Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?
If you are a dog owner, or have ever owned one, you may well have wondered why do dogs eat poop. It’s revolting, unattractive, and generally unsafe in many ways. However, if your wondering why dogs eat poop, you’re not alone. After all, it can be quite a common habit which can cause stress to many dog owners. Better known as coprophagia, the eating of poop can often be a sign of deeper anxiety or nutritional issues.
Why Dogs Eat Poop
There are quite a few reasons why dogs eat poop. The simplest explanation is that it is a hunger driven act, or that they may be attempting to keep their space clean. If your dog isn’t being fed enough, or if they are kept in a dirty enclosure, they can quite often resort to eating their own poop to overcome these issues.
Additionally, there are also health issues related to poop eating. A dog may not be receiving the appropriate amount of nutrients it requires, as a result of parasites or worms which suck the nutrients dry from their food. The dry food they eat each day, simply might not have the required levels of nutrients as a result.
Another reason as to why do dogs eat poop, is that they do it as an anxious habit, or even that they are trying to mimic your actions of how you pick it up when you are cleaning up after them. They could also be picking the habit up from other dogs.
The main thing is, regardless of why dogs eat poop, the problem can be resolved quite easily.
How To Adjust The Behavior
If your dog is a poop eater, the first thing you should do is to check for any health related problems. This is particularly important if the poop eating is a new behavior and the dog has never done it before. A dog that eats poop on a regular basis may have worms or other nasty parasites, or may not have enough food. See your vet to establish why this is happening and then treat it immediately.
If your dog then receives a clean bill of health at the vets, and he doesn’t have any other issues directly related to the problem,but yet he still continues to eat poop, you need to deal with whatever other problems which may be causing them to do so.
Begin by maintaining a poop free yard. Clean out the poop from your yard every day, check the paths which surround your home, and remove any poop your dog leaves. Why dogs eat poop is not a serious problem so long as it is not a health related problem – it is behavioral problem, which can be treated by simply eliminating the cause of the problem.
Adjusting the Behavior
On top of that, there are some other steps you can take when dealing with why dogs eat poop. Since your dog will eat poop of all things, it may appear strange, but to a dog bitter apple and cayenne pepper are much worse tasting. Alternatively, by giving your dog a tablespoon full of of pumpkin puree a day, their poop will taste far less appealing to them. Spraying them with water, and using a sharp “NO” command are both also frequently used alternatives.
Ultimately, the best way to deal with your dog’s coprophagia issues is to remove the source of the problem. Of course when you let them off the leash, or go to the park you will need to take more advanced steps. But remain consistent, and by all means don’t let them lick your face!
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