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the diet-switcher

Why some dogs eat what they shouldn't and the digestive reason most owners never hear about.

After eighteen years in small-animal practice, one question has followed me from exam room to exam room. Here is the honest, clinical answer and what I actually recommend before reaching for a spray bottle.

Dr. Elena Whitcombe, DVM : 18 years, small-animal internal medicine. Photograph by the author's clinic, 2025.

REVIEWED BY

Dr. E. Whitcombe, DVM Internal Medicine

Aavilo Veterinary Advisory Panel

Independent formulation review, 2024

READ TIME 

6 minutes · Updated for 2026

See What Dr. Whitcombe Recommends

01 — From the exam room

"Doctor why does my dog keep doing this?"

Over the past eighteen years, I've had countless owners ask me the same quiet, slightly embarrassed question. It usually comes at the end of the appointment, once the vaccines are done and the paperwork is signed. They lower their voice, look at their dog, and say some version of the same thing.

"He eats his own poop. What is wrong with him?"

Nothing is wrong with them, in the moral sense that owners often fear. The dog is not disgusting, spiteful, or broken. But the behaviour is real, it is persistent, and the standard advice a bitter spray, a shouted "no", a faster scoop very often fails. To understand why, we have to stop looking at the yard, and start looking at the gut.

02 — The clinical picture

Coprophagia is far more common than most owners realise.

1 in 6

Adult dogs exhibit coprophagia regularly, according to peer reviewed behavioural surveys.

Multiple

Causes ranging from nutrient absorption issues to learned behaviour and boredom.

Symptom

Taste deterrents disappoint many owners because they address the taste, not the underlying driver.

In clinical terms, coprophagia is a behavioural end-point the last visible step in a chain that usually starts much earlier, inside the digestive tract. Treating only the final step is why so many owners feel they've tried "everything."

03 — The mechanism

What a healthy digestion actually looks like.

Before we can explain the behaviour, we need to look at how a dog is supposed to process food and what happens when that process is even slightly off.

When digestion falls short

Poor digestion

Undigested nutrients remain

Stool smells more appealing

Some dogs revisit it
Title

The dog isn't misbehaving. They're finishing an unfinished meal.

A well-functioning gut

Food

Digestion

Nutrients absorbed

Healthy, firm stool
Title

Little of interest is left behind. The dog moves on.

Enzymatic support

Helps break food down into forms the gut can actually absorb.

Nutrient absorption

Fewer undigested nutrients passing into the stool.

Gut balance

A calmer, more resilient microbial environment.

Stool quality

Firmer, less odorous, and in plain terms less interesting.

04 — What I recommend

Aavilo Para-Klens a daily digestive support chew.

When owners ask what they can do beyond simply chasing their dog around the yard, I often recommend looking at digestive support first. Para-Klens is a plant-based, enzyme-supported soft chew developed with veterinary input to target that exact upstream issue.

Supports healthy digestion

Supports nutrient absorption

Helps maintain gut balance

Supports firmer, less odorous stools

Daily plant-based formula

Easy, palatable soft chew

Try Para-Klens 30-Day Supply

05 — From owners

Two kinds of owners tend to write in.

The soft-stool owner

"Our rescue always had loose, smelly stools and we assumed it was just 'him'. Once his digestion settled, the yard problem quietly went away. Honestly, I bought this for the poop-eating and stayed for the calmer stomach."

David K.Ollie, 6 · Rescue mix · Portland, OR

The deterrent veteran

"I've tried the sprays, the pineapple, the meat tenderiser. Nothing lasted. After about three weeks on Para-Klens, Milo's stools looked firmer and he stopped circling back to them in the yard. I wasn't expecting a supplement to be the thing that finally helped."

Hannah R.Milo, 4 · Terrier mix · Bristol, UK

Individual results vary. Testimonials reflect the experience of the individuals and are not a guarantee of outcome.

06 — Clinical FAQ

Honest answers,
from a veterinarian.

Title

Does it stop poop eating?

No supplement can honestly promise that, because coprophagia has multiple causes. Para-Klens is designed to support healthy digestion, which may help reduce one common digestive driver for some dogs.
Title

How long before I might notice a difference?

Digestion is a slow-moving system. Most owners give Para-Klens for at least three to four weeks before evaluating whether stool quality has changed.
Title

Can I use it alongside my dog's current food?

Yes. Para-Klens is designed as a daily add-on to a complete and balanced diet, not a replacement for it.
Title

Is it safe for puppies or seniors?

The formula is plant-based and generally well tolerated across life stages, but as with any supplement, please confirm suitability with your own veterinarian if your dog has an existing medical condition.
Title

What if it doesn't help my dog?

If digestion isn't the underlying driver, a supplement won't be the answer. In that case, a behavioural assessment with your veterinarian is the appropriate next step.
Title

A next step, not a promise

support the digestion first. see what changes.

Para-Klens is designed to be given daily for four to six weeks, giving the gut time to settle. Most owners begin to notice a difference in stool quality within the first month.

Order Aavilo Para-Klens

Disclaimer: I’m not a veterinarian—just a dog mom sharing what worked for me. This is my personal experience, and results may vary.