How to Stop a Dog from Eating Poop with Pineapple

Co-authored by Lauren Novack and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: July 19, 2024 Fact Checked

It’s a dog owner’s nightmare: you lean in to give your furry friend a kiss, only to realize that they’ve just eaten a hot, steaming turd from outside. Eating poop is not only gross, but it can actually make your dog sick or give them parasites, so it’s good to nip it in the bud right away. If your canine best friend has a feces-eating habit they just can’t kick, read on to learn why they might be eating poop and how you can use pineapple to stop it.

How to Use Pineapple to Stop Dogs from Eating Feces

Add 2-3 chunks of pineapple to your dog's food once a day, and the enzymes will make your dog's poop smell bad and undesirable. When you take your dog out, keep them away from any areas with dog poop and monitor what your dog gets into.

Section 1 of 5:

Reasons Why Dogs Eat Poop

Download Article

1
Dogs might eat poop because of an underlying health problem. If eating poop is a new behavior for your dog, take them to the vet to get checked out. Sometimes (but not always), a dog starts eating poop because they are having a medical issue. Common medical problems related to feces-eating include:^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source

American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source}
- Parasites
- Malabsorption syndromes
- Diabetes
- Drug side effects
- Malnutrition
2
Eating poop can also be a behavioral issue. Often, dogs who engage in eating poop do so out of boredom, anxiety, or isolation. Studies show that dogs who are kept alone rather than with humans are more likely to engage in poop-eating. If you’ve been keeping your dog out of the way somewhere, like in a kennel or a basement, they might be showing that they’re upset by eating their own poop.^{[2]
X
Trustworthy Source

American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.

Go to source}
- Try fixing the issue by spending more time with your dog and allowing them to be more social, if you can.
- Take a note of your dog’s overall disposition: have they been more lethargic, anxious, or destructive lately? If so, this could explain their sudden urge to eat feces.^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  American Kennel Club
  The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
  
  Go to source}
- If your dog is bored, they may need more mental stimulation. Try playing fun games or hiding treats for them to find to exercise their mind as well as their body.
- A lot of times, young dogs will experience anxiety during house training. If they have an accident inside, they will eat the poop to “get rid of evidence,” but that only gets them punished more.
- Eating poop can also be a habit dogs learn from their mother. Fortunately, your dog can be trained out of this habit or discouraged from doing it, especially if they’re still young.^{[4]
  X
  Research source}

Section 2 of 5:

Can dogs eat pineapple as a poop-eating deterrent?

Download Article

Pineapple even works as a poop-eating deterrent because it makes poop smell bad.^{[5]
X
Research source} The enzymes in pineapple are thought to change the way a dog's poop smells and tastes, making it unappetizing.^{[6]
X
Research source} Although there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, most vets recommend it, since it doesn’t hurt to try it out.

Section 3 of 5: