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Why is my dog eating poop from her training pad? How to stop it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 8 months and 21 days old | 13 lbs

I always put a puppy training pad in my house ever since my dog has been a younger puppy. Once the pad is used I replace it with new one. She recently started eating her poop from it, I don’t know why. How can I get her stop?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on March 9th, 2019

Dogs will eat stool out of boredom, curiosity or in an attempt to correct a nutritional deficiency. She may outgrow the behavior eventually. Pick up stool immediately after she goes. Keep her occupied and engaged with toys and tasks to distract her from stool. Review her diet with your veterinarian to identify and correct any potential deficiencies. There are also food additives, such as For-Bid, that may deter her from eating feces.

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Mara Howard, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 30th, 2017

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Dogs can develop a habit of eating their own stool; if they are on a well balanced diet, it typically is not due to a nutritional deficiency but a behavioral issue. There are products (such as Forbid) that can be added to the food to help decrease this behavior, or adding a small amount of pineapple juice may help as well. To help encourage your puppy to listen, I would recommend a basic obedience class, as they can be very helpful in establishing your bond! Good luck!

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    36Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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