Coprophagia (eating poo (faeces)) isn’t uncommon, particularly among puppies, and as it is something humans tend to be disgusted by the question that is often asked by owners is what can be done about it and secondly, why they do it.
Suggestions for preventing/stopping the behaviour
Keeping, for the moment, just to puppies and house training you could try …
Always taking your pup out on a lead for house-training purposes as this will enable you to see what s/he is doing and act the moment it defecates (poos). Ideally at this stage every wee and poo done in the right place should be rewarded. (see note)
In preparation for your pup having a poo secrete something in your hand to distract it - toy or food whichever works best for your pup - and the moment it has finished pooing throw the item a few inches in front of its nose. This will not only direct his/her attention away from the faeces it will reinforce the action of doing it outdoors.
If you snatch the poo away from the pup while it's watching it may become a challenge to it to grab and swallow the poo before you can ‘steal’ it (as the pup will see it). By using a distraction, you will give yourself a window in which to remove the poo discreetly and avoid increasing its value to the pup.
Why do pups eat poo?
The most likely explanation is that mother dogs eat their pups’ poo in the whelping pen to keep it clean hence your pup may have spent their first few weeks of life seeing poo eating as a normal behaviour. In nature mother animals may do this to keep the den area clean so predators aren't attracted by the smell.
Most pups will tend to grow out of the habit naturally provided nothing is inadvertently done to reinforced the behaviour. This could be us appearing to the pup to find it ‘valuable’ or possibly even showing disgust.
Do adult dogs eat poo?
Poo eating can persist into adulthood, especially if the behaviour is (inadvertently) reinforced, such as by trying to grab it away from them. Distraction may still help but in adults the behaviour becomes more resistant to change with time
The pineapple myth?
There is some anecdotal evidence that adding pineapple to the diet may help. The theory is that the antioxidant bromelain, which is found in pineapple, will make the dog's poo taste less pleasant, therefore discouraging them from eating it. I am however unable to find hard evidence for this theory, a position supported by an article in Pet MD who will have much better resources (see sources and resources below).
I would suggest that if you think it helps by all means continue as it’s fine for dogs to eat a small amount of pineapple as part of a balanced diet but don’t pin your hopes on it.
Need help? Vet? Behaviourist?
If starting to eat poo in adults or pups is a change in behaviour always talk to your vet as there may be issues with the dog’s health or nutrition.
If the dog is healthy and their diet balanced a Behaviourist may be able to help. As a last resort using a muzzle can prevent the behaviour but isn’t addressing any underlying problem.
Evolutionary Origins
There are various theories about the early domestication of dogs much suggesting that the first steps were instigated by wolves with a lesser flight distance starting to haunt human settlements and scavenging the middens human waste. This would almost certainly have included human faeces as well as other discarded edible matter. From these wolves possibly a combination of human intervention and natural evolution would have lead to the ancestors of the dogs we have today.
Scavenging behaviour can be seen in village dogs in modern times and many dogs will eat the poo of other animals, such as cats, sheep, horses etc. Horse droppings present a particular hazard as some horse wormers are toxic to some dogs.
Note - Rewards
Rewards should be what your pup finds most rewarding, for instance would your pup jump over a steak to get a ball or run past a ball to get a piece of chicken? Compare the options to your pup’s reactions and choose the reward with the greatest value to your pup. Rewards include food/toys/play/cuddles and praise. Work out what will get the best response from your pup.
Sources and resources
PDSA Why do Dogs Eat Poo as of 09 August 2025
Pineapple - Pet MD as of 09 August 2025
BBC Report summarising recent evidence - “How did dogs become our best friends? New evidence” as of 12.August 2025
Live Science - Dogs may have domesticated themselves because they really liked snacks, model suggests as of 13th August 2025
RSPCA - Is Horse Manure Dangerous to Dogs? as of 13th August 2025