How to Effectively Discourage Your Dog from Eating Faeces
How to Effectively Discourage Your Dog from Eating Faeces
Written by Silvia Capelli
October 12, 2023
What we're about to cover isn't one of the most pleasant topics, but it's an occurrence that happens often.
If this is happening to you, it's crucial to discourage your dog from eating faeces as quickly as possible, as this habit isn't just disgusting but can also be dangerous.
But first, let's try to identify the causes of the problem, so we can resolve it in the best way possible.
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Why does the dog eat faeces?
Coprophagia (the act of eating faeces) is an animal behaviour involving the ingestion of one's own excrements or those of other animals.
Coprophagia can have various causes, both physiological and psychological. The dog does not eat faeces for play, to spite, or to create discomfort for the owner.
For this reason, it's important to understand what drives them to this type of behaviour and to be able to intervene in the most effective way. These are among the most common reasons:
Instinct: In ancient times, wolves and other wild animals ate faeces to hide their presence from predators. Although domestic dogs have lost much of this instinct, some may still exhibit similar behaviours.
Curiosity: Puppies explore the world through taste, and this can include exploring their own faeces or those of other animals. This curiosity can persist even in adults.
Lack of nutrients: Some dogs may eat faeces to compensate for a nutrient deficiency in their diet. If their feeding isn't adequately balanced or if they lack certain nutrients, they might be driven to seek alternatives to satisfy their needs.
Stress or boredom: Dogs can develop compulsive behaviours like coprophagia when they feel stressed, bored, or neglected. Eating faeces might be a sort of outlet for their emotional discomfort.
Sensory deprivation: This event often occurs also in cases of isolation or denial of sensory experiences (dogs kept in cages, left always alone in a room, deaf and blind animals).
Attention: Some dogs might notice that eating faeces attracts their owners' attention, even if negative. This can lead them to repeat the behaviour to get a reaction.
Guilt: Coprophagia can be due to the dog not being taken out often enough and unable to defecate outside, so they try to make the faeces done at home disappear to not disappoint the owner's expectations.
Emulation: If a puppy sees its mother eating its faeces as part of the cleaning process, it might learn this behaviour.
Does the dog only eat the faeces of other animals?
No, actually, we have three different types of coprophagia:
If the dog eats the faeces of other dogs, it is defined as Intraspecific coprophagia, occurring when the dog consumes the faeces of another animal of the same species.
If the dog eats the faeces of other animals, it is Interspecific coprophagia, which occurs when the dog consumes the faeces of a different species animal, for example, herbivores like horses, or more commonly, when the dog eats cat faeces from the litter box.
If the dog eats its own faeces, the correct term is Autocoprophagia.
What to do if your dog eats faeces?
If your dog is eating poop, it's important to take some measures to address this unwanted behaviour. Here's what you can do:
Consult a veterinarian: First and foremost, schedule a vet visit to rule out any medical issues that might contribute to this behaviour. Some medical conditions could cause coprophagia, so it's essential to get a professional evaluation.
Check the diet: Ensure your dog is receiving a balanced and high-quality diet. An inadequate diet could lead to nutrient deficiencies that might prompt the dog to eat faeces. Also, check if the faeces appear normal: if the dog's stools contain blood, if it suffers from diarrhea or colitis, or are coated in mucus, it might be helpful to understand where its current diet is lacking.
Frequent cleaning: Keep your dog's environment clean, including the area where it does its business. Promptly remove faeces to reduce the opportunity for the dog to eat them.
Training: Train your dog to respond to commands like "leave it" or "no" so it can be stopped if it tries to eat faeces. Offer a reward when it responds correctly.
Distraction: Provide your dog with interactive and stimulating toys to keep its mind and mouth busy. This can help reduce interest in faeces.
Check nutrients: If the vet does not identify any medical issues, consider adding supplements or foods that might improve your dog's health and reduce coprophagia. Supplements with digestive enzymes or probiotics might help.
Monitoring: Supervise your dog when it's outdoors or in areas where it might have access to faeces. By keeping constant watch, you can prevent the behaviour.
Calm response: If you catch your dog eating poop, avoid overreacting. A calm and educational approach is more effective in correcting the behaviour.
Use specific products: There are products on the market specifically designed to stop dogs from eating faeces (keep reading to find out which ones!)
Involve a professional: If the behaviour persists despite your efforts, consider involving a professional trainer or a canine behaviourist. They can provide customized strategies to address the situation.
Keep in mind that if the causes are psychological, you will need to try to change or improve your relationship with the animal by interacting more with the dog, taking it out more often, playing with it, or offering more stimuli to promote its health and wellbeing.
Punishments in this case are not helpful; it's not a phenomenon that can be resolved by humiliating the dog and putting its nose in the faeces or applying other violent behaviours.
If the situation repeats continuously, it's clear that the dog is experiencing discomfort, and to help your friend, you must first try to understand it.
Natural Remedies for Dogs that Eat Faeces
Often, the practice of coprophagia resolves itself within a few months, but there are natural remedies that can help discourage dogs from eating faeces, such as consuming pineapple.
Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme that helps break down the proteins in food.
This can contribute to better digestion of proteins in the dog's diet, making nutrients more easily assimilable.
Since it is acidic, some dogs might not digest it well, so ask your vet, or read our article where we explain how to administer pineapple to your dog.
Those who have tried Bach flowers report having had excellent results, especially with:
Agrimony
Heather
Rescue Remedy
Impatiens
in the amount of 4 drops, 4 times a day.
