It's a well-known fact that many dogs eat feces. When my dog was a puppy, I was perplexed by her habit of eating feces (mostly some other dogs' feces on the street and our cat's feces out of the litter box).

"Coprophagia" - the technical term for dogs eating feces - is a mystery, in fact. No one seems to know the exact answer as to why dogs do this. There are many theories (and proposed solutions) and most of them sound very probable. To name a few:

• Medical reasons - there may be underlying physical problems in the dog, in which case, you have to take the dog to your vet. It's always important to rule out physical problems first by having your vet check your dog before you start to pursue other methods.


• Natural behavior - it is not uncommon for dogs and other animals to eat feces. It is only us humans who think feces are disgusting.


• Boredom - lots of exercise, playtime, and other distractions from feces through training may help the dog.


• Nutritional deficiency - some dogs may get good results by being fed a premium dog food.


• Learned behavior - dogs may develop the habit by watching other dogs eat feces.


• Attention-seeking behavior - punishment or reprimands by the dog owner may actually encourage the dog to go after the feces more, to get attention.

After ruling out physical problems that require medical attention, there are ways the owners can do to keep these dogs' behaviors to a minimum.

• Making feces unappealing - sprinkling hot sauce and other substance your dog doesn't like on feces. If the dog eats his own, there are products sold at pet stores you can add to food he eats. In theory, the dog stops eating his own feces because it is not appetizing.


• Training - teaching your dog not to eat the feces on command.


• Exercise and lots of attention - keep your dog's mind off the feces by giving him other things to do.


• Changing diet - good nutrition is always an important factor in dog behaviors. Find a premium dog food.


• Walking the dog on a leash - you gain more control of the dog's behaviors. This may be a bit frustrating if your dog is used to freedom.


• Cleaning up after the dog - prevention is always easier than fixing problems.

In my dog's case, I used to sprinkle hot sauce on dog feces before taking my dog out for a walk if I knew the route in advance. I also carried around the hot sauce whenever I walked with my dog until she stopped eating feces. As for cat litter, we blocked the passage to the box with a board, high enough for the cat to jump, but not for the dog. These worked, and thank goodness my dog doesn't eat feces any more - dog feces, that is. She occasionally picks up squirrel feces, and she is particularly attracted to horse feces when she walks on hiking trails. Observing such behaviors always makes me wonder what her driving force is. A time may come in the future when scientists discover what this "dogs eating feces" behavior is all about.

For more information, check out the following websites, too!
Coprophagia in the Canine
Eating Dog Feces
Why Does My Dog Eat Feces?
Stool Eating (Coprophagy)