The honest answer is that no single product reliably stops dogs from eating poop. Three large questionnaire-based studies found that the success rate of commercial coprophagia deterrents and behavior modification approaches was close to zero. The most effective strategy, by a wide margin, is simply preventing access to feces, combined with dietary changes and basic training. That said, some approaches work better than others, and understanding why your dog does this helps you pick the right combination.
Why Dogs Eat Poop in the First Place
Coprophagia (the clinical term for poop eating) falls into two categories: medical and behavioral. On the medical side, any condition that reduces nutrient absorption can drive a dog to recycle what it didn’t digest the first time around. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough digestive enzymes, is one well-documented trigger. Parasites, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, and thyroid disorders can also increase appetite abnormally, sometimes redirecting it toward stool. Dogs on extreme calorie restriction or poorly balanced diets may turn to feces to fill nutritional gaps.
Behavioral triggers are just as common. Stress, boredom, confinement, and living with another dog that already eats poop all increase the likelihood. Ironically, punishing a dog for the behavior can make it worse: the dog learns to eat the evidence faster. Dogs fed only once a day are more prone to it than those fed twice, likely because prolonged hunger lowers the bar for what counts as food.
If your adult dog suddenly starts eating poop, a vet visit is worth the trip. Blood work and a fecal exam can rule out malabsorption, enzyme deficiencies, and parasites relatively quickly.
How Commercial Deterrent Products Work
Most coprophagia deterrent tablets and chews share a similar formula. The leading ingredient in many products is yucca extract (from the desert plant Yucca schidigera), typically dosed around 400 mg per tablet. The idea is that yucca reduces stool odor, making it less attractive. Some products also include a proprietary enzyme blend containing amylase, lipase, cellulase, and protease, which are meant to improve digestion so fewer undigested nutrients end up in the stool. Probiotics and breath-freshening herbs round out the ingredient list.
The problem is the evidence. One crossover trial fed 15 dogs a diet with or without yucca extract for 20 days, then tracked how much of their own feces they consumed using radio-opaque markers. Dogs on the yucca diet ate less poop (recovering 93% of the markers versus 71% on the control diet), but the difference wasn’t statistically significant. As one review put it, there is no convincing experimental evidence for yucca’s efficacy as a coprophagia deterrent. Some owners report improvement, but controlled data to back those claims is thin.
Another common ingredient in deterrent products is a wheat gluten and MSG combination, which is generally recognized as safe for dogs. Occasional loose stools have been reported, and it may not be appropriate for dogs with kidney disease.
Home Remedies: Pineapple, Meat Tenderizer, and Pumpkin
Pineapple is the most popular home remedy you’ll see recommended online. It contains bromelain, a protein-digesting enzyme that supposedly makes stool taste bitter or unpleasant after passing through the digestive tract. Bromelain is the same enzyme responsible for that tingling, slightly burning sensation you feel when eating fresh pineapple. The logic is straightforward, but no controlled studies have tested whether feeding pineapple to dogs actually reduces coprophagia. Some owners swear by a few chunks of fresh pineapple with meals; others see no change at all.
Meat tenderizer works on a similar principle. It contains papain or bromelain, enzymes that break down proteins more thoroughly during digestion. VCA Animal Hospitals notes that digestive enzymes in the form of meat tenderizers may help increase protein digestion, resulting in a less palatable stool. If your dog’s coprophagia is partly driven by undigested protein in the feces, this approach has at least a plausible mechanism. Use unseasoned meat tenderizer and sprinkle a small amount on food.
Canned pumpkin is another common suggestion, though its role is different. It adds fiber and bulk to stool, which may change the texture and appeal. It won’t address the underlying drive to eat feces, but some dogs lose interest when stool consistency changes.
Dietary Changes That Actually Help
Adjusting what and how you feed your dog is more likely to make a difference than any supplement. VCA Animal Hospitals recommends switching to a more highly digestible diet or one with different protein sources. The reasoning is simple: if your dog absorbs more nutrients from food, less ends up in the stool, and the stool becomes less appealing.
Dogs on calorie-restricted diets (for weight loss, for example) may benefit from switching to a high-fiber or high-bulk formula, which helps them feel full without adding calories. Feeding twice a day instead of once also reduces the hunger-driven motivation to scavenge.
For dogs with diagnosed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, diet matters enormously, but the right diet varies from dog to dog. A study of 25 dogs with EPI tested high-fat, high-fiber, and highly digestible low-residue diets and found that responses were unpredictable across individuals. Some dogs improved on one diet and worsened on another. The researchers concluded that feeding plans need to be individually tailored, which means working with your vet rather than guessing.
Training: The “Leave It” Redirect
The American Kennel Club recommends building two reliable cues: “leave it” and a strong recall. The simplest version works like this: as soon as your dog finishes pooping, call them to you and reward with a high-value treat. Over time, the dog develops a habit of turning toward you after defecating instead of turning toward the pile on the ground. This doesn’t eliminate the drive, but it gives you a reliable window to pick up the stool before the dog gets to it.
Consistency matters more than the specific technique. If you reward the redirect 80% of the time and miss 20%, the dog learns that checking the poop is still worth trying. Keep treats on you during walks, and pick up after your dog immediately, every time.
Why Preventing Access Works Best
Across multiple surveys of dog owners, the single most effective intervention was also the least glamorous: picking up poop right away. This lines up with what veterinary behaviorists recommend. No deterrent tablet or home remedy works as reliably as simply removing the opportunity.
In a multi-dog household, this means cleaning the yard daily (or more often), supervising outdoor time, and keeping litter boxes out of reach if your dog also targets cat feces. On walks, keep your dog on a short enough leash to redirect them before they reach another dog’s stool. For dogs that eat their own feces, standing nearby during elimination and immediately calling the dog away with a treat makes the behavior nearly impossible to practice.
The pattern across all the research is consistent: coprophagia is stubbornly resistant to any single fix. The dogs that improve tend to have owners who combine several strategies at once: a dietary adjustment to reduce stool appeal, enzyme supplements to improve digestion, consistent “leave it” training, and rigorous cleanup to remove the opportunity entirely. No magic pill exists, but layering these approaches gives you the best chance of breaking the habit.