Also called · dog eating poop · stool eating · eats their own faeces
What it looks like
- Eats their own or another animal’s faeces
- Turns straight around after defecating
- Hunts for other dogs’ faeces on walks
Why it happens
In young animals it can be normal
A mother eating her puppies’ faeces for the first weeks of nursing is normal maternal behaviour. Puppies start out of curiosity or to keep their own space clean, and usually stop by themselves.
Your reaction sets the habit
It becomes long-lasting when they compete to avoid having it taken away, or learn that eating it gets the owner’s attention. Rushing over is itself the reward.
The food may be the cause
Poorly digestible food leaves undigested material in the stool, and added flavourings can pass through as well. The common view is that dogs find this "tasty stool" appetising, and there are cases resolved by changing food. That said, it has barely been tested experimentally.
There may be disease behind it
Maldigestion, parasites, and excessive appetite from diabetes or Cushing’s disease can all be involved.
Boredom and stress
Stress from confinement, searching out stool from boredom, and a rebound from punishment during training are all listed as contributing factors.
What to do
Clean up immediately
The most reliable and immediately effective step. It removes the opportunity itself.
Try changing the food
Moving to a more digestible food is genuinely recommended. There is also a suggestion that dogs that eat stool prefer small, firm stools over large soft ones, so a higher-fibre food may help.
Do not make it a contest
Instead of running over to take it away, train a recall and reward so the dog moves away from the stool on its own.
Use taste aversion
Coating the stool with something the dog dislikes — spices, strong smells — is a standard approach.
Reduce boredom
Adjust the feeding schedule to manage the timing of defecation, and increase walks and scent work as an outlet.
Watch out for
Various parasites and bacteria can be transmitted. In practice, though, the owner’s disgust is often more of a problem than the infection risk.
See a vet if
Appetite suddenly increased and the stool eating started with it
Diarrhoea or weight loss alongside it
Common questions
Cases of resolution are reported, but it has not been verified experimentally. Treat it as one option to try alongside immediate clean-up and training.
Dogs rarely eat their own or another adult dog’s faeces, but do eat that of newborn puppies, humans, cats and herbivores. The reason is not known.
Related behaviors
Was this useful?
General behaviour and nutrition information. It does not replace diagnosis or prescription. Similar behaviour does not always have the same cause, and the cause is not necessarily diet or environment — have a vet rule out illness first, and consult a behaviour specialist where needed.