give you a chance to clear up, and it’ll give your dog a more rewarding behaviour than their poo eating habit.
IMPORTANT: Don’t get too fixated on grabbing the poo before your dog does. Be calm and relaxed about it. If you leap on the poo frantically the moment your dog has finished, you can make the poo seem more valuable (“it must be great if my human wants it so badly too”). and it can become a competition as to who can grab it first! If you find this difficult, you can always take your dog to the toilet on lead – but still use a thrown treat to encourage them away from the poo and don’t drag them.
Why is my dog eating cat poo?
Cats do not utilise protein very well, and so cat poo is almost totally protein. In other words, like it or not, it’s really tasty for dogs! So, if you have a multi-species household, what can you do to stop this?
- Make sure that you clean your cat’s litter tray as often as you can to keep temptation to a minimum.
- Move the litter tray to an area of the house that your dog can’t access.
- Using a stairgate to restrict access to a certain room or area where you can place the litter tray can help. If you have an elderly or rather portly cat, you can fit a cat flap into a door or even the stairgate to allow your cat through easily if they can’t jump over the gate or fit through the bars.
- If your cat toilets outside, fence off their preferred toilet area so your dog can’t get access.
If your dog is eating other poo
Sometimes the temptation of horse poo – or livestock poo – can just be too much when you are out and about in the countryside. If you are in an area where you know this is likely, keep your dog’s focus on you, use training exercises with plenty of tasty rewards to keep their attention, and consider using a long line and/or a muzzle (although a muzzle alone doesn’t stop the most determined!).
More ways to stop your dog eating poo
If you suspect that boredom could be causing the problem, think about your dog’s daily routine and how you can add interest to their day.
This might be giving them more short walks rather than one long one that leaves them with nothing much to do for the rest of the day.
Make sure they are getting an outlet for the things they really enjoy doing. These can be breed or type specific, or just things your dog particularly enjoys.
Introduce brain games and enrichment toys like Kong toys. You can stuff these with food to give them a bit of a challenge to get the food out. This gives your dog the chance to chew and gnaw, which is a stressbuster, and is something rewarding to do that gives them a tasty (non-poo!) treat.
Make sure your dog gets enough exercise and interaction with you. Social company and quality time with their human is vital for our dogs.
There are things you can add to your dog’s diet that can make the poo taste unpleasant – such as pineapple or courgette – but this doesn’t address the underlying reasons or issues.
Remember, don’t panic! No matter how revolting you find it, it is a natural behaviour, but most dogs will get out of the habit of it with just a little bit of help from you.
If, however, having worked through the steps above, this is an issue you are still struggling with, contact and accredited, experienced behaviourist who can help you get to the bottom of this rather unpleasant canine behaviour.
Explore our dog brands:
Related articles
