Coprophagia—the act of eating faeces—is a behaviour that many dog owners find frustrating and unpleasant. While it may seem like an odd or even disgusting habit, there are several underlying reasons why dogs engage in this behaviour. From dietary deficiencies to learned behaviours, understanding the root cause is key to resolving it.
If your dog is eating poo, don’t panic! This blog will explore the possible causes and provide practical solutions to help prevent and manage this behaviour.
Why Do Dogs Eat Poo?
1. Diet & Nutritional Deficiencies
A dog’s diet plays a crucial role in digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall health.
If a dog is on a low-quality diet or one that lacks essential nutrients, their body may struggle to fully digest the food, leaving undigested proteins and nutrients in their stool.
This can cause faeces to retain a strong food-like smell and taste, making it more appealing to the dog.
✔ How to Fix It:
Switch to a high-quality, well-balanced diet with highly digestible ingredients.
Look for protein-rich, grain-free, or raw-based diets that offer better nutrient absorption.
Consult a veterinarian or canine nutritionist if you suspect dietary deficiencies.
2. Learned Behaviour from Mother Dogs
Puppies often learn behaviours from their mother and littermates. If a mother dog eats her puppies’ poo (which is common in the early weeks to keep the whelping area clean), the puppies may copy this behaviour as they grow.
✔ How to Fix It:
If you have a puppy, redirect their attention when they attempt to eat poo.
Use positive reinforcement to reward them for moving away from stool.
Be consistent in picking up poo immediately to break the habit early.
3. Resource Guarding & High-Value Perception
Some dogs have a natural instinct to guard resources, a behaviour often linked to survival instincts and competition for valuable items. For these dogs, poo can become a high-value resource, especially if they perceive it as something scarce or desirable. This can happen for several reasons:
The dog sees their owner rushing to pick up poo (which can make them believe it’s something valuable).
The dog notices other dogs eating poo, which can increase the value and create competition to get there first
Dogs with a strong guarding instinct may attempt to prevent others from accessing the poo by consuming it themselves, just as they might guard food, toys, or even stolen household items.
✔ How to Fix It:
Pick up faeces discreetly to avoid making it a “competition.”
If more than one dog in the house is eating poo, let them out to toilet separately
Teach a strong “Leave It” cue using positive reinforcement.
If your dog attempts to eat poo, redirect them to something more rewarding, like a treat or a toy.
4. Punishment & Fear-Based Coprophagia
If a dog has been reprimanded for toileting indoors, they may begin to eat their own poo as a way to "hide the evidence" and avoid punishment.
This behaviour is particularly common in sensitive or anxious dogs, who may struggle to understand the connection between their action and their owner’s reaction.
Instead of learning that they should toilet outside, they associate the presence of faeces with a negative outcome—leading them to try and remove it before they get into trouble.
Even mild reprimands can be perceived as highly aversive by some dogs, especially those with a sensitive temperament or a history of stress or anxiety.
Examples of subtle but impactful reactions include:
Sighing or looking frustrated when finding an accident.
Verbally scolding the dog
Raising your voice, shouting, or expressing visible disappointment.
Showing them the poo to “show them what they’ve done.”
Putting them outside or in another room as a form of punishment.
Dogs do not have the ability to connect past actions with present consequences in the way humans do. Instead of associating punishment with where they toileted, they simply associate the act of toileting itself with something negative.
This can lead to behaviours such as:
✔ Holding their bladder or bowels for too long, which can cause health issues.
✔ Only toileting when left alone, to avoid being caught.
✔ Toileting inside out of stress or anticipation, especially before an owner returns home.
✔ Eating their own faeces to prevent detection and avoid punishment.
To break this cycle, it’s essential to eliminate punishment from the toileting process and focus on positive reinforcement instead. Rewarding your dog immediately for toileting in the correct place and remaining neutral when accidents happen will help rebuild their confidence and prevent them from feeling the need to “hide” their mistakes.
5. Attention-Seeking Behaviour
Some dogs may eat poo simply to get a reaction from their owner, especially if they have learned that it triggers excitement, attention, or interaction.
Dogs are highly observant and responsive to human behaviour, and if they notice that eating poo elicits a strong reaction, they may continue the behaviour—even if the attention they receive is negative.
This often happens when an owner:
✔ Chases after the dog in an attempt to stop them from eating the poo.
✔ Yells or reacts dramatically, which can be interpreted as play or excitement.
✔ Tries to grab the faeces quickly, inadvertently making it seem like a desirable object.
✔ Engages in a “tug-of-war” struggle to remove the faeces from the dog’s mouth, reinforcing its value.
For some dogs, the act of eating poo is not about the faeces itself, but rather about the interaction that follows. Dogs that are bored, under-stimulated, or seeking attention may engage in this behaviour as a way to initiate engagement with their owner—even if that engagement is negative.
How to Break the Cycle:
✔ Stay calm and neutral if your dog attempts to eat poo—avoid dramatic reactions.
✔ Prevent access by supervising your dog when they toilet and picking up faeces promptly.
✔ Redirect the behaviour by calling your dog away in an upbeat tone and rewarding them with something more rewarding, such as a treat or toy.
✔ Teach a strong "Leave It" cue so your dog learns to disengage from faeces on cue.
✔ Increase mental and physical stimulation, ensuring your dog gets plenty of exercise, training, and enrichment to reduce attention-seeking behaviours.
By changing your response and ensuring your dog gets sufficient positive engagement in other ways, you can help break the habit and prevent poo-eating from becoming a learned behaviour.
How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Poo
If your dog has developed a habit of eating poo, here are effective management and training strategies to help break the cycle:
1. Manage Their Environment
✔ Keep your dog on a lead when toileting, so you can swiftly guide them away before they have a chance to eat it.
✔ Pick up poo immediately to remove temptation.
✔ If your dog eats other dog's faeces, keep them on a lead during walks to prevent access.
2. Change How You Respond to Toileting
✔ Stay neutral if your dog has an accident—no punishment or frustration.
✔ Reward them immediately after toileting in the right spot.
✔ If your dog is hesitant to toilet in front of you, give them space but stay close enough to reward them after.
3. Use Positive Training Methods
✔ Teach a strong "Leave It" cue
Start with treats in your hand and reward them for ignoring it.
Gradually introduce distractions like food on the floor.
Eventually, practice with real-world items like dropped food or tempting objects.
✔ Redirect to more rewarding behaviours
If your dog attempts to eat poo, redirect them to a toy or treat to replace the habit.
4. Adjust Their Diet if Needed
✔ Switch to a high-quality diet to ensure proper nutrient absorption.
✔ Some owners find adding pineapple, pumpkin, or stool-deterrent supplements to their dog’s food makes their faeces taste unpleasant (although results vary).
5. Reduce Anxiety & Provide Mental Stimulation
✔ If anxiety is a factor, work on desensitisation and counter-conditioning.
✔ Ensure your dog gets enough exercise and mental stimulation to prevent boredom-driven behaviours.
✔ Avoid long periods of isolation, which can increase stress-related behaviours.
Final Thoughts
Eating poo is a common but complex behaviour with multiple possible causes. The key to stopping it lies in identifying the root cause, managing their environment, and reinforcing positive behaviours.
If your dog continues to eat poo despite training and dietary adjustments, it may be beneficial to seek guidance from a professional dog trainer or behaviourist to create a tailored approach.
Written by Jenny Newland
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