Why Do Dogs Eat Poop

How do I Stop my Dog From Eating Her Own Poop?

My 4 month old black lab Daisy is eating her own poop. How can we get Daisy to stop eating her poop? Not only is it gross, but when she gets to it first thing in the morning, she ends up throwing up shortly thereafter. What are some easy suggestions to get her to grow out of this puppy habit fast?

That's a good question. Why do dogs eat poop? We turn to our Pet Doc for the answer.

Our Pet Doc Responds...

Thanks for the question. Daisy is not alone in being a puppy that ingests her own feces. This is a very common behavior for many puppies. I honestly have not been able to find a legitimate reason as to why some puppies/dogs do this, but I can say that most if not all dogs will grow out of doing this.

My own Labrador was a prime offender for many months. The only thing I can recommend to you is to take away the temptation. That means poop scooping daily. One thing you can try is to correct that action like you would any other undesirable action. Use a leash to control your pet, even if in your own backyard. Use keywords like no and force her to submit to the fact that such behavior is unacceptable.

Some people say dogs do this because of poor nutrition. I suppose this could be possible but not certain. There are products on the market that are made to deter your dog from consuming it's own feces but I find these products ineffective, costly, and merely a band-aid to the problem.

This should get better with time and a little work/training on your part. Thanks and let us know how things progress.

Jacob Mireles, DVM, aka The Pet Doc