Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?

It is a very common behavior for many dogs to dine on their own poop, but dogs especially love to eat the poop from other dogs, cats, sheep, and especially that of horses. When the opportunity pops up for a dog to eat poop, many dogs take it.

A nasty behavior that is seen quite often in most dogs and one behavior that pet owners just cannot comprehend is known as coprophagia which is the medical term for eating feces.

Some dogs eat their own poop everyday or that of other dogs and animals and then some dogs never eat poop. If there is a cat in the house, a lot of times the dog will go check out the litter box and munch down on the kitty tootsie rolls. There are many reasons to why dogs eat poop.

One of them is just that is taste good to them so they eat it.

The type of food that the dog is being fed could be lacking the vital nutrients so he may be receiving all of those missing nutrients in his food so he eats other dog's poop.

The dog that eats poop may be doing this just out of sheer boredom.

A dog that eats poop could be stress related.

Another reason for a dog to eat poop could be the fact that he is hungry so increase the amount of food you feed him.

There are several simple ways for pet owners to deter their dog from eating their own poop or that of other animals: feed them a complete and balanced diet that is packed with lots of vital nutrients; give them lots of daily exercise along with lots of playtime; keep their playing and sleeping areas fresh and clean, keep their crates/kennel clean and poop free. Keep the poop scooped up from the backyard; avoid leaving the dog confined to small spaces for long periods of time. Don't give up because this nasty behavior of your dog can be controlled and stopped so if nothing works at home that your try to stop your dog from eating poop, then it's time to take your dog to the local veterinarian for a complete examination and the veterinarian can search for any underlying medical and/or health problems, intestinal parasites and or any other possible health related problems that may be compelling him to eat poop.

Veterinarians can supply a substance which is called Forbid that can be sprinkled on to a dog's food which will make the poop very distasteful and the dog will be less likely to munch down on his own poop.This can help stop this disgusting behavior but the best way to keep a dog from snacking on his own poop is to keep the poop scooped up from the yard so there is never an opportunity for him to get it.

Sources:

I worked as a veterinary technician for 10 years & learned a lot of valuable information.

DISCLAIMER:

I am not a licensed vet but I did learn many useful tips and information during my years working for one. The above information is intended for educational purposes only and shall not take the place of seeking professional medical advice from a licensed veterinarian.