GROSS! MY DOG EATS POOP

GROSS!  MY DOG EATS POOP!

Coprophagia is the technical term for this nasty behavior and anyone who’s had dogs in their lives have probably witnessed this.  Your cute little baby runs into the yard and starts nibbling away at a pile of poop.  It only gets grosser when they want to cuddle and lick your face afterwards.  And then there is the issue of stinky breath to boot!

Here are a few fun facts about this behavior:

  • FEMALES ARE MORE LIKELY THAN MALES TO EXHIBIT THIS
  • MOST DOGS WANT THIS TASTY TREAT FRESH
  • MOST DOGS WILL NOT EAT THEIR OWN
  • MORE LIKLEY TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU HAVE MUTIPLE DOGS

So why do they do it? And what can you do to prevent it?

Nursing dogs will of course do this to keep their young pups cleaned up, so we can forgive and ignore this one.  It’s not easy to see, but we can understand it a little bit better.

Often you will find they eat the poop of different animals (we all know they love the kitty litter box!), but they do that because it tastes good!  Not to us of course!  But our dogs have a lower standard when it comes to flavors.  The poop they are consuming often contains different and sometimes beneficial nutrients, however, it can also contain harmful bacteria.

Hungry dogs, especially those who are starving often eat poop because it’s all they can find.

Certain brain illness could be the cause your dog suddenly started eating poop.

Most often the behavior is not harmful, but it’s a risk to take because of the bacteria or parasites that could be passed to your animals, other animals or even yourself! 

Some reasons a dog may eat poop could also be from lacking attention, not feeling well or just simply they feel anxious.  Your dog may also be trying to hide the evidence if they feel like they did something wrong like going potty in the house.

How do you stop it?

  • For starters rule out any type of illness or malnutrition. 
  • Try to keep your poop treats at a minimum by keeping the area in the yard they hang out in as cleaned up as possible.
  • Distract your dog if you notice this behavior.
  • Take your dog out on leash.
  • Reward your dog with a real dog treat after he does his doody deed.
  • You can add something to his food to make the stools less tasty.  Pumpkin is a good one, as it tastes good in food but not in the poop.  Ask your veterinarian what foods or products would be appropriate for your pet.
  • Deal with any anxiety they may have, possibly they need more exercise.
  • Mental stimulation could be helpful, maybe your sweet dog is just in need of something to keep the mind busy.
  • Changing their food to a high quality dog food can also be helpful.

Whether your dog is eating poop or not be sure to get regular check-ups at you local vet.  Healthy dog means happy dog!