My Dog Poops 13 Times A Day And Eats It
In this episode Kati walks through a striking case: a tiny rescue named Niblet who was defecating around 13 times a day and then eating the output, which only fueled more poops. Kati opens with a light travel anecdote — a lost tire and an emergency rescue, plus a surprise from her mom's dog — before getting into what actually drives compulsive coprophagia. She explains how undigested calories in stool can create a self-perpetuating cycle and why some common home remedies like pumpkin or pineapple rarely solve the underlying problem.
The core of the episode is practical training: you need intense structure, close supervision, and a strategy that reliably interrupts the behavior every time it appears. Kati describes using a consistent mark and a contingent, aversive consequence that the dog finds intolerable so the brain builds an inhibition against the action. One correction rarely suffices — repeated, properly timed corrections and careful management (short, watched freedom windows, strict housebreaking routines, and preventing access to feces) are required until the dog is truly “poop-proof.” She also covers handling accidents without coddling afterward and how an e-collar, when used appropriately, can be a useful tool in this process.
You’ll hear Niblet’s progress — from kennel and car accidents to producing a normal stool on a walk — and get clear, case-specific takeaways you can apply to dogs with similar problems or any objectionable behaviors that happen out of sight. If you want to follow up, send questions or case notes to Kati, support the podcast, or find more training resources and videos on the Diamond Canine site and social channels.
Episode Links
Minute-by-Minute Breakdown
- 00:00 – Kati Peppe opens the episode and asks listeners to subscribe.
- 01:00 – She says they lost a tire and will budget for car trouble on trips.
- 02:00 – They used an emergency beacon and called a familiar garage to rescue them.
- 05:00 – Her mom's dog peed on the car seat next to her unexpectedly.
- 07:00 – A tiny rescue dog in her care eats feces and is defecating far more than normal.
- 08:00 – Eating feces provides calories that increase stool output, perpetuating more consumption.
- 10:00 – You must adopt a different, structured lifestyle for housebreaking until the dog is reliable.
- 13:00 – One correction rarely suffices; repeat exposure to the scenario is required to prevent relapse.
- 14:00 – Niblet walks to the dog room and marks kennels because of other dogs' scents.
- 16:00 – Housebreaking demands strict supervision, structure, and gradual, watched freedom windows.
- 18:00 – Her current dog had two accidents—one in the car and one in a kennel—since arrival.
- 20:00 – On a morning walk she produced normal stool and showed no interest in eating it.
- 21:00 – She dismisses remedies like pumpkin or pineapple as ineffective because dogs love pumpkin.
- 22:00 – To stop behavior efficiently, attach a contingent, intolerable consequence to create inhibition.
- 24:00 – Make poop extremely unpleasant via correction so the dog avoids sniffing or eating it.
- 27:00 – After correcting, don't apologize or coddle; act unemotional and move on.
- 35:00 – Use e-collar appropriately as practical method; Kati signs off.