Eating feces

Have a 15 mo old Papillon who eats other dogs feces. Have tried all we know to stop it. We are feeding Netro and think maybe she is not getting enough of something in her diet. Can anyone advise?

[Jim Humphries, B.S., D.V.M.]

There are many many reasons dogs do this.  it is technically called coprophagia.  

The reasons vary from boredom, curiosity, "normal" and rarely nutritional. In today's commercial pet food market, nutrient or mineral insufficiency almost never happens, unless there is an absorption problem.  

Main problem with this is the bad breath and the digestive upset it causes.  

I've found this to be primarily a behavioral problem based on the fact that the feces are THERE!  

So the simplest cure is to keep the yard picked up strictly especially during a training period.  I've tried sabotaging some and every dog I know just "likes" it.  

Also a mentally stimulated, exercised, happy tired dog rarely displays these introverted and bored behaviors.  So walk, do Obedience class, play in the park etc.  

Always have him on a leash, hence you have a handle on his mouth and thus prevent the eating.  

When off leash if possible be near by to verbally correct the behavior.  

It takes six months of this consistent training to have an effect.  If he gets one bit in that time, you are back to day one.  

Some veterinarians even Rx anti-depressants for these dogs.  I think it can be handled with a clean yard, a rich fun environment, and a leash.