Why Does My Dog Eat Poop?

We may find this habit ‘gross’ but for dogs it’s actually quite common. The technical term is coprophagia. Eating poop can be due to an underlying health issue, but some dogs just enjoy the taste!

Below are some of the possible reasons your dog may fancy snacking on poop:

A common cause is nutrient deficiencies from poor quality foods or parasite infections which can leach nutrients from the body.

Digestive issues such as gut malabsorption or enzyme deficiencies.

Many dogs enjoy feasting on cow pats and manure from other livestock. Cow manure is rich in enzymes and partially digested proteins from grazing. Rabbit droppings are a very rich source of enzymes and B vitamins so are also a popular choice for this reason.

Puppies often eat their own droppings or droppings from other dogs or cats, however this behaviour usually stops as they mature.

It is normal behaviour for female dogs to clean up after their puppies by eating their droppings.

Dogs often love the smell of fresh poop and greedy dogs are more likely to be poop eaters.

Because most dogs love cat food, some dogs enjoy snacking on the pre-digested cat droppings found in litter trays.

This habit may also be a behavioural issue - If you react to your dog eating poop, they may eat more to get your attention or if your dog has been in trouble for pooping in the house, they may eat the evidence to avoid getting in trouble.

Dogs that are stressed may sometimes relieve stress by eating strange things including poop. This is more common in dogs from puppy mills that grow up in stressful conditions. Dogs that are locked up or bored may pick up this habit also.

Livestock manure isn’t toxic to dogs, so if they have an occasional snack on this while out on the farm, no need to be concerned. However, if they eat the manure of horses or other livestock that have just been treated for parasites with ivermectin, this can be toxic due to the high concentration rate in horse & other livestock manure for up to 3 days post dosing.

It is important to regularly check your dog for parasites if they are prone to eating other animals’ poop – especially wild animals to avoid passing on parasites.

It is also important to monitor poop eaters if any other animals in your home are on medication as there have been cases of drug toxicity from dogs eating poop from dogs on medications.

You may want to avoid kissing your pooch on the mouth or letting them lick your face if they are prone to this habit!

What can you do to help stop this behaviour:

Ensure you are feeding a healthy balanced diet rich in fresh raw foods.

Add a good nutritional supplement to help ensure they are not lacking vital nutrients along with B vitamins.

Add a good digestive enzyme supplement to meals to help support healthy digestive function.

Remove droppings from yard or cat litter trays frequently to avoid the temptation.

Worm regularly to reduce parasites.

Ensure your dog is getting plenty of regular exercise and use positive training techniques to help reduce the behaviour.