To stop a puppy eating poop, tighten supervision, remove waste fast, teach “leave it,” and rule out medical causes with your vet.
Puppies mouth the world. Stool eating, or coprophagia, is messy and risky, yet fixable with a steady plan. This guide gives clear steps you can use today and explains why they work. If you searched “how to get puppy to stop eating poop,” you’re not alone.
How To Get Puppy To Stop Eating Poop: Step-By-Step Plan
Start with management, then training, then health checks. You’ll act on all three tracks in short daily bursts. The aim is simple: the puppy never rehearses the behavior and earns better habits fast.
Quick Fixes You Can Start Today
| Fix | How It Helps | When To Use |
|---|---|---|
| Leash In The Yard | Lets you steer the puppy away from droppings and reward on-time potty. | Every potty break for 2 weeks. |
| Pickup Within 30 Seconds | Removes the reward so the habit can’t fire. | All yards, kennels, and walks. |
| Teach “Leave It” | Gives a cue the pup learns to follow around temptations. | Five 3-minute drills daily. |
| Trade For Food | Reinforces dropping any item in the mouth. | Any time you see sniff–grab behavior. |
| Enclosed Potty Zone | Keeps the pup focused on one spot you can clean fast. | Small runs or a penned corner. |
| Chew And Play Time | Fills spare minutes that drive scavenging. | Two to three sessions daily. |
| High-Value Treats Ready | Rewards the right choice in the moment. | Carry on every outing. |
Teach A Rock-Solid “Leave It”
Use tiny food, a clicker or a marker word, and short reps. Hold a treat in a closed fist. The moment the nose backs off, mark and pay from the other hand. Repeat until the puppy backs off on sight. Place a piece on the floor under your foot. When the puppy looks up to you, mark and pay. Add the cue “leave it.” Then practice outdoors near plain grass, then near old droppings while leashed. Keep distance wide at first, then shrink it over days.
Reward What You Want At The Potty Spot
Clip the leash, walk to the potty zone, stand still, and wait. The instant the puppy finishes, toss treats on the ground while you step in to pick up. Feed again for walking away with you. This turns the routine into a mini game: go potty, eat snacks, move on.
Outsmart Common Triggers
Many puppies snack on droppings when bored, under-walked, under-fed, stressed, or seeking attention. Some copy mom dogs who clean the den. Some chase undigested bits in cat or rabbit stool. You’ll remove access, raise structure, and teach a few replacement skills.
Stopping A Puppy From Eating Poop: Real-World Triggers
Diet And Digestibility
Stool can hold undigested flavor if food runs through too fast. A more digestible diet cuts that lure. Ask your vet for a puppy food with strong digestibility and correct calcium-to-phosphorus balance. If your vet suspects parasites like coccidia, treatment and strict cleanup matter, since oocysts spread through feces and the yard.
Housetraining Gaps
When pups go unsupervised, they stumble into old piles. Tighten the schedule: outdoors after sleep, play, meals, and every hour while awake. Keep a light leash on in the house during free time so you can guide instead of chasing.
Attention Loops
Many pups learn that sniffing or grabbing stool makes you run over and engage. Switch to calm, quick trades and cleanups. Praise the moment your pup turns away. The less drama, the faster the habit fades.
Yard Hygiene And Public Spaces
Pick up fresh piles fast and scoop old ones daily. Bag and bin. Many parasites pass through stool and linger in soil; good hygiene lowers risk for dogs and people. See the CDC sheet on roundworms and hookworms for why cleanup and handwashing matter.
Training That Sticks
Pattern Walks
Walk the same route for a week so you can predict hot spots. Move briskly, cue “leave it” early, and reward check-ins. Shorter, more frequent walks beat one long slog for puppies.
Stationing And “Go To Mat”
Teach the puppy to park on a mat near the back door while you grab bags and treats. Toss a treat on the mat, say “mat,” feed a few more, then release. Build up to short waits with you moving around. This skill gives you a calm pause before yard trips.
Trade Games That Prevent Snatch-And-Sprint
Play two-toy and food-for-toy swaps so your puppy learns that giving things up pays. Then, when a gross find appears, your swap cue kicks in.
What About Additives?
Products that claim to make stool taste bad show mixed results in studies. Some dogs ignore the change. If you try one, do it alongside the management and training plan, and stop if you see tummy upset. Your vet can advise based on the brand and your pup’s diet.
Health Checks You Shouldn’t Skip
Most cases are behavioral, yet a few medical issues can sit under the habit: parasites, malabsorption, poor diet, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, or gastric upset. A basic exam, a fecal test, and a diet review rule in or out common culprits. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists both behavior and medical angles in its section on dog behavior problems; it’s a clear primer for pet parents and students alike.
What Your Vet May Do
- Run a fecal float and antigen tests.
- Review diet, feeding schedule, and body score.
- Treat parasites if present and set a deworming plan.
