Why dogs may do it
Puppy exploration, learned behavior, scavenging, attention, anxiety, competition, or simply access can maintain coprophagia. Mother dogs normally ingest puppy feces during early nursing, so stool-eating behavior is not biologically foreign to the species.
When should medical causes be considered?
A sudden new behavior combined with weight loss, excessive hunger, chronic diarrhea, poor body condition, or increased thirst deserves veterinary evaluation for malabsorption, parasites, endocrine disease, or other illness.
Practical management
Pick up stool immediately, supervise outdoor elimination, teach a strong recall or “leave it,” and reward the dog for moving away from feces. Prevent access to cat litter boxes and wildlife feces when possible.
What about deterrent powders?
Products intended to make stool less appealing have inconsistent results because motivation varies. They work best, if at all, as an adjunct to environmental control and training rather than as the core solution.