How to stop a dog from eating poop: Home remedies to help your pooch

Dogs often like to eat poop, and it can get pretty disgusting. How can you stop dogs from eating poop, should you stop them, and is it possible to eliminate this behavior for good? We're here to help.

It's important to stop your dog from eating poop, no matter how cute their puppy-dog eyes are!
It's important to stop your dog from eating poop, no matter how cute their puppy-dog eyes are!  © Unsplash/charlesdeluvio

So it's certainly true that pups often like to eat poop.

That goes for their own poop, and other animals' poop, too.

It might be strange, it might be disgusting, but don't fear! You can help stop dogs from eating poop, you just need to know how.

Puppy runs for cover from kids' TV show: "Poor thing is now traumatized"
Dogs Puppy runs for cover from kids' TV show: "Poor thing is now traumatized"

In this dog guide, we'll dive right on into how to stop dogs from eating poop, whyy you should stop them, and the home remedies that'll help.

Let's go!

Why to stop dogs from eating poop

While there are numerous reasons why dogs eat poop, we want to hone in on one important detail: as you would expect, eating poop can make dogs very, very sick.

Waste can contain all sorts of parasites, and can be full of diseases, poisonous substances, and general things that you don't want your dog consuming.

As a result, you probably should stop them from eating it, stat!

How to stop a dog from eating poop

Most of the things that you can do to stop a dog from eating poop are pretty straight forward.

Things like simply not leaving poop lying around can certainly help, but also having the right equipment when you go on walks and training your dog when it's a puppy are crucial.

Here are a few ways to stop your dog from eating poop:

  • Always supervise your dogs when they are outside or in places where they may eat their own, or another dog's, poop.
  • Make sure you always keep your dog's – or your other pets' – litter box clean, if you use one.
  • When you walk your dog, always use a harness or leash to make sure that it can't run away and eat poop.
  • If your dog defecates, don't wait to pick up the poop. Also don't just stand there and watch it happen. Take action, whether on a walk, in public, or in your own yard.
  • Use positive reinforcement to reward good behavior, like healthy treats.
  • Make sure to take your dog to the veterinarian if you are concerned or for tips.

What to put in dogs' food to stop dogs eating poop

There are a variety of things that you can put into your dog's food to stop them from eating their own poop.

What you want is something that will taste good when they eat it, but awful once it has been processed and dropped out of their rear end.

A few options vets recommend include bits of apple cider vinegar, pumpkin, pineapple, and certain kinds of green vegetables. You can mix in small amounts of these foods with your dog's regular food at mealtime, and they often won't taste a huge difference.

But when dogs poop these ingredients out, they often change feces' taste, and are a positive deterrent for your pup's bad habit.

Even if it makes your pooch sad, it is always best to stop dogs from eating too much poop.
Even if it makes your pooch sad, it is always best to stop dogs from eating too much poop.  © Unsplash/Matthew Henry

How to stop dogs from eating puppy poop using home remedies

Dogs not only eat their own poop, but when they either have a litter, or are born into a litter, they will often eat the waste of other puppies when they're all very young and being housed in the same area.

There are a couple of different home remedies that you can use to reduce the likelihood that your dog will eat the poop of its puppies, or to stop your puppies from eating their own poop. They are pretty simple solutions.

Home remedies to stop puppies from eating poop:

  • Use acidic things like lemon juice and vinegar in their food. Also feel free to use pineapples and pumpkins.
  • Use these same ingredients applied directly to their poop, without cleaning it up. This way your dogs will notice that poop tastes awful and they will leave it alone, and avoid eating it in the future. Hot sauce is also a useful ingredient to spray directly on pieces of poop – and will turn off a dog. Put any of these liquid ingredients into a spray bottle for easier application.
  • Meat tenderizer powder can also work effectively when you put a little in their food.
  • Use digestive enzymes as supplements, especially on older dogs, as this will help to counteract their poop-eating desires. The same goes for mineral supplements. Ask your vet before adding these to your pup's diet.

Important Note: Dogs should not be treated badly purely because they eat poop. Yes, it is rather disgusting, but punishments should never be physical or abusive. They simply don't know why their habit is bad, and that it could make them – and you – prone to sickness. Always use positive reinforcement with your dog! If you have a more serious problem and it's not going away with simple at-home remedies, take it to the veterinarian.

If you want your dog to stop eating poop, take action!

It can be extremely disgusting when your beloved doggo decides that it's going to chow down on a plump poop. After all, that fluffy bugger has been licking your face for years!

The important things to remember are: 1.) Don't let it lick your face if you can help it. And 2.) There are plenty of tricks you can try to limit this behavior.

With some of our helpful home remedies and tips above, you'll be stopping your dog from eating poop in no time.

Cover photo: Unsplash/charlesdeluvio

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