Do dogs really eat poop? Yes, and not for the reasons you might think. Here are details on why dogs eat poop, how to tell if your dog is sick, and facts about natural remedies to make your dog stop eating poop.
Is it normal for dogs to eat poop?
When a dog eats poop, it really is general behavior – especially in puppies and young dogs, according to Dr. Alex Yeager, an emergency veterinarian at VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver, Colorado. She says the behavior, known as coprophagia, seems unpleasant to humans, similar to toddlers putting things in their mouths – it’s a way to learn about the world around them. But with dogs, there can be deeper medical problems. Let’s take a closer look at some of those reasons.
Why do dogs eat poop?
Dogs eat poop because they’re following another dog’s example, it’s either an attention-seeking behavior or they’re anxious. Bitches usually eat poop after they’re done giving birth. Newborn mother dogs may eat puppy poop to keep the litter clean. And she often licks her puppies to stimulate their need to poop. Sometimes her pups simply follow her example and start the routine.
But for other dogs, eat poop Yeager says it can be an attention-seeking behavior problem, even if the seemingly dirty routine causes negative reinforcement from their pet’s parents.
Anxiety or stress could also be factors. Yeager explained, found a link between hip pain and dogs exposed to harsh potty training methods. The thinking is that some dogs try to eat their poop before their pet parents find out and punish them. They’re trying to hide the evidence, and eating it is how they get rid of it. This can even happen inside a crate, where it can become a learned behavior. Dogs that are kept in isolation may eat their poop due to feeling stressed and neglected.
My dog is eating his poop – is he sick?
There are a number of medical conditions that can be associated with dog poop ingestion – mydriasis. Make an appointment with your vet to check for or rule out the following problems:
Some of these conditions have simple treatments, such as deworming. Other times, it’s a temporary problem – dogs on steroids are very susceptible to joint pain and will eat anything they can find, including feces.
Is there any research on why dogs eat poop?
There is not much research on this habit. If only we knew exactly what dogs are thinking!
But researchers at the University of California, Davis surveyed thousands of dog owners in a 2018 study, using data from previous studies to shed light on this topic. During the study, they found that about a quarter of the dogs ate poop at least once in a six-month period. Meanwhile, about 16% of dogs are obsessed with eating feces, eating more than six times. And they have formed a tentative hypothesis that this habit may be traced back to the ancestor of our canine companion – the wolf.
Other findings include that cochleargia is more common in female dogs, multi-canine households, dogs diagnosed with anxiety, dogs living in crowded shelters or cramped and among the dogs are labeled as gluttons – those who steal food from their own kind.
How to stop your dog from eating poop
For anxious dogs, veterinarian-prescribed anti-anxiety medications can be of great help, says Dr. Yeager, to help your dog stop eating poop. If the problem is behavioral, it may take some time and patience, but experts agree that dogs can learn to eat poop.
Rhonda Renwick, a dog trainer accredited by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), volunteers to provide her training services to the nonprofit organization Harrisburg’s Great Dog Show based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She has helped other pet parents with their dogs’ behavior problems.
So when one of Rhonda’s personal dogs, Bella, started eating poop, Rhonda did two things: she taught Bella the “let it go” signal and she became a stalker in the neighborhood. backyard. That is, she observes Bella doing her business, as often as she can. And if Bella got close to her poop, as if wanting to eat it, Rhonda tried to be consistent by telling her to throw it away. And here’s the most important part: When Bella listened to Rhonda and walked away from the poop, Rhonda was full of praise.
Bella thrived on that positive reinforcement, which eventually helped her kick the habit. Rhonda encourages pet parents to build an emotional bank account with their dogs. Investing in a relationship with your dog will pay dividends, if training is needed. It’s a way to know that you love your dog, even if you don’t love one of its behaviors like tantrums.
Do home remedies prevent dogs from eating poop?
There are a number of products on the market that claim that when fed to dogs, their poop will make their poop taste terrible, but Dr. Yeager says these products don’t really help dogs get rid of the habit. . Furthermore, she warns pet parents to check the ingredients as some of these products contain onions, garlic, toxic to dogs. While they are often touted as a quick remedy, these products can do more harm than good.
Will changing my diet help?
Sometimes dog food doesn’t satisfy them or doesn’t provide enough nutrition. Check to see if your dog may be undernourished by talking with your vet about well-formulated, high-quality food recommendations. Switch your dog food could put an end to his poop days.
What should I do if my dog eats cat poop?
To prevent this, Dr. Yeager says to keep litter boxes clean and shoveled. Alternatively, placing the litter boxes inside the protective bins can solve the problem. These bins simply prevent dogs from accessing cat poop.
How do I stop my dog from eating kennel poop?
This habit can develop when your dog is cooped up or a behavior he learned under stress in a crowded shelter. Shelter dogs should have access to both indoor and outdoor areas, but unfortunately not all shelters work this way. That’s according to Natahnee Miller, a certified associate IAABC member, who previously worked as the director of behavioral care for a large shelter.
Natahnee offers the following tips for ending the fertilizer-laden diet:
- Try to manage the problem by keeping the yard clean.
- Go outside with your dog, pick up the poop as soon as possible and take it away.
- If you catch your dog trying to eat your poop, interrupt and re-direct it right away until you have the next tip.
- Train them to be a strong “let it go” signal.
Keep your dog’s space clean
Keep the dog’s living area as clean as possible, including the yard. Dr Yeager says dogs tend to prefer old, hard poop cooked in the sun rather than fresh manure. She also encourages pet parents to take regular, supervised walks with their dogs, because dog poop kept in a doggie bag will keep the yard cleaner, reducing the risk of snacking in future and you will also do healthy exercise together to win-win-win.
In conclusion, while there’s still a lot we don’t understand about why dogs eat poop, there are plenty of solutions for pet parents to pursue. Patience and consistency are key, along with a reminder of how ultimately you love your dog.
