Chihuahua Coprophagia -

5 Steps to Stop a Dog from Eating Feces

Here we will cover:

Coprophagia means the consumption of feces, and this problem is not uncommon with canines. A Chihuahua may eat only the feces of other animals (most often another dog or a cat in the household), just his own, or both.

Eating poop may be a habit that develops over time and the behavior can come and go, so this can be seen with a Chihuahua of any age from a young pup to an older adult dog. 

There are 4 mains causes: 

1. A poor diet that leads to nutritional deficiencies. Out of instinct, a dog will look elsewhere for food sources. This may surprise owners whose Chihuahua turns down regular dog food; however, we will cover this up ahead. 

2. Stress. Often paired with diet issues, a puppy or dog may eat feces just when home alone and/or during times of high stress. Do note that if you are not with your Chihuahua it is difficult to determine the dog’s stress levels; and we’ll go over this as well. 

3. Boredom. If a Chihuahua is left with very little to do, he may investigate his immediate surroundings. If there is nothing there of interest other than feces, he may eat them. 

4. Nutrient absorption. Some dogs, particularly young puppies and older seniors, may have some trouble absorbing nutrients from their food, even owners are providing a quality diet. 

Very rarely. While this can become a habit of sorts, one or more of the top 4 reasons above are almost always at play.

Yes. If a dog eats his own feces and is being treated for worms, the worms being shed into the stools can re-infect the dog. If a dog eats the feces of other dogs, he can contract worms or disease (campylobacteriosis, corona, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, parvo, salmonellosis). 

If a dog eats cat poop and the cat is shedding worms, these can be transferred. And there are several diseases that can pass from cats to dogs including clostridia, salmonella and campylobacter. 

In addition, chronic coprophagia often points to nutritional deficiencies, which in itself can have both short term and long-term effects, so for this reason you’ll want to stop your Chihuahua from doing this. 

In most cases, a Chihuahua’s reasons for eating poop will be due to more than one cause. And each cause has several fixes. 

Therefore, for the best chance of success, you’ll want to carefully go over each of the following remedies and work to make every change that is applicable. 

It’s normal for owners to completely bypass this cause, and this is often because a Chihuahua will eat such a small amount of food that it seems near impossible for the dog to actually then be hungry enough for feces.

However, coprophagia is not necessarily solely related with actual hunger or appetite. Though hunger can play a role, this also has to do with the level of nutrients in a Chihuahua’s food. 

This of it this way... A Chihuahua's calorie requirements are rather low. A typical 5-pound adult Chihuahua only needs about 225 calories per day. Depending on which brand of food is given, this will be 1/4 to 2/3 cup per day.

Chihuahua A is eating 1/2 cup of highly nutritional, additive-free, wholesome food each day. The dog is receiving a great balance of vitamins and minerals and the right ratios of fats, carbs, and protein. This dog has a hearty appetite, and is always happy to get a treat. When he’s given a snack, it is just as high quality as his main diet. His body is lacking nothing. 

Chihuahua B is eating 1/2 cup of inferior dog food. It has some awful additives like chemical preservatives and artificial flavoring that’s making the dog feel run-down. The meats are by-products, so protein levels are not meeting the dog’s requirements.  

The food has quite a bit of fillers like cheap corns, husks, and hulls which make the dog feel full at the time, but since these pass through the body without being digested, it leaves the Chihuahua unsatisfied soon afterward. These undigested fillers are also present in the stools, leaving bits of ‘food’ in the feces.  

This Chihuahua’s appetite is poor and his owners always need to work at encouraging him to eat.

You’re right if you guessed the 2nd Chihuahua. His body is craving a wide range of nutrients. And even though he doesn’t gulp down his dinners, his body is lacking what he needs and that triggers a canine urge to seek alternative food sources or at least investigate them. 

1. If your Chihuahua keeps eating poop and you are not 100% confident in your Chihuahua’s food, it’s time to reassess things. 

You’ll want to pay attention to both main kibble and snacks, since treats can account of 10 to 30% of a dog’s diet. 

