My dog eats its own poop. Why is this happening and how to stop it?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center! Stool eating, also known as coprophagy, is actually quite common in puppies and in many adult dogs too. In fact, if not addressed in a timely manner, there's a risk that this unwanted behavior may end up becoming a recurring habit. There are many theories and potential reasons why dogs decide to eat their feces. These include poor digestion, boredom, stress, attention seeking, and a lack of vitamins/minerals in the diet. The latter is highly unlikely if you're feeding your dog a high quality commercial food, since these generally provide all the nutrients your dog needs. The effective way to deal with this behavior depends on the exact cause. So, it's always recommended to consult with your veterinarian.

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Delilah is adorable! Unfortunately most of the time when a dog is eating it's own feces, it's just because they've developed the habit and decide that they like it. Obviously it's a pretty gross thing to do and can lead to reinfection with GI parasites so it's a behavior we want to try to stop. First you should do regular and immediate removal of feces in the yard so Delilah has less of a chance to get to the poop. You can also try feeding something like Forbid (a product you can purchase) or a small amount of pineapple juice mixed in with her food. This will sometimes stop a dog from eating their own feces. Very rarely this behavior can be a sign of a nutritional deficiency so if it continues have Delilah evaluated by your veterinarian. And bring a stool sample for evaluation as well to ensure she has not picked up a GI parasite. Hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is really no good medical therapy to prevent this so I am not sure how well those pills would work. This is usually a behavior that dogs tend to improve from relatively quickly. I would just try to avoid him eating his feces and discourage this behavior as much as possible. It is very likely that he will eventually improve on his own. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would not be concerned by this. He should be fine after eating his own poop. If this is a behavior that you would like to try and stop, you can try a product called Forbid, which can be found online quite easily. You can also try and put bitter apple spray on his poop and see if this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

This is a common problem in dogs, and it is gross but not abnormal. There are a few things you can do to stop this behavior, like feeding a supplement that sometimes makes the stool taste bitter (see a link below). The best prevention would be to keep the feces picked up so that Kala doesn't get the opportunity to eat them. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/naturvet-coprophagia-stool-eating-deterrent-dog-chews Here is some more information on coprophagia: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1613

There is nothing "wrong" with Maria's dining habits--we humans find it gross, but dogs look upon their piles as gourmet meals! Maria is far from alone in this behavior. The best way to stop the habit is to clean up after her immediately, every time she goes. You can also try sprinkling nasty-tasting stuff on it, like hot sauce, vinegar, or pepper. There is a product called Forbid (ask your vet for it), which you add to her food to make the delicacy less appealing. But chances are that as soon as you stop the poop-altering or the Forbid, she'll go right back to her "treats."

Dogs will eat stool out of boredom, curiosity or in an attempt to correct a nutritional deficiency. She may outgrow the behavior eventually. Pick up stool immediately after she goes. Keep her occupied and engaged with toys and tasks to distract her from stool. Review her diet with your veterinarian to identify and correct any potential deficiencies. There are also food additives, such as For-Bid, that may deter her from eating feces.