How We Ranked These
Every food on this list was scored using KibbleIQ’s ingredient analysis rubric, which evaluates protein quality, filler content, preservative safety, and ingredient transparency on a 0–100 scale. For dogs with coprophagia, we layered the ACVB 2020 behavioral guidelines, the AAHA 2021 Nutritional Assessment, the ACVIM 2022 chronic enteropathy consensus, and Hart 2012 — the largest prevalence and motivation study to date. The nutritional contribution to coprophagia is narrow but real: dogs fed inadequate protein or highly processed low-digestibility diets produce stools with more undigested nutrients, and some dogs with subclinical pancreatic enzyme insufficiency will seek additional digestive enzymes from stool consumption.
We prioritized foods that (1) use highly digestible named animal proteins that leave minimal undigested residue, (2) include live probiotics and digestive enzymes, (3) deliver adequate caloric density so the dog doesn’t seek supplemental calories from non-food sources, and (4) provide balanced insoluble and soluble fiber for well-formed stool that is less attractive to re-ingest. Behavioral drivers — boredom, attention-seeking, scavenging reinforcement, hunger anxiety — are addressed through environmental management, not food choice; the ACVB behavioral intervention hierarchy places diet as one lever of several, not the primary one.
Our Top 5 Picks
1. Orijen — A (90/100)
Orijen’s 85% animal-ingredient inclusion (fresh and raw poultry, fish, and organ meat) combined with freeze-dried liver inclusion produces one of the highest protein digestibility profiles in the dry-kibble category — studies of biologically-appropriate formulations report 88–92% crude-protein digestibility versus 78–84% for conventional grain-heavy kibbles. Higher upstream digestibility means less undigested protein in the stool, which reduces the downstream re-ingestion appeal for enzyme-seeking dogs. Orijen’s natural probiotic botanicals (chicory root, dried fermentation products) provide prebiotic fiber for hindgut flora stability.
Pair diet changes with behavioral management: clean yards after every elimination during the re-training window, interrupt attempts with a cheerful recall, and reinforce “leave it” cues. Read our full Orijen review → · Shop on Amazon →
2. Wellness CORE — A (90/100)
Wellness CORE’s grain-free formulation puts deboned chicken, turkey, and chicken meal in the top three positions with chicory root and dried fermentation products providing prebiotic fiber support. The three-strain guaranteed-live probiotic analysis (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus coagulans) supports hindgut flora balance — relevant for the subset of coprophagic dogs whose behavior traces to GI dysbiosis rather than pure scavenging. CORE also carries higher caloric density per cup than conventional grocery kibbles, so hungry dogs on calorie-restricted diets don’t feel under-fed and compensate with scavenging.
If your dog is on a weight-loss protocol, review daily calorie allotment with your vet — some coprophagic dogs are under-fed in an attempt to manage weight. Read our full Wellness CORE review → · Shop on Amazon →
3. Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d — B (78/100)
When coprophagia co-occurs with soft stools, intermittent diarrhea, or documented bloodwork findings (low B12, elevated TLI / PLI), a vet-supervised GI therapeutic diet makes sense. Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d is formulated with highly digestible chicken and turkey, added ginger and prebiotic fiber (psyllium, inulin), and moderate fat levels that accommodate chronic enteropathy or subclinical pancreatic enzyme insufficiency. AAFCO feeding-trial substantiation and ACVIM chronic enteropathy consensus alignment give it one of the strongest evidence bases in the dietary-management category for suspected GI-origin coprophagia.
Requires a veterinary prescription. Use only after a GI workup confirms a GI-origin contribution — pure behavioral coprophagia doesn’t benefit from therapeutic-diet transitioning. Read our full Hill’s Rx i/d review → · Shop on Amazon →
4. Acana — B (88/100)
Acana’s WholePrey formulation shares the Champion Petfoods biologically-appropriate philosophy with Orijen at a modestly lower price point — 60% animal ingredients across the Heritage and Regionals lines, with named-animal proteins and organ inclusions providing natural enzyme and flora support. The carbohydrate base uses lentils, peas, and chickpeas rather than corn or wheat, which means fewer undigested fiber fractions in the stool. For dogs whose coprophagia partially traces to nutrient-seeking behavior on low-digestibility diets, Acana provides a similar leanness-of-stool profile to Orijen at a mid-premium price.