Steer clear of any kibble or snacks that contain artificial coloring, flavoring, chemical preservatives, meat by-products, generic meat sources, high grain counts, or fillers (husks, hulls, soy). 

Do offer a superior kibble and snacks that are 100% all-natural, only contain wholesome foods and ingredients.

2. If you are already feeding your Chihuahua the best diet possible, read ahead for other fixes, including addressing a possible nutrient absorption issue. 

Below are some of our top choices for both kibble and snacks that help insure a super healthy, balanced diet. Wellness Core is one of the absolute best. The 2nd option, Lil' Plates for Small Breeds, is a great choice if you are looking for a chicken alternative. If you do not see the images, try a refresh. And on mobile, you may need to turn your screen horizontal to see all 4.

In many cases, a Chihuahua will eat poop because he is not being supervised. Maybe the dog is allowed to go outside to a fenced yard by himself, where he eats poop that was not previously picked up or his own right after having a bowel movement.  

In other cases, dogs taken out for walks or to other places while on leash may run ahead, sniff around, and mouth feces found along the way. 

Though you cannot control access to feces when your Chihuahua is home alone (more ahead), these situations where owners are witnessing a Chihuahua eating poop are entirely preventable. There just needs to be a stricter supervision in place.

1. Do not allow your Chihuahua to go outside alone., even if you have a fenced in yard.  

2. Clean up feces in the yard.

3. If you have a cat, keep the litter box out of reach of your Chihuahua. Since cats can climb and dogs cannot, many owners opt for the top of the dryer or washing machine. 

It’s very common for a Chihuahua to be home alone for 7, 8, or 9 hours if owners are away at work or school. And there’s nothing you can do to stop a dog from needing to go to the bathroom. 

So, how do you stop a Chi from eating his own poop if you’re not there to witness it? Fortunately, there are some things that can help. 

Do remember that a main cause of coprophagia is lack of proper diet, so these steps must be done alongside a food reassessment (see step #1). Then, addressing both boredom and stress issue can be an effective part of resolving the problem. 

1. Set up a 'den'. This helps in 2 ways:

One of the best methods is to use a canine playpen (see images below). You’ll notice that we recommend one with a door, this can be left open for a Chihuahua to come and go as he pleases when you are home.

Inside this, have a quality dog bed, food and water, treat release toy (a good method for leaving a mid-day meal), and of course toys (see next point). 

2. Offer toys that keep your Chihuahua entertained and focused. A dog that is busy will rarely stop to eat his own poop. So, the goal will be to offer as much fun, independent play as possible. 

Toys that can help accomplish this include those that speak or make noises. 

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To help reduce stress when home alone: 

Please note that if you suspect that your Chihuahua is having trouble absorbing nutrients, this is best diagnosed by a veterinarian. 

A red flag would be if a Chihuahua puppy is having a hard time gaining weight or if an adult is having issues maintaining. This also includes instances where a Chihuahua is already eating the best food and snacks possible, but is still seeking out feces.  

In many cases, this can be attributed to a treatable health issue, including worms, so a complete examination is highly recommended. 

This said, trouble with nutrient absorption is not uncommon with this breed. In particular young puppies and seniors may need a boost. 

If all health issues have been ruled out, and there’s no food changes to be made, you may want to consider a prozyme supplement designed to help dogs with better absorption of nutrients.

Better absorption of nutrients works along the same lines as switching to a better, higher-quality food as covered in Step #1. 

Prozyme (an all-natural plant derived enzyme) helps break down nutrients and aids in the digestion of fats, protein, fiber, and carbohydrates.

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The 5 steps to stopping coprophagia are to only offer superior foods, limit access, take steps to cure boredom and stress, consider using a supplement as an additional aid, and treating any nutrient absorption problems. 

In most cases, it will be a combination of one or more of these steps to find success. If your Chihuahua has other issues including but not limited to weight loss, diarrhea, loose stools, and/or lethargy, a veterinary exam in recommended.