How Do I Stop My Dog From Eating Poop?

You can stop a dog from eating poop by finding the reason your pup is doing this – it could be a medical or environmental issue. The good news is that this behavior can be curbed in most dogs. Whether through treating the feces in a way that makes it unappealing or identifying and correcting the medical problem or environmental trigger, it is possible to find a solution to this disgusting habit.

Why Dogs Eat Poop 

To humans, the idea of eating feces is disgusting, but dogs are much less picky about what goes in their mouths. Your purebred pooch or adorable mutt’s ancestors were scavengers that were willing to eat just about anything to survive—including feces. Some dogs eat only their own poop while others eat the poop of others dogs. The former, while gross, isn’t dangerous. The latter, however, can pose a health risk to your dog if parasites or bacteria are present in the feces.

Reasons dogs eat feces include: 

Medical Issues

• Parasites

• Insufficient Diets

• Diabetes

• Cushing’s

• Certain Drugs 

Environmental Issues

• Isolation

• Anxiety

• Confinement 

Whatever the cause, you just want to the behavior to stop. Some of things you can try include:

• Visit a vet to rule out medical issues.

• Supplement your dog’s diet with appropriate vitamins.

• Work on training, especially commands like “leave it!”

• Clean up after your dog immediately.

• Apply products that make the feces taste bad to dogs. (Options are available that can be added to the food or directly to the feces.) 

Note that in puppies this behavior is quite common and will usually correct itself as the dog grows. If it continues into adulthood, you’ll need to intervene.

If your dog eats poop, don’t panic and think it’s time to rehome your pet. This is an issue that, when properly addressed, can be corrected.