We all love to see our dogs enthusiastically tucking in to something they enjoy eating – except perhaps when it’s poo.
Our Head Vet Sean explains why eating poo is a natural thing for puppies to do, but why it’s important to tackle if your dog is older. He’s also got some top tips to help you stop this off-putting habit once and for all.
What causes dogs to eat poo?
Despite how we might feel about it, eating poo can actually be comforting or rewarding for our dogs. They might eat their own, or another animal’s poo because:
1) They’re copying mum
A mother dog eats her litter’s poo to keep their environment clean. When puppies see mum doing it, they often start doing it too.
2) Competition
Young puppies compete for food with their littermates. They’ll rush to eat anything they see before their brothers and sisters get to it – often scoffing down some poo in the process.
3) Boredom
Just like humans, puppies eat when they’re bored. If the only ‘food’ available is the perfectly snack-sized poo they did earlier, they’ll happily eat that.
4) Instinct
Dogs are natural scavengers – they’ll eat anything that’s a potential source of nutrients. It’s an age old survival practice passed down from wolves, who are happy to tuck into the poo of herbivores – busting the theory that wolves and dogs are only meant to eat meat.
5) Hunger
If your dog’s sufficiently hungry, they’ll eat anything. Including – you guessed it – poo.
Does this mean my dog is deficient in something?
You might have heard dogs eat poo because they’re looking for nutrients they’re not getting enough of in their diet. But this isn’t often true. Dogs eat poo for all sorts of reasons – few of them nutritional. So if there’s nothing else to make you think they aren’t getting the right balance of nutrients, you don’t need to make any changes.
What are the effects of my dog eating poo?
Eating poo isn’t something you immediately need to visit the vet about. But it’s worth bearing in mind that faeces can contain nasties that can make your dog – and your family – very unwell. The main reasons to stop your dog eating poo are:
1) Germs
The bacteria in poo can play havoc with your dog’s digestive system – vomiting and diarrhoea are common consequences.
If those germs transfer to you, it’s a similarly unpleasant story – and those nasty bacteria are even more dangerous to children. If your dog has a taste for poo, say no to doggy kisses – especially on the face – and be even more diligent about washing your hands before eating.
2) Parasites
Poo can contain parasites that are all-too eager to set up home in your dog’s digestive tract. Worms are the most common one. If your dog has a tendency to eat poo, keep these unwanted pests at bay with regular worming treatments – ask your vet to recommend one that’s best for your dog.
How can I stop my dog eating poo?
While eating poo is a normal part of puppy life, most dogs grow out of it by the time they’re six months old. If your dog keeps it up beyond this, try these tips to help them kick the habit.
1) Stay calm
If you run after your dog every time they track down some ‘tasty’ poo, you accidentally turn the situation into a game your dog will love – and want to play more often.
2) Remove the opportunity
Pick up your dog’s poo right away, so they never get a chance to even think about eating it.
3) Keep their mind active
If your dog is eating it out of boredom or frustration, you can cut down the habit simply by giving their brain other things to think about. Keep them occupied with toys and regular exercise, and try to avoid leaving them alone for long periods.
4) Check their portion sizes
Could your dog just be hungry? Check the recommended serving size of their food to make sure you’re giving them the right amount.
5) Change the taste
As off-putting as it seems to us, dogs like the taste of poo. Change the taste and you take all the fun away.
If your dog’s own poo is the problem, try adding a few pineapple chunks to their dinner. Compounds in this tropical fruit make poo taste bitter and unappetising to dogs.
If your dog is eating other animals’ waste, changing the flavour is a bit trickier, but can still be done. Here’s how.
- Pack a bottle of tabasco (or something else your dog won’t like the taste of) when you head out.
- Keep your eyes peeled for poo.
- Get to the poo before your dog does – being as sneaky as you can so they don’t see the competition as a great new game.
- Add a few drops of tabasco on top
- Voila! You’ve transformed the poo from delicious doggy treat to disgusting mistake.
Get this right enough times, and you’ve got a good chance of putting your dog off eating poo for life.
