Eating fecal matter is not only unacceptable in human society, but is also a common behavior seen by dog owners. It’s unappealing and flat out gross according to the pet parents who bear witness to their pooches’ shocking habit, but there is hope for you if your dog is eating poop. First, understanding the reasons behind coprophagia, the act of eating fecal matter, will help you better understand how to stop and prevent it today.
Why Does My Dog Eat Poop?
There may be many reasons why dogs eat it, but there is no way around it, it’s gross. To the dog, however, he may be fulfilling an instinctual need. In the wild, wolves, coyotes, foxes and other canis are hunters and scavengers. When they hunt, they eat all of the animal. This includes the gut, and whatever the animal ate and processed. Yes, even the poop. As scavengers, they also eat anything they can find that had any nutrients and could sustain them. This includes the fecal matter of other animals and even their own.
There may be other causes. Sometimes, if a dog’s diet is lacking in certain nutrients, the dog may sense those in his droppings and eat them in order to regain the nutrients lost in the first round of digestion. However, these two may not be the only causes. It could be done out of boredom, they may have developed a compulsive behavior, similar to some chronic grass eaters, or they may simply like the taste of it. This last detail seems to matter especially if you have a dog who can’t stay out of the cat’s litter box.
Stop Coprophagia Now
As disgusting as eating poop can be, you have to remember it’s not just gross, it’s dangerous. Their wild counterparts may not have much to worry about, but in captivity, dogs have to worry about the spread of disease and harmful bacterias.
Thankfully, there are ways to combat this habit. First and foremost, picking up poop. Now, this may seem like a no brainer, however, some dogs do have a habit of immediately turning around and grabbing it before you can react. But for most dogs, simply picking it up immediately following a bowel movement will help stop the behavior. Sadly, this stops the behavior, but doesn’t help the underlying cause.
Things you may want to try include changing the diet or using an over-the-counter product. If you go the route of changing the diet, you want to go to a diet that is grain-free or, at the minimum, low carb. Studies have shown that dogs with grain or high amounts of carbs in their diet are more likely to lack nutrients, as the body isn’t able to process the food correctly before it’s expelled. There are also products made that cause the poop to taste bad, which are available at most pet stores. Check with your vet before doing this, however, as you want to ensure that there is no underlying health cause as to why your dog is Coprophagiac.
No Shame
Even though your dog has no shame in his poop eating behaviors, you probably feel pretty embarrassed by it. If you decide to seek help from your local veterinarian, dog trainer or pet supply store to end this behavior don’t feel weird for asking for help. It is a very common and natural thing that pet dogs partake in, but ultimately up to you, his family, to stop it.
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