A few weeks back, I kicked off a series about complicated potty training issues with a deep dive into ninja-poopers - those masterful canine artists who treat indoor accidents like a stealth mission. After a brief detour through other training topics, I'm circling back to address another... shall we say... delicate potty predicament: the poop-eaters. Yes, you read that correctly.
Picture this: your adorable furry angel, the one you show off in countless Instagram photos, the sweet face you kiss goodnight, takes a perfectly normal potty break... only to whip around with Olympic-level speed and treat their fresh deposit like an all-you-can-eat buffet. In that moment, your perfect pup transforms from social media star to horror show, leaving you questioning everything you thought you knew about your life. If you're currently nodding along while trying not to gag, know that you're not alone. This surprisingly common behavior, known scientifically as coprophagia, affects many dogs and mortifies countless owners. Let's dive into this unsavory topic with a healthy mix of humor and helpful advice - because sometimes, you just have to laugh to keep from crying.
In my years of working with perplexed (and often grossed-out) dog owners, I've heard countless theories about why dogs develop this unsavory habit. Some pups pick it up early, especially if they spent their formative weeks in environments where waste wasn't promptly cleaned up. Others might be following their genetic programming - certain breeds were historically developed to carry all sorts of things in their mouths, though I'm pretty sure "poop" wasn't in the original job description. Stress can also play a role, with some dogs turning to this stomach-turning behavior as a coping mechanism for anxiety or negative emotions. But here's the real scoop on poop-eating: while understanding the "why" can be interesting, it often doesn't matter as much as people think. What's more important is acknowledging your dog's current behavior and developing a solid plan to change it. Getting caught up in the origin story might make for fascinating dinner conversation (though maybe save this particular topic for another time), but it won't necessarily help you solve the problem faster. What matters most is where we go from here.
The Case of Sir Snacks-a-Lot
Meet my client and their six-month-old Golden Retriever (let's call him "Sir Snacks-a-Lot" - though his culinary choices left much to be desired). This pup had developed quite the post-potty routine: eliminate, spin around, and... bon appétit! Sometimes the "delicacy" wouldn't even have time to hit the ground. The owner had received that all-too-common advice from their breeder: "Don't worry, they'll grow out of it!" But here they were, six months in, and Sir Snacks-a-Lot was still treating every bathroom break like a drive-through opportunity.
To complicate matters, their well-intentioned attempts to stop the behavior had backfired spectacularly. The cue "leave it" - typically a useful tool in any dog trainer's arsenal - had transformed into what we call a "poisoned cue." Rather than preventing the unwanted behavior, "leave it" had become the dinner bell, causing their pup to speed up their self-service snacking. It was essentially saying, "Quick! Eat it before they stop you!" Clearly, we needed a fresh approach.
Building Better Habits: The Training Plan
The first step, as with any concerning behavior, was ruling out medical causes. Then we moved on to the critical management phase - because let's face it, you can't teach your dog a new trick if they're still practicing their old "specialty." Management is like pressing pause on the undesired behavior while you work on your new game plan. For Sir Snacks-a-Lot's owner, this meant committing to a more hands-on bathroom routine for the next 3-4 months.
The protocol was straightforward but required dedication: every single potty break would now be a leashed event. No exceptions. The leash served as our "pause button," physically preventing our pup from turning bathroom time into snack time.
But prevention alone wasn't enough - we needed to change the dog's fundamental impulse to spin around and treat their waste like a post-workout protein shake.
Here's where the counterconditioning magic came in: the owner would lead their dog to the designated potty area on leash and give the cue to eliminate. The moment the deed was done, they would immediately call their dog away (using the leash if needed) and launch into a 30-60 second feeding of high-value treats. Think of it as replacing their dog's self-made "dessert" with something infinitely more appealing. This protocol ran for four solid weeks, with zero deviations and zero opportunities for poop-eating. Consistency was key - this wasn't the time for half-measures or "just this once" moments.
At our four-week check-in, we were looking for evidence that our "poop equals treats from owner" equation was starting to compute in Sir Snacks-a-Lot's brain. And we saw promising signs - after finishing their business, our formerly self-serving pup was now making an initial move toward their owner for the good stuff. However, you could still see the mental tug-of-war playing out: "Treats are great, but... maybe I could get both?" That lingering backward glance told us that while we were on the right track, our pup wasn't quite ready to completely ghost their old habits.
The owner was seeing only modest improvements. "But wait," I reminded them, "we're just four weeks into reshaping a behavior that your pup has been practicing and perfecting for six months!" While the changes weren't dramatic, the dog was showing early signs that the new association was building - and that was exactly what we wanted to see. One of the most common mistakes in dog training is not giving an association enough time to truly take root. Creating strong, reliable behavior patterns isn't like downloading a new app - it's more like growing a garden. You don't get a full bloom after just a few days of watering.
So we stayed the course, keeping our strict management and counterconditioning protocol in place for four more weeks. By our eight-week checkpoint, Sir Snacks-a-Lot was showing real promise. Instead of eyeing their own output like a gourmet meal, they had developed a new post-poop routine: make a beeline for their owner, enjoy their "proper" treats, and happily trot inside. Success! Well... almost. We still had one major hurdle to clear: Operation Leash Freedom.
