There’s not much that disgusts dog owners more than finding out they will sometimes eat poop. You’re not the first owner to see it happen and think, “Why on earth did my dog eat poop?”
If a dog’s diet isn’t balanced properly (or for several other reasons), not only will they eat their own poop, but they will also eat cat poop, rabbit poop, other dog poop, and basically anything they can find. Dogs don’t discriminate much when it comes to edible things because they’re naturally scavengers.
Don’t despair! Having your dog eating feces doesn’t have to be a part of your daily routine. You can break this poop-eating habit by addressing concerns such as diet, behavior, and routine.
Why Your Dogs Eat Poop
“Coprophagia” is the scientific name for when dogs exhibit the behavior of eating stool. Though it hasn’t been explored very much by scientists, we do see that this is a very common thing among dogs, and it’s not usually something to worry about.
Here are some common reasons your dog eats poop:
Vitamin or Nutrient Dietary Deficiencies
Our domesticated dogs don’t have as much variety in their diets as their ancestors did. The food you have your dog eating might be lacking in essential nutrients and enzymes, causing your dog to seek those supplements elsewhere. Some studies show a vitamin B deficiency seems to drive dogs to eat poop.
Prolonged Hunger
Prolonged hunger and/or malnutrition could cause a dog to seek nutrition anywhere they can. In many cases, this is feces. If a litter box is available, there’s nothing in your dog’s mind to tell them not to look there for food.
Another reason prolonged periods of hunger are so damaging is that your dog may develop habits that don’t go away easily. If you rescue your dog from a particularly difficult situation and you start feeding and treating them well, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will stop eating poop. At that point, in their mind, poop is a safe and reliable way to get sustenance.
Instinct
Many experts believe that the act of eating pool is an instinctual behavior that stretches back through our domesticated dogs’ wolf ancestry. We see evidence that wolves eat other wolves’ fresh stools to protect the pack from potential parasites infesting the den. This is commonly believed since it typically takes a minimum of two days for parasite ova to hatch, and our modern-day dogs almost exclusively eat poop that is less than two days old.
Boredom
Dogs alleviate boredom by discovering and exploring scents around the house or yard. It’s not uncommon for them to eat anything they come across that smells interesting. They’re not being malicious when they do this; they’re just trying new things.
This is common in dogs left at home 40+ hours a week alone. If no one can play with and talk to, they’ll find other ways to entertain themselves. Sometimes it’s playing in the trash, sometimes it’s eating poop.
Health Conditions
There are some health conditions that would lead your dog to feel like they need to eat poop. For this reason, it’s important to get your dog checked out at the vet if this becomes a regular behavior. Here are some of the issues:
- Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI): This issue prevents dogs’ systems from properly breaking down and absorbing nutrients. Even if your dog’s food is the highest quality available, this condition can lead to eventual starvation.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): When your dog’s intestines are chronically inflamed, it will prevent proper absorption of nutrients. Your adult dog may eat a lot of food, but with this condition, they will feel hungry no matter what.
- Internal parasites: The definition of a parasite is “An organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other’s expense.” If your dog has parasites, they won’t be able to get what they need from their food.
- Endocrine disorders: Certain diseases, such as hypothyroidism or diabetes, can make your dog feel hungry all the time, which can lead to excessive eating and/or turning to other sources (feces) for extra nutrients.
- Medications: Steriods, especially, can cause extreme hunger in your dog. It may be a sudden shift that takes you off guard. Just keep track of when medications started and when behaviors changed.
Stress or Anxiety
Sometimes, dogs eat poop as a stress response. If they’ve been left in isolation for a long time, or kept in kennels that are too small (like at puppy mills), or if they have separation anxiety, this isn’t an uncommon behavior.
They Like The Taste
It could be that your dog started eating pool because of a nutritional deficiency, for example, but then discovered that they just like the taste. Owners of multiple pets will find this particularly frustrating since there’s a constant supply of “tasty treats” just lying around.
Ways To Minimize Your Dog Eating Poop
Now, though seeing a dog eat feces isn’t often a matter of great concern, it is really gross, and most dog owners want their pets to stop eating pool. It’s just not a very pleasant behavior. In fact, it’s not uncommon for owners to rehome their dogs because they get frustrated and too disgusted with the problem to continue. Some owners go so far as to seek euthanasia!
Rather than resort to such extremes, try some easy fixes first. Here are some ways you can help stop poop-eating:
Immediately Pick Up Stool
Minimize temptation by picking up your dog’s poop as soon as it’s dropped. Even if you have several acres of land and you didn’t used to worry about it, it might be time to start taking your dog out on a leash and paying more attention. It will be a lot of hassle at the start, but it could very well correct the issue! Eventually, your dog could lose interest in their poop because it’s more trouble than it’s worth to fight you for it.
Add A Bad Taste
Create a bad association with the taste of poop by adding hot sauce or a hot spice. This does require some forethought, and it might not work for every dog, but it’s usually successful. Your dog will try something that was once good and find it repelling! Ideally, after that point, your dog will never want to test that boundary again.
Add Digestive Supplements
Digestive supplements are a great place to start! These will help your dog feel satisfied and healthy without much adjustment to their life or yours. Most supplements will include enzymes and B vitamins to help meet those nutritional needs.
If your dog suffers from digestive problems, building their diet up with supplements will support their health and improve your sanity by correcting some of these difficult (and yucky) issues you’re facing. Even if your pet’s food isn’t as balanced as it could be, a simple digestive aid can provide what’s lacking.
Training
With proper obedience training, you get get your dog to stop eating poop. One of the ways we help with that at Sit Means Sit is by teaching dogs to associate poop with something they want to move away from.
Another way training can help is by clearing lines of communication between dogs and owners. Bad habits often appear because of stress, boredom, or anxiety, all of which can often be resolved with a better relationship.
Mental and physical stimulation also always help keep the dog away from negative things that could get them the attention they’re seeking.
Advanced Dog Training
Sit Means Sit is your one-stop do-related company! Not only do we offer a variety of training programs that can remove problems such as this, but we also offer top-tier boarding services, as well!
All of our programs are designed to improve the lives of you and your dog. We want to see you with a companion who can go anywhere, do anything, and live life to the fullest. Our training revolves around the idea of fostering deep bonds between owners and dogs, encouraging clear communication, and building foundations of training that distractions can’t shake. By the end of any of our programs, you will have a pet who truly is your best friend.
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