My personal advice remains to never attempt home experiments and to always consult a vet, or to rely on products specifically designed for dogs suffering from coprophagia.
Always consult with the vet first and after ruling out ongoing pathologies.
Products for Dogs that Eat Faeces
If your dog eats faeces and you can't stop it, there are deterrent products on the market that can be very helpful, and they work effectively and quickly.
There are different types, often based on enzymes and probiotics, and they can be administered to both puppies and older dogs.
You can try these, they are available online.
Best Tablets for Dog Coprophagia
Animigo Coprophagia Tablets with Probiotics and Enzymes
Animigo Coprophagia deterrent for dogs uses a special formula that allows the enzymes it is rich in to alter the taste of the faeces, so the dog no longer likes them.
Moreover, it freshens the dog's breath, who very much enjoys these delicious chicken-flavoured tablets.
The package contains 120 tablets, administering 1 to 4 depending on the size of the dog.
Click here and save!
Best Chewable Bites
Naturvet Coprophagia Soft Chews
Naturvet Coprophagia Soft Chews offer a product in chewable bites that are tasty for the dog, which not only help the animal lose the bad habit but also freshen the breath thanks to the high content of parsley leaves.
The package contains 130, giving 1, 2, or 3 depending on the size of the dog.
Click here and save!
Deterrent Products for Dogs for Outdoor and Indoor Use
In combination with oral products, the use of a deterrent for surfaces, which will keep the dog away from risky areas, can be useful.
Best Deterrent Repellent for Dogs
PETSLY Deterrent Spray for Cats and Dogs for Outdoor and Indoor
Great for deterring dogs and cats from soiling in certain places, Petsly deterrent spray for dogs is totally safe for animals and people, and has a pleasant scent.
It lasts up to 48 hours, is easy to apply, and is sold in a 500 ml package.
Click here and save!
What Not to Do if Your Dog Eats Faeces
Since this disgusting habit is not due to behaviors aimed at causing discomfort to the owners but is a behavioral condition developed following a physical or psychological problem, coprophagia should be considered as a pathology and dealt with in the best possible way:
No punishments, they are useless
Do not leave the dog's or cats' faeces lying around too long
Do not take the dog for walks in places full of excrement
Do not leave him alone for too long
What to do if your dog eats cat faeces?
It's quite simple: change the litter and buy a self-cleaning litter box. The best ones are very expensive, but they will solve the problem of the dog eating faeces, as well as the issue of litter cleaning.
Among the premium products, try looking at these:
Best automatic self-cleaning litter box for total cleaning
PETKIT Pura Max Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box
This cat litter box is the product you've been waiting for. It cleans itself, can be scheduled, and is capable of tracking your cat's weight, usage time, duration of use, and litter capacity.
And it has many other functions, but the main one is the complete removal of odour, followed, of course, by cleaning.
The price is important, but this litter box will prevent your dog from being able to eat the cat's faeces and spread them around the house. This is the most expensive model, but Petkit also has cheaper litters, just as effective. They are simply less technological.
Click here and save!
Best tray model
PetSafe ScoopFree, self-cleaning cat litter box, automatic system with disposable tray
This disposable tray litter box allows for waste disposal and odour elimination, so your dog will not be attracted to the box and will avoid eating the cat's faeces.
The litter crystals dry the faeces, which thus lose the irresistible smell and taste that attracts the dog.
Click here and save!
Best standard litter box
HelloMiao Fully Enclosed Cat Litter Box with Lid
This cute cat litter box is equipped with a side door and a top one that allows the dog to enter and exit, but makes it difficult for the dog to do the same with its snout.
It has a nice shape, is available in 6 colours, and is easy to clean.
Click here and save!
If, however, you cannot or do not want to change the litter, simply move it to a location inaccessible to the dog: the cat will quickly get used to using it wherever it is, and the dog will lose the bad habit quite quickly.
If the cat soils in the garden or outside and that's where the dog eats the faeces, try to understand where the cat soils and use repellent, or put a litter box near the spot where it does its business.
When it starts using it, gradually move it to a corner not accessible to the dog.
If the cat is not yours, do not worry: litter sand has an irresistible scent even for strays, and the small cost of it will be irrelevant compared to the advantage of freeing the dog from the habit of coprophagy.
In conclusion…
Remember that coprophagy can be caused by a number of factors, so a multi-level approach may be necessary to wean the dog off eating faeces effectively and quickly:
Improve the quality of the diet with more varied and nutritious food, and with supplements
Increase physical activity, possibly in nature
Play with them for at least half an hour every day to distract them and create a better relationship
If you have a friend with a dog, let them play together
If the practice of eating poop persists contact a vet
But patience and consistency in treatment are fundamental to achieving positive results, so treat the dog with empathy and help it lose this bad habit in the gentlest way possible
Dog that smells of poop: remedies and products to remove the odour
Author's note
I invite all readers to share their experience on this topic in the comments section.
Any information you wish to share on health, character, products, and advice on education or diet will help us to create a great community of owners who not only love dogs but also know how to manage them best.
If this post has been helpful and you want to learn more about the care, well-being, and education of the dog, we will be happy to help. You can find here lots of useful information to better understand your best friend.
Disclaimer
The information reported on our site is of a general nature and does not in any way replace the advice of a veterinarian or industry experts. For any doubts, always turn to the veterinarian.
