Coprophagia (stool eating) is common in dogs and while usually not medically serious, can signal nutritional or behavioral needs and poses health risks from ingestion of parasites and pathogens.
Coprophagia causes welfare concern primarily through health risks from pathogen exposure and the potential underlying welfare signals it may represent. Anxiety-driven coprophagia indicates underlying stress that requires behavioral support. In dogs with nutritional deficiencies, the behavior may represent a self-correcting strategy that highlights inadequate diet. The disgusted human response sometimes leads to punishment that worsens underlying anxiety. Management should focus on health risk reduction through parasite control and leash walking, combined with investigation of underlying causes.