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How many of us have had to intercept our dogs as they try to eat something unpleasant? Probably a large number of us...and the worst part is that most of us have had to intervene more than once!
And while it’s a bit of a gross topic to talk about, it’s also a fact that some dogs try to eat poop.
But the question then arises...why do dogs eat poop?
And what does it mean if they eat other animal’s poop? What are the consequences if they eat their own feces? And—one of the most important questions of all—how do you get your dog to stop eating poop?
Don't be dismayed if your pup has a penchant for snacking on poop, as in this blog we are going to investigate the causes of canine habit, including the variety of reasons why they may be doing it in the fast place, what they may get out of this activity, and how to ultimately put a stop to the problem of a dog eating poop.
We know that discouraging your dog from unwanted behaviors can be a challenge at times. But no stress—as setting clear boundaries and implementing commands using positive reinforcement will help to let your dog know what is and isn’t acceptable behavior.
Ready? Then let's get started.
Eating poop, also known as coprophagia, is a habit that dogs can develop for several reasons, some of them normal and some of them not so normal.
Poop-eating can be down to instinctual behavior, and it is also commonly seen in nursing dogs, who will eat their young’s feces to keep them clean. Sometimes a dog may just find the taste of another animal’s poop appealing for whatever reason, and so they are naturally drawn to ingest it - this should always be discouraged, however, as the feces of other animals can contain harmful bacteria and parasites.
Other reasons that a dog eats poop could be down to more serious reasons. Anxiety and illness can cause dogs to eat poop; poop-eating can occur if your dog is particularly stressed or worried about something, or if they are afraid of being punished for going to the toilet in a certain place. Coprophagia has also become associated with certain diseases, so if this habit seems to come out of nowhere, get your dog seen by a vet as soon as possible to rule out medical causes.
If you notice your dog is eating poop and they seem persistent, it may be worth consulting your vet or a pet professional to determine the underlying cause for this behavior.
Coprophagia is a very common issue amongst dogs, and while there are various reasons why they do it, it is not an unheard-of behavior. However, it is important to recognize where the boundaries of this behavior blur between normal and abnormal.
We have established that poop-eating behaviors can be down to instinct, be due to a natural behavior practiced by nursing mother dogs, and sometimes pups just fancy the taste of poop, whether we approve or not! It can also be a sign that your pup is experiencing anxiety or is wanting to get your attention - our dog’s behavior is only ever trying to tell us something, that they are distressed or need help, and so when they act out it is important that we pay attention.
When it comes to which poop your dog is eating, there are some things to watch out for. It is fairly normal for dogs to be attracted to and eat the poop of other animals, however, this can be full of bugs and nasties, so should be discouraged.
However, if your dog is eating their own poop, this tends to lean more towards a stress or anxiety issue and should be investigated - it isn’t normal for a dog to eat their own poop. Similarly, if a dog is eating the poop of another dog, this is also an uncommon occurrence, and so if you notice this behavior in your dog it should be looked into by a professional to rule out serious causes.
It is important to know the reasons why dogs eat poop to be able to pinpoint the behavior and seek professional guidance if needed. Poop-eating in dogs can occur for several reasons, ranging from more natural to more serious causes:
A female dog who has just had puppies will commonly lick or eat her puppies’ poop to help keep them clean. When pups are too young to clean themselves, it is their mother’s job to keep them washed.
It is thought that poop-eating could be an inherited behavior spanning back to our pups’ wolf ancestors. To keep their dens free from harmful parasites, wolves would often eat fresh stools that were less than two days old, as after this time any larvae in the stool would begin to grow and develop.
Some believe that a dog may exhibit poop-eating behaviors if they feel they are lacking in essential vitamins or nutrients - it is suggested that this may be due to deficiencies in B vitamins - and are seeking this additional nutrition through eating fecal matter.
Similar to why dogs may eat poop to boost any missing nutrients in their diet, the same applies to absent digestive enzymes - dogs may engage in coprophagia as a way of seeking out digestive enzymes they may be otherwise lacking.
If a dog has been malnourished or underfed, they will naturally strive to fill up on anything they can find, including poop if it's there. Excessive hunger can also be a symptom of an underlying illness, so if your dog cannot seem to satiate their appetite, it is important to seek professional advice.
When a dog is bored, they tend to follow their nose towards anything that seems remotely interesting, and therefore them eating poop could be a way of trying to seek some kind of stimulation or entertainment.
Your dog may have twigged that when they act in a certain way, they get attention, even if that attention is negative. It is also possible that they see the act as a game, for example, if you try and chase them when they have something in their mouth or try and pull it away from them they can think that you are trying to play.
Poop-eating can be a pretty clear sign of stress or anxiety in dogs; it can be a way for them to self-soothe if they are feeling distressed. This may be more common in dogs with separation anxiety or pups who have experienced abuse or isolation.
If a dog has had a negative experience where they were punished for having an accident or using the bathroom in an unwanted place, they may as a result eat their poop to clear it away so that no one sees it, and therefore cannot punish them.
Dogs do not understand how to be ‘bad’ or ‘naughty’, their behavior is only ever trying to communicate with us in the only way we know how, and using verbal or physical punishment is not only abuse, it is ineffective and only frightens a dog, making them less likely to trust you.
Eating poop is a form of the disorder known as Pica, where animals, or people, will eat things that are not considered food. Believe it or not, dogs can suffer from compulsive behaviors similar to humans, and canine compulsive disorder (CCD) can cause a dog to obsessively repeat certain behaviors.
