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The
technical, more polite name for what you are describing in your
dog's behaviour is coprophagia. It is a very common problem. Actually
in most canines it is a normal behaviour. Of course, mothers consume
their pups' droppings until they are old enough to get away from the
nest to eliminate, but dogs will eat other dogs' faeces and even
that of other species. It is a little more unusual for them to eat
their own, but it still happens.
The more a behaviour occurs the
more likely it will be repeated
 Assuming
other health concerns such as vaccinations and parasite elimination
have been taken care of by your veterinarian, and your dog is on a
well-balanced diet, then the idea that it comes from a vitamin
deficiency can be ruled out.
At this point, your dog's habit of eating faeces should be
approached from a behavioural perspective. The more a behaviour
occurs the more likely it will be repeated. That means physically
preventing it from happening helps your dog forget about it.
Whatever you do, it will take some time to modify the behaviour.
That
means letting your dog know that it is bad through a loud, firm,
scolding voice. You can use this method when your pet sniffs or
shows interest in faeces. It helps to have your pet on a leash when
outside to give you some physical control over movement as well.
Products
such as monosodium glutamate (seasoning salt) added to a pet's food
makes the faeces less desirable. A more direct approach includes
putting Tabasco or bitter lemon on the faeces itself. Some pet
owners simply clean the yard every day to remove any temptation.
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