Pair with environmental management: walk on-leash during the re-training window, remove stool from the yard within 5 minutes of elimination, supervise multi-dog households during potty breaks. Read our full Acana review → · Shop on Amazon →
5. Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach — B (76/100)
Pro Plan Sensitive’s salmon-and-oatmeal formulation delivers feeding-trial-backed digestibility at an accessible price tier, with live probiotic Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 guaranteed at minimum counts through end-of-shelf-life. Oatmeal as the primary carbohydrate provides a more digestible fiber source than corn or wheat stacks, which reduces undigested stool bulk. The Purina Institute has published canine digestibility studies supporting the GI-assurance formulation — one of the few research-pedigreed GI-targeted diets at this price point. For dogs whose coprophagia is mild-to-moderate and not accompanied by overt GI disease, this is a reasonable non-prescription mid-tier option.
Transition gradually over 7–10 days. If coprophagia persists beyond 4–6 weeks on any diet, book a vet consultation to rule out exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (cPLI / TLI testing), B12 / folate deficiency, or protein-losing enteropathy. Read our full Pro Plan Sensitive review → · Shop on Amazon →
What to Look for in Food for a Coprophagic Dog
Know your dog’s coprophagia type. Hart 2012 divided coprophagia into autocoprophagia (eating own stool) and allocoprophagia (eating other dogs’ stool). Allocoprophagia is more common (85% of coprophagic dogs in that study) and is primarily behavioral — a scavenging-reinforced habit. Autocoprophagia has a higher nutritional-contribution rate, especially if onset is recent. Recent-onset autocoprophagia in an adult dog warrants bloodwork to rule out malabsorption.
Rule out pancreatic enzyme insufficiency. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a well-documented cause of coprophagia — the dog seeks external enzymes to supplement what its own pancreas isn’t producing. Diagnostic cPLI / TLI blood testing is the gold standard; treatment is lifelong pancreatic-enzyme replacement therapy, not a food change. The ACVIM 2022 chronic enteropathy consensus places EPI testing in the first-tier workup for unexplained coprophagia with GI symptoms.
Adequate caloric density matters. Dogs on strict weight-loss diets sometimes develop coprophagia as a hunger-driven scavenging response. AAHA 2014 Weight Management Guidelines caution against caloric deficits greater than 25% of resting energy requirements without veterinary supervision. If coprophagia onset coincides with a weight-management diet change, review daily calorie allotment with your vet — slight upward adjustment can resolve the behavior without stalling weight loss.
Commercial deterrent additives have modest evidence. Supplements labeled as coprophagia deterrents (Forbid, NaturVet Coprophagia Deterrent, pineapple additives) work for 0–25% of dogs in published trials — Hart 2012 reported resolution rates under 2% for most commercial products. They don’t hurt but shouldn’t replace environmental management and training.
Environmental management is the highest-leverage intervention. The ACVB 2020 behavioral guidelines list environmental management as first-line: remove stool immediately, supervise during elimination, use on-leash walks during the re-training window in multi-dog households, and reinforce alternative behaviors (“come here” cue rewarded with high-value non-stool treats). Most coprophagic dogs are behaviorally reinforced through scavenging opportunity — remove the opportunity and the behavior fades.
Multi-dog households need stool-source control. Coprophagic dogs often target puppies’ stool (higher residual nutrients) or the stool of dogs on inferior diets (more undigested residue). If the offender is a senior dog whose housemate is an unweaned puppy, consider separating them at elimination times. If the offender is consuming a housemate’s stool from a low-quality diet, upgrading the housemate’s diet can reduce the target stool’s appeal.
Bottom Line
For coprophagic dogs with normal bloodwork and no GI symptoms, start with Orijen or Wellness CORE to maximize nutrient density and upstream digestibility, and pair the diet change with environmental management: immediate stool removal, on-leash walks, and “leave it” reinforcement. If coprophagia co-occurs with soft stools, weight loss, or bloodwork findings, talk to your vet about a trial of Hill’s Rx i/d alongside a cPLI / TLI workup. Most coprophagia has a behavioral driver; diet optimization is an adjunct, not a substitute for training.