How to Stop Your Puppy From Eating Poop

Most new owners are delighted by puppy antics, but a puppy that eats poop prompts anything but smiles. It could be any animal's feces too. From its own stool to your cat's litter box deposits to a neighboring horse's or cow's manure, some puppies don't discriminate when it comes to poo they're willing to eat. Although many puppies grow out of this phase at least to some extent, there are steps you can take to discourage and even stop the behavior.

Dogs often eat their own or another animal’s droppings, no matter what species of animal does it. There's even a technical term for it in the animal world: coprophagia.

This behavior typically first appears in pups at about 4 to 9 months of age, and the frequency tends to increase after the age of 1. The good news is that most pups outgrow the habit. The bad news is that some dogs hang on to the nasty practice throughout their lives. For example, Shih Tzus are one breed that appears to be more prone to the behavior.

There are a variety of reasons why your puppy eats poop:

• This is normal behavior for mom dogs that must clean up after their babies, and some of the pups may end up mimicking this behavior.
• When you wave your hands, shout with disgust, and chase the puppy all over the yard, that’s great puppy entertainment. Chasing can actually reward the behavior and encourage your puppy to play poopy-keep-away. 
• Digestive problems may lead to puppies snacking on their waste. For instance, if the dog's food is not providing proper nutrients and is not being digested fully, the dog may look to their feces as a supplement because it's nearly the same as when it was eaten.
• Intestinal parasites may consume vital nutrients from a dog's food while it's in the digestive tract. This too can deprive the dog of getting everything it needs, so it may look for supplementary food.
• Some health issues may cause digestive problems as well. Diseases in the small intestine or pancreas may cause malabsorption. Also, conditions such as diabetes and thyroid disease often increase a dog's appetite and, if its regular diet isn't filling, it may resort to whatever's available.

It's best to put a stop to this behavior before it gets out of hand. Parasites are often transmitted through feces, so having a dog that sees it as a treat puts the pup's health at risk. There are a number of things you can do to put an end to this nauseating habit:

• Puppies may eat waste to get your attention, which means that even yelling may reward their behavior. If you catch your pup in the act, don’t make eye contact or speak. Instead, interrupt the act by shaking a can full of pennies or clapping your hands loudly.
• For bored pups, increase playtime to a minimum of 20 minutes or try aerobic exercise twice a day. If you leave your puppy in the yard while you're away, increase the number of toys available. A treat-spiked toy such as a Kong filled with peanut butter offers a tastier, healthier alternative.
• If you believe stress may be playing a role in your dog's habit, try to offer some relief. This will entail addressing the reason for its anxiety and calming products such as Adaptil may help in the interim while you work on correcting that issue.
• Prevent access by walking your puppy on a leash and leading it away from a pile once the business is done. Offer it rewards for leaving stool alone. Teach the puppy to “come” and sit in front of you after each bowel movement—its own or another dogs’—and offer a fantastic treat while you pick up the waste.