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Dog Eating Poop aka Coprophagia
If you wondering why does my dog eat poop you’re not alone. Yes, poop eating in dogs is a repulsive habit that most dog owners experience at some time. It’s a yucky habit! And you wonder if it will make them sick, or if there is something wrong with them.
If humans did it beside being just wrong, they’d likely end up sick or dying of sepsis .However, in the dog world, it’s not quite the same. In fact, for some species of animals, it’s an important way of getting nutrients. So what are the reasons?
Why do dogs eat poop?
You might be thinking I feed my dog properly and with all that he needs so what’s with the poop eating ? In dogs, it’s only normal in rare situations for them to eat their own, or another pet’s feces. Sometimes (yuck) they actually just like the way it tastes!
Eating Cat Feces
If you have a cat then you may have caught your dog scratching in the kitty tray. Cat fecal matter actually contains quite a few beneficial nutrients. For this reason your dog might be instinctively drawn to the smell for that reason. With this said, nutrients or not, the poop eating habit should be discouraged. As dogs do not actually require consumption of feces to get adequate nutrients.
Dogs With Puppies
If your new momma dog is seen eating her feces near her pups, this is a way for her to keep her nursing area clean. She will also lick her babies clean, which will likely involve cleaning off naturally resulting in ingesting poop.
Behavioral Issues
Some dogs start doing this from a young age. Rescue dogs in particular may continue because no one actually saw them do it. Some may have eaten the poop in order to survive. This may be the case for a shelter or rescue dog who has been left to forage for themselves. Now you are caring for them and feeding them in time they will realize this is not necessary for their survival.
Health Issues
If the onset of poop eating is sudden, this is definitely a cause for concern. It may be caused by liver issues, brain issues or gastrointestinal issues–to name a few.
If you notice this plus other worrying symptoms like fatigue, vomiting or drooling — it’s time for a visit to your local veterinarian.
How to stop your dog eating poop?
Stopping poop eating won’t happen overnight. It will require training, patience, and positive reinforcement for good behavior.
It may also be brought about by a desire for attention, especially if you react by chasing them around or getting excitable at the prospect of feces in your dog’s mouth. They may misread this as playtime and think it’s a game or something silly to amuse you with.
You can start by ensuring that outside time is strictly observed, and poop cleaned up immediately once eliminated. Don’t give them the option of eating it! Be sure to reward them with positive reinforcement them when your dog eating poop is finished.
Secondly, if you have cats in the home be sure to clean the litter daily and put it in an area the dog can’t get to; baby gates work wonders!
Be sure to provide your pup with plenty of outlets to release anxiety in a healthy way. Exercise, puzzles for toys, games of fetch interspersed with plenty of quality time with you. This will ensure they feel relaxed, pleasantly tuckered out, and more likely to enjoy a real meal of kibble rather than fecal matter.
Concluding Why Does My Dog Eat Poop
It’s definitely disgusting, and can be a huge shock if you’ve never noticed it before or it comes on quite suddenly. Rest assured many dogs do it, even if it should be discouraged.
Be sure to remove access to any fecal matter, use positive reinforcement, and eventually he will phase out of the habit.
Start by teaching new tricks that will keep them healthy and happy such as Brain training games for dogs that both your and your dog will enjoy.
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