Coprophagia - that's what vets and animal behaviorists call it when dogs eat their own faeces. To us, it's possibly the most disgusting thing a dog can do. Is Coprophagia harmful? What can we do to stop it? Will it make our dogs sick? Does it mean that something is missing from their diet?

Unfortunately we don't really know what causes Coprophagia. There could be many reasons. Some dog owners report that their dog is more likely to eat their own stool after a change in diet - usually to a processed food with preservatives. Owners of dogs who eat their own stool can find that dietary changes may end the habit, particularly changes to a higher quality or more biologically appropriate diet.

Some dog owners have found that Coprophagia stops if they add Pineapple to their dog's diet. It is not known whether the enzymes in the Pineapple address a dietary imbalance or whether it just doesn't make poo taste very good to a dog!

Coprophagia has been linked to stress and also to boredom. Regular physical and mental activity may decrease Coprophagia by either reducing stress of relieving boredom.

Picking up dog poo regularly will decrease Coprophagia by prevention. If the dog's living environment is particularly untidy then that may encourage bad habits.

Coprophagia is generally not harmful unless disease, bacteria or worms have colonised the stool and multiplied prior to ingestion. Dog poo does contain toxins which may become harmful in large repeated doses. There is a greater risk when dogs eat the stool of other dogs, and this should be managed carefully.

The biggest problem with Coprophagia is that humans find it disgusting, particularly the smell of doggy breath after ingesting faeces.

If your dog has a bad Coprophagia habit, please seek veterinary advice to ensure that your dog's health, diet and lifestyle are in order.