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First-time dog owners who have new puppies that engage in the habit of eating poop are often told it’s a behavior of dogs under one year of age and that their pet will grow out of it. But plenty of adult dogs eat poop, too. In a survey of 3,000 dog owners conducted by Benjamin Hart, DVM, of the veterinary school at the University of California, Davis, it was found that one in six dogs is a “serious” stool eater.
The reasons for the behavior — termed coprophagia — can be medical or behavioral. Medical causes for coprophagia include parasites, difficulty absorbing certain nutrients, and diseases including diabetes and Cushing’s disease, which may increase appetite. Therefore, if you have a dog over a year of age who never ate poop before, or who stopped years ago but has now started up again, you’ll want to raise the issue with your veterinarian, who can determine whether various diagnostic tests should be given to pinpoint and then treat an illness.
Behavioral reasons for coprophagia often harken back to a dog’s unfortunate early start in life. Those who have a history of being relegated to confined spaces, such as cages at puppy mills and crowded shelters, have a higher risk for eating poop in their adult lives. Dogs who have been isolated in basements or kennels are also more likely to eat poop than other dogs, as are anxious dogs.
Solving the problem
If a medical condition is causing the habit, treating it should be sufficient to stop a dog from continuing to eat her own or other animals’ waste. For dogs who are eating poop because of anxiety born of a difficult past (you might find that an adult dog you have adopted engages in the habit), the best way to keep her from doing it is avoidance.
When your pet is in areas where she can access poop, have her on a leash. When she starts to eat poop, give a “leave it” cue, calling her attention away from the waste with a food treat and warm praise. Then reward her for not eating it if she complies. If she passes by poop and happens not eat to it, she should be rewarded with an especially giant jackpot of treats and praise.
And when your dog is off leash (because after all, she does need those free romps), she can wear a Smuzzle. This “terrific product is much looser and lighter than a muzzle and prevents dogs from eating non-food items, including poop,” says Tufts animal behaviorist Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM.
For those whose dogs eat poop and do not have a medical reason for doing so, keep the faith. Over time, as your dog enjoys a happier, less anxiety-ridden life with you and learns that not eating poop leads to treats and praise, she may lose the habit.
