Coprophagia comes from the Greek words corpos and phagein, meaning “to eat feces.” Almost all dogs engage in this unpleasant behavior at least once in their lives, while others make it a daily habit. So, why do they snack on their own feces, and how do you stop them if it becomes a problem?
There are many reasons why dogs eat their own feces. Boredom, missing nutrients in their diet, hunger, and instinct can all contribute to this behavior. Understanding the cause helps in developing a plan to stop this undesirable habit.
Bored dogs are often poorly behaved. They bark, dig, break out of the yard, dig some more, destroy their toys, or even your furniture—and sometimes, they eat their own feces. Dogs require both daily mental and physical stimulation; otherwise, they become bored, often leading to destructive behavior.
The cure for any of these bad behaviors is the same: mentally and physically stimulate your dog! A tired dog is a happy dog, and a happy dog rarely destroys the house or eats their own poop!
Coprophagia can also be caused by something missing from their diet, possibly a lack of digestive enzymes. Canine diets are balanced for the average dog, but not all dogs are average. Changing the diet to a different brand over a few days or adding a nutritional supplement to their food can stop coprophagia completely.
Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?
There is speculation that dogs with mildly compromised digestive systems might require digestive enzymes from their feces. This could be a way for them to recycle necessary enzymes. While researchers haven’t proven this theory yet, it does have some support. One “trick” to stop a dog from eating their feces is adding pineapple to their food to make the feces unappetizing. But what if it’s not about whether the feces are appetizing or not, but rather about the high levels of the protein-digesting enzyme bromelain in the fruit? Bromelain, found in pineapple, is one of the two ingredients in meat tenderizer and helps break down proteins, making nutrients more available. By adding pineapple to your dog’s diet, you may be negating the reason they eat feces— to increase digestive enzyme levels. While there’s little scientific proof of this theory, you can try adding pineapple to your dog’s diet. If they stop eating feces, you’ve found a solution, even if the cause is still being researched. Alternatively, talk to your vet about adding bromelain directly to their diet. If it works, you’ll know it was a lack of digestive enzymes.
Hunger is another reason why dogs eat their own feces. Stray or starving dogs eat whatever they can find, so why does your well-cared-for dog need a mid-afternoon snack? Are they on a diet? Instinct tells dogs that if less food is coming from the normal route, they need to acquire more calories from an abnormal source. This explains why many well-behaved dogs suddenly turn into counter-surfing, garbage-diving, sandwich-snatching monsters! If this is why your dog is indulging in a snack from the litter box, try splitting their total food intake into three meals instead of two, or adding fiber-based food to their diet. A full stomach reduces the urge to snack. Fiber-rich food is commonly given to diabetics to slow digestion and keep blood sugar levels stable, as opposed to the spikes from one or two large meals a day. For dogs that need to lose a few pounds, fiber-rich food helps them feel full longer, while still allowing them to be fed the same volume of food as before the diet. It may seem a bit sneaky, but if it works and helps your dog lose weight while stopping their coprophagia habit, a little trickery may be worth it!
Instinct also tells dogs to eat their own feces, especially if they were raised by a brood bitch. Brood bitches eat the feces of their pups to keep the den clean and reduce odor. In the wild, the scent of milky feces attracts predators, so it’s vital that mom keeps the pups as odor-free as possible. This cleanliness behavior often carries over into domesticated canines. Many brood bitches continue to eat feces, whether it’s their pups’ or their own.
This is likely the hardest cause to stop, as it is ingrained in the mother’s instincts that she’s doing a good thing. Getting angry will only confuse her. You could try adding pineapple to her food, as it may make the feces unappetizing. There are also products on the market designed to make feces unappetizing, which may be helpful in difficult cases.
What Is the Best Way to Stop Your Dog from Eating Their Own Feces?
Keep your yard clean! Pick up feces as soon as your dog goes to the bathroom, and be diligent about maintaining a spotless yard. Walking your dog after meals is another great way to ensure they poop somewhere other than their own backyard, and they’ll enjoy the exercise. Make sure your dog gets well-exercised each day, lives in a clean yard, and enjoys a bit of pineapple with dinner. With these steps, you should find that your dog overcomes this bad habit.
