Animals are some of the most beloved creatures on Earth. One kind of animal that gets a lot of love is a dog. Many people tend to keep dogs as pets. If you’re a dog owner, there’s a good chance you’ve already encountered your dog eating own poop; if you aren’t, let us explain why do dogs eat their own poop? There’s an infamous habit of dogs eating their droppings. This habit can have several reasons. If you’ve seen your dog do the same, don’t worry since there are ways to both reduce and stop it (albeit not scientifically proven).
Coprophagia in Dogs
Before you learn why do dogs eat their own poop? you may want to know how it affects them. First, let’s be clear on one thing; it’s not abnormal for dogs to eat their poop. In fact, several animals have and do the same. If you’ve ever owned a rabbit, you’ll know it gets nutrition from eating its poop. Try to stop the behavior, and it will cause health problems. Dogs, however, are different. They don’t eat their own (or even others’ poop) to get a particular nutritional value out of it. The habit of dogs eating their poop is labelled as Coprophagia.
Coprophagia in dogs is only during their infancy. Like human children, puppy dogs like to explore the world around them and put anything that they find inside their noses or mouth. This leads them to usually sniff their poop; however, if they wish to explore further, they will have no hesitation to relish it with ease thoroughly. Usually, puppies stop this eccentric habit when they reach the mark of nine months. It is critical to note that dogs consuming their poop does not harm their health.
However, the same cannot be said when consuming another animal’s or dog’s poop. This is because someone else’s poop can contain parasites and other toxins. If your dog eating cat poop or eats the poop of other animals, it may become prone to thyroid disease, diabetes, parasites and other health problems. You can prevent them from eating their poop (or at least reduce it) by knowing their mental and psychological reasons for doing so.
Why Do Dogs Eat Their Own Poop?
Dogs have been known to engage in strange behaviors, such as rolling around in the mud, barking incessantly at the smallest sound, and of course, eating their own poop. The act of a dog eating its own poop has left many pet owners scratching their heads. Is it healthy? Why do dogs do this? And how can pet owners stop this behavior from happening? With all of these questions swirling around the minds of pet owners, we must discover why do dogs eat their own poop and how to help them overcome this. There are typical reasons why do dogs eat poop and abnormal reasons for the same. We’ll list both for you to recognize and cross-check which factor is true for your dog eating its own poop.
Normal Reasons
#Grabbing Attention
Dogs love attention and will try to get yours (as its owner) by various acts. Eating their poop could be just one of them.
#Isolation
When dogs are kept alone, they are more likely to eat their poop. Maybe it’s their coping mechanism for being bored.
#Anxiety
Who says only we humans face anxiety? When pooping in a place they shouldn’t, dogs might try to clean up by eating their litter before being punished.
Abnormal Reasons
#Medical Abnormality
Your dog may be suffering from a disease in their intestinal tract, or possibly other places, leading them to conduct such behavior.
#Confusion
Dogs given their food at a close range to their feces may confuse both eventually and think of their poop as regular food.
How To Stop Dog From Eating Poop?
If you have caught your Dog eating poop, then you are probably looking for ways to stop them from doing so. Let us brief you about some effective ways to prevent your dog from munching on poop. Generally, if puppies do not get enough fiber or enzymes to help digestion, they tend to find other sources to fulfill their needs, one of which is poop.
So before you look at how to stop dog from eating poop, find out why they do so. If it’s due to an incomplete diet, you will need to introduce ingredients that their bodies lack. Apart from this, dogs sometimes do it just because they are bored and are looking for attention; hence, once you find out why your doggo has started eating poop, it will be easy for you to correct their behavior.
#1 Leashing
One effective method to discourage your dog from eating faeces outdoors is leashing them at all times. Yes, you can opt for a dog leash to keep them away from all these. When dogs are left on their own, they explore things you cannot stop as soon as they approach a pile poop. Thus, it would be best if you leash your dog at all times so that they understand it’s something they shouldn’t do and distract them with a treat or toy.
#2 Train them with Commands
Another way to deal with your dog when they indulge in eating faeces is by training them with commands such as:
- Stop it
- Leave it
- No
- Come here
These are commands that help you express your thoughts and make them understand. Moreover, avoid letting them roam without a leash and if you see poop in your backyard, throw it away immediately before your dog finds out. Also, reward your dog when they obey you to get encouraged to follow commands quickly to receive treats from you.
However, if your puppy eating poop to get your attention, it’s best to ignore them or give the least possible reaction to avoid encouraging your dog. Once they have successfully grabbed your attention by eating poop, they will tend to do it again for fun. This is why you should not deal with it directly in such situations. In short, training your dog in their young days will shape them to listen to you and not be confused.
#3 Provide a Balanced Diet
Next, dogs require adequate meat, fiber, and nutrition to grow and develop. However, if they need more food from their house, they hunt for it. Dogs know that poop is rich in fiber and enzymes, so it’s an easy source to satisfy their bodily needs. Therefore, keep the best supplement to stop dog from eating poop and an ideal quantity of meat, grains, and green vegetables to provide a healthy meal. It’s best to keep a food chart that will help you prepare nutritious food and poop eating deterrent for dogs but remember to feed and supply an amount that will work best according to their weight, age, and breed.
Conclusion
To conclude, dogs may indulge in Coprophagia due to several underlying reasons. However, it is a habit that can be changed, so if you have caught your canine eating poop, training them to stop and providing them nutritious dog food will help you. Altogether, it’s not uncommon behavior in dogs, but it must be prevented since your dog may get a parasitic infection by eating poop.