tell it to stop

my father used to hit (not hard just enough) our dog's mouth everytime they will chew things that they shouldn't chew or eat things like the problem you have and the dogs stop doing it after some time.. but i won't say that it is the most effective way to make your dog stop doin it..

There is a lot of info on the net about this. Better to Google the problem and browse through the suggestions as posted by reputable animal behaviorists than post it on Answerbag.

This is always a FUN (not) challenge! http://www.takingthelead.co.uk/3/BehAdv/coprophagia.htm This article is good for explaining many of the different aspects of this problem. http://www.google.com/search?q=Dog+eats+Faeces This is the Google search site information on Coprophagia, which is the technical scientific name for this not so little problem. KEEP IN MIND...Coprophagina is a topic in which there actually HAS BEEN, (counter to one site's suggesting it to be a mystic research of little study..), STUDIED. The problem is that within the different research groups, trainers and so on...there are MANY, MANY different theories as to HOW AND WHY some dogs do this and others do not! Wonder of wonders...MANY RESEARCHERS AND TRAINERS DO NOT AGREE at all on this topic!!! It is reasonable to consider that Nutrition may play a roll, as well as understanding that training with NEGATIVE reinforcements, (yelling, hitting) may also contribute to the dog wanting to HIDE the poop from the possible angry people so as to avoid being frightened when the poop is discovered by the owner/trainer. Yet another good reason to use Positive Reinforcements when house training! As for how to stop or at least slow down this behavior some helpful steps to do would be: Do NOT yell at the dog if you catch it in the act. Yelling promotes stress, and stress contributes to more accidents and more reactive behaviors you may not want the dog to do. KEEP THE POOP PICKED UP. Train the dog to "drop it!" This is a useful command for a number of reasons in addition to the problem at hand. You have to teach the dog that DROPPING what is now in it's mouth, EARNS it something BETTER to put in it's mouth...a prime treat...such as a small piece of Human grade Beef Jerky! Or a bit of cooked chicken liver! (both inexpensive goodies, the dried Jerky, however can easily be kept cut up and in a zip lock bag in your pocket, fanny bag or by the door; requiring no refrigeration! You teach Drop IT, using a toy that you can remove from the dogs mouth and replace with the treat and PRAISE for the dog releasing the toy. Leave it! Would be the next logical step...Leave it...means exactly THAT..don't even pick IT up. Walk away from IT. Same rules...Major treat, and praise...starting by leading the dog away from IT. Keep the dog on a lead to start when you are outside where it is finding the poop. Set the dog up to do EXACTLY what you want it to do, and then praise and treat the dog for successfully doing what you want! You may be disgusted, but you cannot react by getting pissed off about it...that only causes the dog stress and a stressed out dog is unlikely to do behaviors we want them to do successfully. Yelling, spanking or rubbing the dog's nose in the mess are all poor ideas. Removing it from the dog's mouth and REFOCUSING THE DOG'S ATTENTION ON AN ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR...is far more likely to get you what YOU WANT. (I don't want to touch THAT!!!! This is why we have antibacterial soaps, and little bottles of antibacterial liquid you can use without water. While I don't like so much over use of such products...there's a time and a place for them...and this is a good time!)