- Check for GI disease, diabetes, or endocrine issues as indicated.
- Refer to a credentialed behavior pro for sticky cases.
Red Flags That Need A Call
- Weight loss, soft stool, vomiting, or blood.
- Sudden change in appetite or thirst.
- Compulsive eating of non-food items.
- Lethargy or pain around the belly.
Two-Week Plan You Can Follow
Here’s a simple track you can print and stick on the fridge. It blends management, training, and cleanup into short daily habits.
| Day | Main Goal | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Stop Rehearsals | Leash in yard, instant pickup, reward away moves. |
| 3–4 | Build “Leave It” | Indoor drills, then yard at a distance. |
| 5–6 | Pattern Walks | Same route, early cues, pay check-ins. |
| 7–8 | Diet Review | Chat with your vet, tweak food if needed. |
| 9–10 | Trade Games | Daily swap sessions for toys and chews. |
| 11–12 | Close The Gaps | Short house leash during free time; gate off litter boxes. |
| 13–14 | Proof Outside | Practice near old piles while leashed; reward fast turn-aways. |
House Rules That Make Success Easier
Feed For Satiety And Regularity
Split meals into three or four feedings for young pups. Set a feeding window, pick up the bowl, and give a short chew session after meals. Regular input means regular output, which makes cleanup simple.
Make Cleanup A System
Hang a scoop, bags, and a small bin near the exit. Keep hand wipes at the door. A tidy yard lowers parasite risk and removes the buffet. The AKC’s overview on why dogs eat poop also lists prevention basics you’ll recognize in this plan.
Give The Brain A Job
Short sniffy walks, scatter feeds, and easy puzzle toys keep puppies busy. A busy brain hunts less for forbidden snacks. Five minutes of nose work often beats an hour of wild play for taking the edge off.
Lead With Calm
Keep your voice even. Move with purpose. Mark and reward the choices you like. Skip scolding near the potty spot, since it can push pups to hide the evidence next time.
When You’ve Tried It All
If the habit persists after two to four weeks of tight management and training, loop in your vet again and ask for a referral. Board-certified behaviorists and credentialed trainers can set a customized plan and, if needed, pair it with medication under veterinary care.
Proofing Around Real-Life Messes
Cat Litter Boxes
Many puppies raid litter boxes because the clumping texture and leftover food smells draw them in. Place the box behind a baby gate that cats can hop, add a covered entry facing a wall, and sweep tracked bits daily. Run two short training reps near the setup: cue “leave it,” reward a head turn, then escort the puppy away for a scatter of kibble. This routine keeps access low and pays for walking past the magnet.
Rabbit And Livestock Areas
Fields and barns carry bonus hazards since wild and farm animals shed parasites in droppings. Keep the puppy on a long line the first month in those zones and steer clear of fresh piles. Reward nose touches to your palm every few steps so the puppy checks in by habit. Rinse paws and lower legs after farm visits and stick to a deworming plan set by your vet.
Apartment Living
Shared grounds can hide piles in tall grass or tucked near shrubs. Walk a known loop where lighting is decent and the mower passes often. Bring a small flashlight for night trips. If a pile pops up mid-walk, step on the leash to limit reach, cue “leave it,” pay a fast treat, and move along at a steady clip.
Troubleshooting Checklist
If Progress Stalls
Go back to the last day where things worked and repeat that setup for two more days. Many plans slip because access opened up too soon. Bring back the yard leash, cut free time, and run three short “leave it” drills before every outing. Pay with better treats for one week to raise the value of turning away.
Measure What Matters
Track three numbers on a sticky note: piles picked up on time, training reps completed, and grabs intercepted. Aim for near-perfect pickup, fifteen quick reps, and near-zero grabs. Small wins stack fast when you can see them on paper.
Upgrade Management
Use a lightweight long line outdoors so you can reach the clip fast. Add a playpen next to your desk for short work blocks. Gate off rooms with litter boxes or kids’ sand kits. Keep a pouch with treats, bags, and a clicker by the back door so you never walk out empty-handed.
Sample Daily Routine
Morning: brief potty on leash, reward, pickup, then a five-minute training block. Breakfast in a puzzle feeder. Midday: short sniffy walk on a quiet loop, a scatter feed in the yard, then a nap in a crate or playpen. Late afternoon: trade game with toys, a second five-minute training block, and a calm chew while you cook. Evening: last potty on leash, reward, and quick cleanup. Lights out on a steady schedule so the bowels stay regular.
Safety Notes For Families
Teach kids to keep play areas free of droppings and food bits. Store litter boxes behind gates. Wash hands after yard work and walks. Bag and bin every pile, even in the far corner of the lawn. These small steps lower exposure for pets and people.
One Last Tip
Set a phone reminder titled “Scoop, Reward, Repeat.” That three-word cue keeps the cycle tight: remove the lure, pay good choices, and keep going.