When dogs eat feces

When they eat poop, they are telling us they need help with their diet. Understanding which type of poop your pup is consuming — their own or that of another animal — will help you zero in on the right remedy. The good news is, we can help our pets get the nutrients they need, and banish poop-eating for good. This article is for informational purposes only.

It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. Bow Wow Labs Inc. Buy yours today! Why is My Dog Eating Poop? This normal maternal behavior keeps the pups and their environment clean.

Many puppies will begin to eat feces at a young age. Some pups grow out of this normal behavior while others continue this into adulthood. Eating the feces of other species is also considered natural behavior. If you have a cat, you may notice that your dog cannot stay away from the litter box. Most dogs love the taste of cat poop.

Perhaps this is because of the high-protein diets of cats. A dog suffering from starvation or severe malnutrition might eat anything it can find. Some dogs, though well-nourished, are hungry all the time this may be a sign of illness or simply the personality of the dog.

Many dogs are completely obsessed with food and will ingest anything that tastes good to them. Unfortunately, many dogs seem to like the taste of feces especially cat poop. Some people believe that dogs eat feces when they are lacking something in their diets. Most veterinarians say that this is actually not the cause of coprophagia. A dog in fear or under a great deal of stress may eat his own stool. In some cases, this could be a kind of self-soothing mechanism. However, if a dog is punished for inappropriate defecation or other action related to feces, he may associate the punishment with the presence of feces.

By eating the feces, he is removing the "evidence" to avoid punishment. Certain diseases and illnesses can cause a dog to eat feces. A symptom of some diseases is increased appetite or ingestion of inappropriate items called pica. Ready to make your own dog food? Shop Now. Julie Unger November 5, Share on facebook Facebook. Share on pinterest Pinterest. Share on twitter Twitter. Share on linkedin LinkedIn. Share on email Email. Share on print Print.

Post At A Glance. Reasons Dogs Eat Poop There are two main causes of dogs eating poop … either medical reasons or behavioral reasons. Fun Dogs explore with their sense of smell, and to them, fresh stool smells great. Attention If you react to your dog eating poop, he might eat more to get your attention. References Benjamin L Hart et al. Start Now. Julie Unger. No dog will go un-pet, un-brushed or un-cuddled under Julie's watch. Julie's grad school roommate came with a very special four-legged bonus roommate, Ananda, who helped prepare Julie for the day when her sister brought home a rescue dog.

Now the aunt to Daisy, Julie is always striving to improve Daisy's life and that of other dogs. For confined dogs that eat their own poop, we need to determine how to change some aspects of their confinement to help reduce their anxiety.

For dogs that exhibit anxiety and cannot be left alone, it can help to look into daycare or options for your dog to come to work with you. These dogs can benefit from seeking the help of a veterinary behaviorist or certified animal behaviorist. If a dog has learned to eat poop because they are scared of being punished for having an accident, the first step is to stop using punishment and then take active measures to prevent them from having access to the poop.

It might be the case that the dog was punished by past owners, and in this case, you will still need to restrict access to the poop. Once the behavior has been established, it's crucial that you remain patient and consistently use positive reinforcement to encourage alternative behaviors for your dog to perform other than eating the poop. As soon as they are finished, call them over to you for treats and then either put them back in the house or toss a toy for them to chase while you pick up the stool.

If your dog immediately turns around to eat their poop and does not listen to you, then you will need to keep your dog on their leash and lead them away as soon as they have defecated. To truly discourage your dog from eating poop, you will need to continue to manage your dog and restrict access to the poop to prevent a relapse. The real key is to always offer plenty of praise and high-value treats to your dog when they choose not to immediately go for their poop.

To help, you should find a super high-value treat that they only get in these scenarios. Turn them away and then pick up the stool immediately. Some people have tried placing basket muzzles on their dogs to deter them, but some very determined dogs may simply learn to smush the muzzle on top of the poop to eat it. Another tool that can stop a dog from eating poop is the use of a foxtail field mask.