How Do I Stop My Dog Eating Poo?

By Dr Duncan Houston

Watching your dog eat their own poo, or enthusiastically sample another dog’s, is enough to make you reconsider every face lick they have ever given you.

This behaviour is called coprophagia. It is common, and it does not automatically mean your dog is missing nutrients. The most useful approach combines preventing access, teaching an alternative behaviour and checking for medical causes when appropriate.

Quick answer

Supervise toilet trips, pick up poo immediately and reward your dog for coming away as soon as they finish. On walks, use a lead and steer around other dogs’ poo while practising a reward-based “leave it”. Arrange a vet check if the behaviour is new, persistent or accompanied by weight loss, excessive hunger, vomiting or diarrhoea.

Why do dogs eat their own poo or other dogs’ poo?

Common explanations include curiosity, an established scavenging habit, hunger, stress or boredom. Some dogs simply find poo appealing, however strongly we disagree.

Puppies explore with their mouths, and poo-eating can become a habit when they repeatedly have access to it. In other dogs, limited stimulation or long periods confined near their waste may contribute. The behaviour alone does not identify the cause.

Could a health problem be involved?

Yes. Your vet may consider:

• Whether the diet is complete and the amount fed is appropriate.

• Intestinal parasites.

• Problems digesting or absorbing food, including pancreatic enzyme deficiency.

• Conditions that increase appetite, such as diabetes or Cushing’s disease.

• Medicines that increase hunger, including some steroids.

These are possibilities to investigate, not diagnoses you can make from poo-eating alone. A physical examination, diet review and stool testing may be appropriate, with further tests guided by other signs. Do not stop prescribed medication without veterinary advice.

How to stop your dog eating their own poo

1. Go outside with them

For now, accompany your dog on every toilet trip. If they turn around quickly to eat their stool, use a comfortable harness and lead to help manage access without pulling or frightening them.

Wait until they have finished toileting before asking them to move.

2. Reward coming away immediately

Call your dog a few steps away in a cheerful voice and reward them with a small, tasty treat. Aim to cue this before they turn back towards the poo.

Practise the same sequence each time: finish toileting, come away, receive a reward, then clean up. This gives your dog a predictable alternative to inspecting their stool.

3. Remove poo before access resumes

Pick it up while your dog remains safely away. Clear any older deposits from the garden too.

In a home with several dogs, supervise them separately if necessary and clean up after each one. Otherwise, one dog’s toilet trip can become another dog’s snack delivery.

How to stop your dog eating other dogs’ poo

4. Manage the walking route

Use a lead in areas where poo is common, scan ahead and create distance before your dog reaches it. Temporarily choose cleaner walking routes if necessary.

Carry treats and reward your dog for checking in with you and walking past. Avoid waiting until their mouth is already full before trying to intervene.

5. Teach “leave it” away from real poo

Start at home with a low-value, safe item that you control. Reward your dog from your other hand when they look away. Once they reliably disengage, add your cue, then practise in gradually more distracting places.

A separate “drop” cue teaches releasing something already in the mouth. Practise through voluntary trades with safe toys and rewards.

Do not chase your dog or force their mouth open over poo. If they guard items, get qualified help with training.

Check their food and daily routine

Feed a complete, balanced diet suitable for their life stage. Ask your vet to check portions and body condition if your dog seems constantly hungry. Simply feeding more can create a weight problem without fixing the behaviour.

Provide suitable walks, sniffing, play, short training sessions and quiet rest. If accidents happen during long periods alone or confinement, adjust the toileting schedule and care arrangements rather than punishing your dog.

Do pineapple, pumpkin or poo-eating supplements work?

There is no reliable evidence that pineapple consistently stops coprophagia. Other food additions are not an established cure either.

A published owner survey found very low reported success with commercial deterrents. It was not a controlled treatment trial, but it gives little reason to rely on supplements as the main solution. Products intended to change your dog’s stool also cannot change the poo left by unfamiliar dogs.

Avoid adding meat tenderiser, chilli, human medicines or laxatives to food or faeces. Do not give digestive enzymes or other treatments unless your vet identifies a reason.

Is eating poo dangerous?

An otherwise well dog eating a small amount of its own stool is usually not an emergency. Eating other dogs’ poo introduces exposure to organisms from those animals, including intestinal parasites.

Keep parasite prevention appropriate to your dog’s lifestyle and discuss stool testing with your vet. Preventive care does not make eating other dogs’ poo a safe habit.

When should you contact a vet?

What you notice	What to do
Occasional poo-eating in an otherwise well dog	Start prevention and training; discuss it at a routine appointment.
Sudden onset, persistent behaviour, weight loss, extreme hunger or increased thirst	Book a veterinary assessment promptly.
Vomiting, diarrhoea, reduced appetite or unusual lethargy	Contact your vet the same day, especially for a puppy or medically vulnerable dog.

When is it urgent?

Seek urgent veterinary care for repeated vomiting, inability to keep water down, severe abdominal pain, collapse, substantial bloody diarrhoea or black, tarry stools. If your dog swallowed a poo bag or you suspect chemical contamination, contact your vet promptly even if they initially seem well.

What should I do if they have already eaten it?

Calmly prevent further access and watch for changes in appetite, energy or stools. Do not induce vomiting unless a vet directs you to.

Wash your hands after handling waste and avoid face licking. Never put household disinfectant or human mouthwash in your dog’s mouth.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving poo available while hoping training will overcome the temptation.

• Shouting, chasing or rubbing a dog’s nose in an accident.

• Assuming the behaviour proves a vitamin deficiency.

• Relying on supplements while missing an underlying medical problem.

• Expecting an established habit to disappear after a few successful walks.

Will my puppy grow out of eating poo?

Some do, but do not rely on it. Supervision, prompt cleanup and rewarding a different behaviour help prevent repeated practice.

What if my dog eats poo overnight?

Review toilet opportunities, including a trip before bed and an overnight break if needed. Young puppies may not manage a whole night. Persistent accidents or abnormal stools need veterinary advice.

How long does it take to stop?

There is no reliable deadline. Preventing access can reduce incidents immediately, but some dogs remain interested and need ongoing management. Seek behaviour support if you cannot make progress.

Should I give extra vitamins?

Not automatically. Poo-eating alone does not establish a deficiency. Have the diet and your dog’s health assessed before adding supplements.

The most useful daily habit is simple: supervise, reward coming away and clean up promptly. Combine that with veterinary assessment when the pattern changes or other symptoms appear.

Struggling to work out whether your dog’s poo-eating is habit, hunger or a health concern? ASK A VET™ can help you consider what to track and whether an in-person assessment is needed.