Dog food and coprophagia — what actually helps
Coprophagia — a dog eating faeces, their own or another animal's — is common, more often behavioural than medical, and rarely something diet on its own fully resolves. A vet check is still worth doing first, since in a minority of cases an underlying digestive or absorption problem is behind it, and that needs addressing directly rather than managed through food alone.
Why dogs do it
In puppies, investigating or even eating faeces is a fairly normal, if unwelcome, part of exploring the world with their mouth, and it often reduces on its own as a puppy matures and is redirected consistently. In adult dogs it is more often linked to boredom, anxiety, or simply a learned habit that has stuck.
A smaller number of cases are linked to an underlying digestive issue — food that is not being fully digested or absorbed can make faeces smell more appealing to a dog, which is one reason a vet check matters before assuming it is purely behavioural.
What a vet check rules out
A vet can check for and rule out issues such as poor digestion or nutrient absorption, intestinal parasites, or an underlying condition that increases appetite, all of which can make coprophagia more likely and none of which a change of food alone will fix.
If a medical cause is ruled out, that at least confirms the behaviour is one to manage through training, environment and diet quality, rather than something that needs ongoing investigation.
What to look for in a food
A highly digestible complete food, appropriate for your dog's age and size, is generally the sensible baseline, since food that is well absorbed leaves less undigested material behind — one of the theories behind why some dogs find certain stools more appealing than others.
Consistent portion sizes and regular meal timing, rather than free feeding, also make it easier to notice if appetite or stool consistency changes, which is useful information to bring to your vet if the behaviour does not improve.
Managing the behaviour itself
Cleaning up promptly after your dog and any other animals in the household removes the immediate opportunity, which is often more effective day to day than any dietary change on its own. A well-fitted lead and consistent recall also help redirect a dog before they reach something on a walk.
Puzzle feeders and more general mental and physical enrichment can help with cases linked to boredom, by giving a dog another outlet for the same investigative, food-driven behaviour that sometimes shows up as coprophagia.
Why it is more common in multi-dog households
A dog is more likely to eat another dog's faeces than its own, which is one reason the behaviour shows up more often in households with several dogs, or where a dog spends time around other animals such as cats or, in rural settings, livestock.
Prompt clean-up in shared spaces, and keeping litter trays somewhere a dog cannot access if there are cats in the household, removes a lot of the opportunity without needing any change to diet at all.
Foods formulated for this
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Plush Strawberry Snuffle Mat
An interactive foraging mat with removable plush strawberries that hide treats and kibble. Encourages natural snuffling and slows feeding, providing mental enrichment for dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs alike.
From£13.99
Chase Buddy Boredom Busting Dog Toy
A sturdy chase toy for dogs left alone for short spells, redirecting the energy that turns into barking, pacing and chewed skirting boards into active play.
£23.99
Plush Snuffle Foraging Mat
A roll-up plush snuffle mat with cute animal designs. Hide treats in the folds and let your pet sniff and forage to find them - a rewarding enrichment game that beats boredom and slows feeding.
£13.99
Recordable Dog Talking Buttons with Mat
A set of recordable sound buttons on interlocking non-slip mat tiles that lets your dog 'talk' by pressing for words like food, walks or play. A fun way to build communication and mental enrichment at home.
£28.99
Catit Treat Ball
A rolling cat treat ball that dispenses rewards or closes for ordinary ball play
£7.49
Tarhong Concentric Circle Slow Feeder Bowl for Dogs & Cats
A stylish slow-feeder bowl that encourages healthier, calmer mealtimes — available in blue, grey, or white.
£14.99
Carrot Tumbler Treat-Dispensing Toy
A wobbling carrot-shaped tumbler that dispenses treats as pets nudge it, rewarding play and slowing eating.
£17.99
Duck Treat-Dispensing Puzzle Toy
A duck-shaped puzzle toy that dispenses treats when your pet presses the paddle.
£36.99
Wooden Cat Foraging Maze Puzzle Box
A natural bamboo foraging puzzle box with cut-out channels and recesses that hold treats, kibble or a bell ball. Encourages cats to paw, hunt and problem-solve, slowing greedy eaters and easing boredom. Approx 28 x 28 x 6cm.
£19.99
Pooch & Mutt Salmon Oil
Scottish salmon oil for dogs, dosed by weight from toy breeds to giants
£13.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Common questions
- Does changing a dog's food stop coprophagia?
- It can help in some cases, particularly where digestion is a factor, but it rarely resolves the behaviour entirely on its own since boredom, habit and anxiety are common causes too. A vet check first helps rule out a medical cause that diet alone would not fix.
- Is coprophagia in puppies something to worry about?
- Usually not on its own — many puppies investigate or eat faeces as part of normal exploratory behaviour, and it often reduces with age and consistent redirection. It is still worth mentioning at a routine vet visit, particularly if it continues into adulthood.
- Can supplements stop a dog eating faeces?
- Some products are marketed as deterrents, but there is no guaranteed fix, and results vary a lot between dogs. Addressing the underlying cause — whether that is digestion, boredom or anxiety — tends to matter more than any single product.
- When should I see a vet about coprophagia?
- It is worth a vet visit if the behaviour is new, worsening, or accompanied by other signs such as weight loss, changes in appetite or abnormal stools, since these can point to an underlying digestive issue that needs addressing directly.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.