If your dog lives alongside an older dog or poorly pup who suffers from incontinence, as an act of protection they may start to eat the feces of the other pup, cleaning up after them and maybe even tapping into their ex-wolf instincts where they would eat parasitic stool to remove it from their den.
Coprophagia in dogs is fairly common in dogs who were raised in shelters that had lots of other dogs or those who have been confined to small, cramped spaces.
It has been found that if a dog is isolated and isn’t socialized, perhaps kept in a kennel or basement away from the cozy center of the house, they may be more likely to develop poop-eating habits than dogs who are fully integrated into the home and have regular human attention.
Now that you’re aware of the reasons why dogs may engage in poop-eating behaviors, we are going to look at how to stop them from doing it:
Making sure that your dog is receiving all the nutrition they need in their diet can help stop them from seeking certain vitamins in unwanted places. You may also want to try mixing up their food flavors and textures to keep them interested in the food they should be eating.
Always consult your vet before changing your dog’s diet, and if your dog has certain allergies or food intolerances it may mean they need additional food supplements to maximize their nutrition.
Supporting your dog’s digestion with enzyme supplements can be an effective way to ensure they don’t hunt out lacking enzymes in the form of feces!
Our advice is to look for a supplement that contains a mixture of the following components: protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase. Respectively, these break down proteins, carbohydrates, fats and aid plant matter digestion.
When introducing enzyme supplements to a dog, make sure to start slowly. This will help to avoid any digestive upset, as the dosage should be incrementally increased over a course of several days.
When offering the supplement to your dog, try mixing it into their breakfast (when they’re most hungry and less likely to turn their nose up at an unfamiliar addition). Avoid cooking it, as this will generally destroy their efficacy.
Monitor how your dog gets on with this supplement by keeping an eye out for symptoms such as excessive gas, diarrhea, or discomfort.
Positive reinforcement is always the most effective training tool when teaching your dog to obey you, and by using treats, fuss, and distracting activities, you can redirect their attention in a super effective and encouraging way to keep them away from poop-eating habits.
Training your dog to obey certain commands such as ‘no’ or ‘leave it’ can give you some control over your dog’s behavior and gives your pup a clear boundary as to what they aren't allowed to do. Our previous blog ‘How to Teach Your Dog the No Command’ goes into further detail about how to recall your dog and train them to keep away from mischief.
As a pet owner, we are in charge of keeping our dogs safe, healthy, and comfortable, and so one way we can reduce the risk of them eating poop is to control their environment, cleaning up their poop and the poop of other pets or animals quickly within their immediate reach so that they aren’t tempted.
Consult your vet about certain dog-safe foods you can feed your pet which can work to make their poop taste unpleasant and less appealing to take a bite out of. Always discuss this method with a professional to ensure that your dog’s health will not be affected by certain ingredients.
If your new puppy starts to engage in poop-eating behaviors, this could be because they are mimicking their mother’s grooming behaviors. Nursing mothers will often eat their puppies’ feces to keep them clean and to ward off unwanted visitors who may be attracted by the scent of puppy poop. A puppy’s first point of reference is their mother, so it isn’t unheard of that a puppy may start to eat their littermates’ poop. They may also notice the smell of feces on their mother’s breath and associate it with familiarity.
Distraction and positive reinforcement are the best ways to get through to a puppy. Puppies need clear structure, so make it part of their daily routine that you take them outside to the toilet or show them to a potty pad. Once they have been to the toilet, quickly distract them with a treat and clean the stool before they have a chance to get to it.
In this instance, you will need to keep your dogs away from your cat’s litter tray, perhaps through the use of puppy gates or designating a specific room, part of the house, or higher surface for your cat’s litter that your dog can’t get to.
Step one is to determine the cause of your dog’s anxiety, whether it is due to confinement, separation anxiety, boredom, or just general distress, and implement certain tactics to reduce this anxiety. For example, a dog who struggles with confinement may need to be offered more space to roam, and a dog with separation anxiety may require more comfort through blankets, toys, and puzzles that may keep them occupied and distracted from their anxieties.
A dog may have learned later in life to eat their poop due to a scary or negative experience, perhaps if they were punished for having an accident, this behavior will need to be discouraged using positive reinforcement. The safer your dog feels, the less likely they are to repeat anxious learned behaviors - you can also work to control their environment so that their feces is quickly cleared away and they don’t have access to poop that has been left out.
While this behavior should naturally be discouraged, it can be fascinating to understand why this behavior occurs and to look closer at this unusual canine habit.
Here are a few interesting facts about poop-eating which may surprise you:
Frozen poop is a favorite amongst dogs who are prone to coprophagia
Female dogs tend to be more likely to engage in poop-eating behaviours
A dog will rarely eat poop that is soft or diarrhea
Around 92% of dogs that have poop-eating habits prefer to chow down on fresh stool between 1-2 days old
Poop-eating tends to be more of an issue within households with more than one dog.
So there we have it, the unusual world of coprophagia—it may not be particularly pleasant, but knowing the reasons why your dog may be engaging in poop-eating behaviors will help you to find a solution quicker.
Here's a quick refresher of what may be prompting this behavior in the first place:
• Instinct
• Due to nursing
• Anxiety
• Illness
• Fear of punishment for toileting, and even
• Hidden disease
It is important to remember that dogs do not understand the concept of being ‘bad’, their behavior is only ever a reflection of how they are feeling, or that they are trying to communicate to us that they are distressed or need something. With patience and understanding, we can find the cause of our dog’s behavior and work to change it, directing them towards more positive habits and keeping them safe, happy, and healthy.
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