Of all the repulsive habits our dogs have—drinking from the toilet, rolling in swamp muck, licking their butts— nothing disgusts most owners more than pondering why dogs eat poop.
Their motivation may not be to gross us humans out, but it certainly does. So much so, in fact, that poop eating is often a reason people try to rehome a dog or even opt for euthanasia.
For some species, such as rabbits, eating fecal droppings is a totally normal way of obtaining key nutrients. In fact, if you prevent rabbits from doing this, they will develop health problems, and young ones will fail to thrive.
When it occurs in puppies, coprophagia is generally considered part of the process of exploring the world around them.
If your adult dog starts to dine on dung, you should consult with your vet to rule out health problems
Vitamin supplementation: There’s been a long-standing theory that dogs eat feces because they are missing something in their diets, so a dog multivitamin could be helpful.
Enzyme supplementation: The modern canine diet is higher in carbohydrates and lower in meat-based proteins and fats than the canine ancestral diet.