This was the delicate part - like removing the training wheels from a bike. Our new habit was just eight weeks young and about as sturdy as a house of cards in a gentle breeze. One misstep, one successful snack revival, and we'd be back at square one, watching our progress flush away (pun intended).
So we crafted a careful transition plan. First, we switched to a lightweight leash - think kitty cat leash. This gave our pup the illusion of more freedom while maintaining our safety net. When that change went smoothly, we progressed to the "drag line" phase - the leash would still be attached but would trail behind the dog, ready to be grabbed if our friend had any fine dining flashbacks.
Finally, we started increasing the distance between owner and dog, having the owner now stand about 10 feet back. This created a new pattern: finish business, sprint to owner for treats, and head inside together, with the safety line merely dragging along as a backup plan. It was like gradually removing the safety net while making sure the trapeze artist was completely confident in their new routine.
While our leash transitions were underway, we had another challenge to tackle: the verbal and visual cues that had accidentally become dinner bells. Words like "leave it" and "drop it" had transformed into "quick, eat it before they stop you!" in Sir Snacks-a-Lot's mind. Thankfully, it was relatively straightforward to retire these compromised cues and introduce fresh ones that carried no poop-eating baggage.
But the trickier poisoned cue was surprisingly mundane: the simple sound of a poop bag being pulled from a pocket. This rustling noise had become our pup's version of a fast-food drive-thru bell, triggering an urgent need to consume their deposit before cleanup could commence. Through careful counterconditioning, we taught him that the sound of a poop bag emerging meant good things would come their way if they sat politely - no self-service cleanup required. It was like reprogramming their internal GPS to lead them toward treats from their owner instead of... well, you know.
At the three-month mark, we hit a major milestone: zero poop-eating incidents for 10 weeks straight. But we weren't quite ready to drop the mic - we had one final challenge to tackle: achieving independent potty breaks through the dog door without turning them into self-serve buffet opportunities.
We approached this like a game of "How far can you go?" Starting with the owner just 5 feet away, we gradually increased the distance to 10 feet, then to the back door, in a sort of potty-training moonwalk. Sir Snacks-a-Lot would trot down the ramp, do their business, and return for their reward, all while maintaining their new "no sampling" policy.
From Supervised Snacker to Independent Pooper
The final phase was a bit like weaning a teenager off having a parent wait up for them: first, the owner stood inside with the door half-closed, then just ajar, and finally on the other side of the dog door entirely. Each small step built confidence while maintaining our hard-earned no-poop-eating habit. Eventually, our reformed pup was confidently using their dog door, handling their business appropriately, and returning inside - no supervision (or sampling) required.
This case study shows that creating new, healthy habits is possible even with behaviors as challenging as poop-eating. Through systematic training and positive reinforcement, we transformed a concerning behavior into a distant memory. The key wasn't in "breaking" the old habit, but rather in building a new, more appealing routine while preventing rehearsal of the unwanted behavior. Remember - this Golden Retriever went from attempting to catch their deposits mid-air to calmly using a dog door for independent potty breaks!
Quick Start Guide for Addressing Poop-Eating:
1. Immediate Management (Start These Today):
Take your dog out on leash for ALL potty breaks - this prevents the undesired behavior while teaching new habits
Have treats easily accessible before taking your dog out
Feed your dog food immediately after elimination
2. Important Questions to Consider:
Has your dog had a recent vet check?
In what specific scenarios does your dog eat their poop?
Have any of your reactions (grabbing poop bags, saying "leave it", rushing toward them) become signals that trigger quick poop-eating?
Can you commit to supervised, leashed potty breaks for several months while building new habits?
3. What You'll Need:
Regular 6ft leash
High-value treats (easily accessible in pockets or treat pouch)
Poop bags
Outdoor shoes by the door for quick access
Flashlight for night potty breaks
4. What NOT To Do:
Don't scold or chase your dog
Avoid using cues that have become predictors of the behavior
Skip the commercial "anti-poop eating" products
Don't assume they'll "grow out of it" - create new habits instead
Never give opportunities for the behavior to be practiced
As shown in the case study above, successfully addressing poop-eating requires a systematic approach and consistency. Working with a professional trainer will help you develop a customized plan that addresses your specific situation and builds lasting new habits.
While having a poop-eating pup can feel embarrassing, frustrating, and even hopeless at times, the case study above demonstrates that change is possible. Creating new, healthy habits takes time and consistency, but with proper management and training, you can help your dog learn better choices. Your dog isn't trying to gross you out - they just need your help developing new patterns. And remember, you're definitely not alone in dealing with this challenge (even if it's not the most popular topic at the dog park).
Want more scoop on poop and other pressing dog training matters? Sign up for my monthly newsletter! I promise to keep it fun, practical, and mercifully free of detailed descriptions of canine dietary choices. Each month, I'll drop some training wisdom directly into your inbox - everything from behavior tips to training tricks.
And if you're currently living with your own "Sir Snacks-a-Lot" or dealing with other challenging dog behaviors, don't suffer in silence! Check out my training services page to learn how we can work together to create better habits (and keep your dog's menu limited to actual dog food). Whether it's poop-eating, furniture-redesigning, or mailman-serenading, I've seen it all and can help you and your pup find a better way forward.
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