Finding out your dog has been eating poop — their own or another animal's — is a deeply unpleasant discovery. But it's also a very common one. Coprophagia (the technical term for poop-eating in animals) affects a meaningful percentage of dogs, and the reasons behind it range from instinctual to medical. Here's what you need to know.
How Common Is It?
Research presented at the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior found that 16% of dogs are classified as "serious" poop eaters (observed eating feces more than 5 times), and about 24% were seen doing it at least once. You are definitely not alone.
Why Do Dogs Eat Poop? The Real Reasons
Evolutionary/Instinctual
Dogs are descended from scavenging ancestors for whom eating feces was a natural survival behavior. In a den environment, consuming the feces of pack members also reduced the presence of intestinal parasites — feces that have been sitting for more than a day harbor more parasites than fresh stools, so pack animals who promptly consumed fresh waste were at a survival advantage.
Attention-Seeking
Dogs who have been punished for accidents during house training may eat their feces to eliminate the "evidence." This is a maladaptive response to punishment-based training. It's one of the strongest arguments for positive-reinforcement housebreaking.
Boredom and Confinement
Dogs who spend significant time confined in small spaces — crates, kennels, or small rooms — often develop coprophagia. It's a boredom-related and anxiety-related behavior.
Anxiety and Stress
Coprophagia can be a displacement behavior in dogs who are anxious — something they do when they don't know what else to do with their stress.
Medical Causes
When an adult dog suddenly starts eating poop without prior history, a medical cause should be considered:
- Intestinal parasites — can trigger nutrient malabsorption that the dog attempts to compensate for
- Enzyme deficiencies — some dogs lack the digestive enzymes to fully absorb nutrients, leading to incompletely digested food in feces that smells appetizing to them
- Nutritional deficiencies — low levels of B vitamins, trace minerals, or other nutrients
- Malabsorptive diseases — conditions like EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) or IBD
- Medications — steroids can increase appetite and reduce inhibition; hypothyroidism may be a factor
How to Stop Your Dog From Eating Poop
Management First
- Pick up immediately after your dog defecates — removing the resource eliminates the opportunity
- Keep your dog on leash in areas where animal waste is present
- Supervise outdoor time
Training
- "Leave it" is the single most valuable command for this behavior. Train a strong "leave it" that your dog responds to reliably
- Call your dog to you immediately after they defecate and reward them for coming — this creates a competing habit that replaces the foraging behavior
- Never punish after the fact — this is ineffective and counterproductive
Address Root Causes
- Rule out medical causes with a vet visit, especially for adult-onset coprophagia
- Increase exercise and mental stimulation
- If anxiety-driven, address the anxiety with training and, if needed, veterinary support
Food Additives
Certain supplements added to a dog's food are designed to make feces unappealing to eat (e.g., products containing monosodium glutamate or yucca). These work for some dogs but not all.
How Voyage Can Help
If your dog has started eating poop suddenly and you're wondering whether it's medical or behavioral, Voyage AI can help you assess. Describe when it started, your dog's age, diet, and any other symptoms — Voyage's AI vet gives you a clear, personalized assessment. Available 24/7 for $4.99/month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it dangerous for my dog to eat their own poop? For the dog themselves, occasional coprophagia poses limited immediate danger — but it does carry the risk of ingesting intestinal parasites or bacteria present in the stool, potentially including organisms passed by other animals if eating feces from different species. It's also, understandably, an issue for the human-animal bond. Addressing it is worthwhile.
Why does my dog eat cat poop from the litter box? Cat feces are particularly appealing to dogs because cat food is higher in protein and fat than dog food — meaning cat stool contains more residual nutrients. This is extremely common. Solutions include placing the litter box somewhere the dog cannot access (baby gate, cat door in a closed room), or using a litter box with a lid the dog can't open.
Should I be concerned if my puppy eats poop but my adult dog doesn't? Coprophagia is much more common in puppies, who explore the world orally and haven't yet developed the social inhibitions against it. Many puppies naturally stop the behavior as they mature. If it persists past 6–12 months, or if your adult dog develops it suddenly, that's when closer attention — and a vet visit — is warranted.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.