Discouraging dog’s distressing poop eating

Category:

As Seen With - Cathy Rosenthal

Encourage Kindness to Animals!

Highly-acclaimed children's books for your child or organization

Discouraging dog’s distressing poop eating

Please follow and like us:
Pin Share

Dear Cathy, 

What can I do to discourage my doxie’s occasional dog-poop eating? I try to pick it up every day but sometimes she gets back outside before I do. Also, my daughter can’t clean her yard every day and her dog “snacks” as well, sometimes bringing dried poop back inside – yuck! Is there anything we can add to their food that will make their poop unappealing? We both reprimand them when we see it happening but that hasn’t seemed to do the trick.

– Malinda, Tucson, Arizona

Dear Malinda,

Unless this poop-eating is the result of a health problem, reprimanding the dogs won’t change this behavior, which is called coprophagia. Some remedies that are not necessarily proven effective have included adding pineapple, cottage cheese or yogurt to their food to alter the taste of the poop. But I recommend one of the over-the-counter coprophagia products that can be given to all the dogs to make all the poop in the yard unpalatable.

Picking up poop every day is a must, but also training the dogs to come for a treat every time they poop can reduce access to the remaining poop still in the yard.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, children’s author, syndicated pet columnist, and pet expert with more than 30 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to moc.tidnuptepobfsctd-50efea@yhtac. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal

Please follow and like us:
Pin Share

Nonprofit 501(c) Organizations Copy Usage Notice
Nonprofit 501(c) organizations ONLY are welcome to use these posts on their websites free of charge. Please credit the original article by including the following attribution and with a link to the original article.

For Example:
This article originally appeared on CathyRosenthal.com | Discouraging dog’s distressing poop eating

Thank you for helping us spread the message of compassionate care and responsible pet ownership!

2 thoughts on “Discouraging dog’s distressing poop eating”

  1. You mentioned that you did like a product to discourage poop eating. I could not find the name and would appreciate the product name and where to order.

    1. Cathy Rosenthal

      Several over-the-counter products are designed to help deter dogs from eating feces, a behavior known as coprophagia. One of the most well-known products is For-Bid, a powder that you sprinkle on your dog’s food. It works by making the dog’s stool taste unpleasant, and in many cases, it begins working within just a few days. It’s most effective when used on the dog whose stool is being eaten. Another popular option is NaturVet Coprophagia Deterrent Plus Breath Aid, a chewable supplement that includes digestive enzymes and yucca to make the stool less appealing, while also freshening your dog’s breath. This product is especially helpful in households with multiple dogs.

      Solid Gold Stop Eating Poop is another good choice, made with peppermint and parsley to control odor, along with digestive enzymes and probiotics to support gut health. Zesty Paws Stool Eating Deterrent is a chicken-flavored chew containing parsley, apple cider vinegar, and capsicum (a natural deterrent), and it also helps with digestion. Vet Classics Stop Stool Eating can be used for both dogs and cats, and includes chamomile and parsley to discourage stool consumption.

      These deterrents generally need to be used consistently for at least two to four weeks to be effective. If your dog is eating another dog’s stool, both dogs may need to be treated. In addition to using these products, it’s important to pick up feces promptly so your dog has less opportunity to indulge in the behavior. Finally, make sure to rule out underlying causes such as nutritional deficiencies, digestive issues, boredom, or anxiety, all of which can contribute to this unwanted behavior.

      Check Chewy.com and Amazon.com for a list of coprophagia supplements for dogs.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Should You Be Worried About Birds of Prey Stealing Your Dog?

Please follow and like us:

Why Exposed Bellies Mean Different Things

Please follow and like us:

Helping Pets Adjust to a New Home

Please follow and like us:
DSC_4602

Cathy Rosenthal (aka The Pet Pundit), CHES, CFE

Animal Welfare Communications Specialist

Cathy brings more than 35 years' experience in the animal welfare field. She is a sought-after speaker, Certified Humane Education Specialist, a syndicated pet advice columnist, an author, a publisher, and of course - a loving pet parent.
Read more about Cathy here or check out her Non-Profit's page to see more ways she can help you and your organization.

Scroll to Top