There is probably no other behavior problem quite so distressing and repugnant to pet owners as the family dog that eats stools. However, coprophagia may be a normal activity. Bitches eat their puppies'stool to keep the nest clean, and the behavior has been seen in some wild canines. Although some viruses and intestinal protozoa can be transmitted in this way, dogs that eat stool seldom suffer any adverse health effects.

Dogs can generally be divided into two groups; those that eat their own stool, and those that eat the stool of other species like cats, cows and horses. Dogs that partake of cow and horse stool are unlikely to be correctable, as the stool itself is so rewarding. Pet owners can be consoled by the fact that cattle, horse and rabbit stool is nutritious and unlikely to harm the dog. The best way to prevent this form of coprophagia is to prevent access to the stool. Keep the kitty box out of reach of the family dog, and leave the dog at home when you visit the farm.

Although it is a common problem, little is known about why some dogs eat their own stool. There is, however, wide individual variation in the expression of the behavior. Some dogs outgrow the habit, some partake only in winter (poopsicles), some indulge occasionally, and others are life-long addicts.

There is good clinical evidence of a genetic susceptibility to coprophagia in certain breeds and families of dogs. This predisposition is generally expressed between 4-10 months of age, and the activity generally declines after one year.

Dogs fed diets high in carbohydrate and low in fat and fibre (which contribute to a "full" feeling)are more likely to eat stool. As well, dogs that are not fed enough food to meet the requirements may "fill up" on stool. Certain diseases which prevent proper digestion and absorption of food may contribute to coprophagia, but these diseases must be severe and advanced before they cause the problem.

Coprophagia can be an attention getting behavior which is conditionned by the owner's reaction. It may also contain elements of play, especially in puppies, and the stool itself appears to be rewarding.

Coprophagia is an extremely difficult behavior problem to correct. there are a variety of factors which contribute to the problem, and the causes may accumulate for some time before the behavior commences. For this reason, the treatment must integrate a variety of approaches to the problem.

There is no definitive treatment for stool eating. the popular, home remedies are seldom effective, but are easy to apply and may be worth a try. Some people find that Certs, added to the dog's food, will end the behavior, presumably by making the stool taste bad. Others have had success adding either Forbid, a commercially available preparation of pancreatic enzymes, or meat tenderizer to the food.

The commonly recommended practice of sprinkling the stool with tobasco sauce or red pepper rarely works, and often makes the problem worse. If this approach is used, it is essential that absolutely every stool be doctored, or the dog will receive intermittent rewards if he occasionally manages to eat an untreated stool. This makes the behavior even more difficult to eliminate, because the dog will keep trying in the hopes of getting an untreated stool, and obtaining the reward it provides.

Punishment does not work. It is seldom possible to punish within ½ second of the dog ingesting the tasty morsel. The stool eating itself seems to be so rewarding to some dogs that they will learn pain acceptance in order to continue the activity.

The most important part of any training program is ensuring that the dog will never again have a chance to eat stool. You must completely prevent access to the stool. This might mean that you have to take the dog out on a leash to do his bisiness, then clean it up before he is allowed out unattented. Some people find that a muzzle is a good investment, and the dog is muzzled every time he is out in the yard alone. If you enjoy training, you could also teach your dog to defecate on command, so that you are always present when he eliminates an can therefore supervise the act. It is also possible to train the dog to come directly to you at the end of each defecation, so that you can put the dog inside and clean up each time he has a bowel movement. Whichever method you choose, it is important that the stool eating be prevented for long enough to allow the behavior to go into extinction. This will take at least one month, and often requires several months.

The dog's diet must be assessed. Diets high in starch and carbohydrate, and low in fibre, tend to encourage coprophagia, so you might need to switch your pet to a diet high in fat, fibre and protein and low in carbohydrate. If he is fed only dry food, you should replace a portion of the dry food with some high protein, canned food. Sometimes the addition of vegetable oil at a dose of 15 ml/4.5kg body weight/day will reduce the problem. Fat, protein and fibre tend to satisfy hunger for longer, removing that particular stimulus for stool eating.

The dog should not be fed any treats or table food. His meals should be regularly scheduled, in the morning and at dinner time. The regular timing of meals helps to suppress the appetite at other times of the day. Make sure you are feeding enough food for your dog's activity level.

If the above diet alterations are unsuccessful, we have had some success by changing the diet to a commercially available, high fibre diet. The stool tends to become very dry and flaky on this type of diet. This alters the mouth feel of the stool, which sisnificantly reduces palatability. The major drawback of this approach is that the high fibre diet means that there is significantly more stool produced for you to clean up. Additionally, when the dog is returned to a reduced fibre diet, the stoll eating may resume.

Unfortunately, there is no foolproof treatment for the problem of coprophagia. We have had more success with diet alteration and preventing access than with any of the other approaches. However, you may need to combine several of the above approaches to deal with your dog's problem.

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