If you’ve spotted your dog or puppy eating poo, you’re not alone. Once you’re over the initial yuck-factor, it’s an issue that can usually be tackled without too much trouble. If you want any extra advice, our veterinary team can help. Get in touch with them at hello@tails.com.
I have an 8werk old staffie pup,currently weighs 3.5 kg,he has 3 meals a day 130g per meal,currently wet / dry food mix (total 390g) intake per day.Currently eating pedigree puppy vital pouch (100g) +dry food to make up to 130g,would like him to be on dry food completely.Just put his details on your site and said he needed 36g per day,surely this isn’t right
Hi Nicky,
We can take a look and help out with this. Can you send us an email to hello@tails.com?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Jack
That’s a huge amount of food for a puppy try tails they give you a measuring cup and you puppy will get the right amount hope this helps
On the subject of dogs eating poop!
I solved this problem by squiritng fairy lquid on the offending heap!
never touched it again.
Our dog,Tess a lurcher,absolutely loves to eat horse poop, she loves it so much she likes to wear it to. We have managed ( most of the time ) to thwart her efforts by one of us being a poop scout and guiding her around it at a safe distance. Bit more difficult when you’re on your own ? You just have to except the fact sometimes that she wants to smell like a horse, inside and out. Nobody’s perfect. ?
We have recently got 2 rabbits and our dog is eating there poo every chance he gets. I haven’t already said this. This is the first email I have ever sent.
On the subject of poo, I just wanted to ask is it normal for a dog to go 3-4 times a day? We have a 6yr old Staffie called Ralph and we’ve started calling him “3 Shits Ralph” due to his excessive toilet habits! His poop is never runny or unhealthy looking – going by your wonderful illustration with the above article, Ralph’s are usually either Mr. Whippy’s or perfect poo’s! Just one other thing – he loves squatting on inanimate objects(!) For example, we were walking past some poor lad’s bike the other day and before I realised Ralph had backed up his bottom onto one of the pedals and was trying his best to squeeze one out onto said pedal! Thankfully the pedal moved as he pushed into it with his bodyweight so he missed. But he has also perched his behind onto people’s low garden walls to relieve himself and sometimes he backs up into a tree and even manages to do a sideways poo down the tree trunk – very strange dog!!
Heya Georgie, your comment here has rendered me to tears of pure joy as just reminds me of my late Great Uncle’s dog Sandy. He was a Parsons Jack Russell Terrier apart from being well known for thrusting himself pretty much full length down rabbit holes whilst on walks, he had another trick up his furry sleeve. Most dogs as we all know squat to poop, like your Ralph, Sandy didn’t do that. The most painful walk Sandy and I went on took us across our local field, loads of room to poop. Sandy waited until we were coming to the end of the field, sniffed out a comfortable place to poop, turned around, somehow lifted his back end clean off the ground and pooped INTO the hedge! Bag on hand, I pulled the stuff out of the hedge but in doing so I’d shredded both the bag and my fingers on the long thorns of the hedge. Sadly Sandy is no longer with us, due to his age and failing health we had to put him to sleep not long after the passing of my Great Uncle.
Thanks for that – I’ve tried Tabasco sauce and also feeding Audrey pineapple chunks but I’ll try the washing up liquid next!
I have been told that horse poo can be poisonous especially if the horse has been recently wormed.
I’m going to try all of these as my French bulldogs are eating poo.. husbands screams at them when they do this which doesn’t help… As they think it’s a game…. I have 3 frenchies and like a weirdo literally standing by them when the poop my friends call me the shit lady lol
We lost our 5 month old fox red lab last year who ate pooh. She was fully vaccinated and died of parvovirus. It is the most terrible death and when we saw our new puppy eat her own pooh today we will be trying any and all suggestions .
Hi to all poo dog owners.ive got 10 month black Labrador..cooper eats all my other dogs poo,n her food if he can…I’ve tried everything, pineapple, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, sprays, nothing works..I resent giving it to my other dog she shouldn’t have to be challenged… As a last resort I’ve put soy sauce on her poo..he resisted for 5 hours then ate it…I’ve never had a dog do this, n I’ve had lots of dogs different breeds…
I will try the washing up liquid n the Tabasco cause…then I have no idea what else to do…