Eating Other Dogs' Poop

Let's talk about eating other dogs' poop. First, see your vet, because coprophagia across dogs can signal malabsorption in the eater, or a too-rich diet in the donor. Both are fixable.

Step one: pick up the yard the moment the donor dog finishes. Management first, training second. Step two: separate the dogs for fifteen minutes after the donor dog poops so the younger dog never gets the chance.

Step three: teach a leave-it at the source. The dog sees the poop, looks at you, gets paid. Step four: do not punish after the fact.

The dog cannot connect the yelling to the act, and yelling makes the dog faster and sneakier. Match the dog to the family. Multi-dog homes need twice the management, not twice the rules.

Now, the deeper fix: in multi-dog homes, management runs the show. Pick up faster, separate longer, and the donor dog's stool never becomes a meal. Now here's Steve's notes.