Coprophagia - Why Do Some Dogs Eat Their Poop?

Copraphagia is defined as eating feces.  When a dog eats their own poop, there are many theories as to why.  Some examples are: attention-seeking, maternal instinct, dominance, reinforcement, feeding behavior, illness and diet.

Illnesses may include: Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, Pancreatitis, Intestinal Infections and Malabsorptive Syndromes. These illnesses usually include many other symptoms such as diarrhea, too. It is suggested you see a Veterinarian to rule out any serious illness before considering other causes.

There are three different kinds of Copraphagia

Autocoprophagia – Animal eating its own feces.
Intraspecific Coprophagia – Animal eating feces from another animal within its own species.
Interspecific Coprophagia – Animal eating feces from another species (dog eating cat feces etc.)

If you have ruled out serious illness, the next step is a process of elimination (no pun intended).  Is your dog left alone a lot and seeking attention?  Does he eat a high fatty diet?  Is he scolded for pooping in the house?  Is he fed only once a day?

If it seems the problem is not a learned behavior, you may be dealing with a diet issue.  Some of the reasons cited for Copraphagia in dogs can be lack of nutrients.  Cheap dog food may lack the nutrients your dog needs and he may be attempting to feel full by eating his feces.  Feeding your dog once a day is also being investigated.  The theory is that dogs need to be fed more small meals per day rather than one larger one. They use coprophagia to supplement their feeding schedule.

If you believe your dog has a food allergy and is eating his poop, he may need a diet change to correct the problem.  A dog food that is filling and nutritional without allergens should help if the coprophagia is not strictly behavior based.

Besides a diet change and behavior training there are other options.  Adding Meat Tenderizer (enzymes) to the dogs diet is supposed to help break down the nutrients for better absorption.  Thus, helping the dog feel full with no need to eat his feces.  Also,  a supplement called Forbid (prescription) or Deter makes the feces taste bad to the dog.