Why does my dog play and eat his poop? How can I get him to stop?

Answer 1

My dog keeps eating feces?

Coprophagia is defined as the consumption of fecal material, including the ingestion of a dog’s own feces as well as the feces of other dogs and other species.

Although dogs find nothing wrong with it, we humans find it rather disgusting. Nobody really knows for sure why dogs do it and an old myth was that there had to be something missing in their diet.

Studies have shown, however, that even dogs on the best diets will practice Coprophagia, but, to be on the safe side, always be sure to feed a high quality meat-based diet to your dog.

Puppies tend to explore their environment with their mouths and thus many of them taste-test feces but many of these puppies outgrow this practice. If not outgrown, the best way to control or eliminate

Coprophagia is to pick up the stool daily or right after they defecate so that there isn’t anything to eat. This may sound labor intensive but it really is the best remedy. If it’s not there, they can’t eat it!



Alternative treatments include the following:

Place pineapple juice or chunks in with their food. This renders the stool distasteful to dogs. I have also heard of Adolph’s meat tenderizer being added to the food with the same effect. These suggestions may work if the dog is eating its own feces.


There are commercial products on the market such as “Forbid” and "Deter" which can also be tried. Forbid is sold by veterinarians and Deter can be purchased from PetFoodDirect.com. (Type in "deter" in the Product Search window.) Deter tends to be less expensive.


A quick scold when they attempt to eat the feces can be tried as well. This usually works well as long as you accompany your dog outside. If outside alone, the dog may learn not to do it in your presence but may be more than happy to eat feces when your back is turned. (Remember CLEAN-UP! If it isn't there they can't eat it

Answer 2

go to your vet and get a product called FOR-BID...it is a powder that you put in his food for three days. it goes in taste-less but comes out horrid tasting for your dog. If you don't want to try that you can try putting bitter apple on the stool or even tabasco sauce. A friend of mine had a dog eat the poop right as her other dog was going to the bathroom. if thats the case keep them seperate while going to the bathroom or sharply pull back on the leash when he/she goes for the stool . Goodluck!

Answer 3

A dog will eat his poop if he isn't getting the right nutrients in what he eats. You might consider a different food for him.

Answer 4

Go to Dr.'s Foster & Smith on line, they are Vets with a great catalog of stuff, including on line answers to questions and stuff that you can add to their food to make the dog stop doing this,

Answer 5

dogs just do this, it comes from a long ago thing, so that other preditor animals couldnt smell the feces and find them. it is a trait of most animals.