"How To Stop Your Dog From Eating Poop"
NASTY HABITS: Dogs who eat their poop Dogs
Isn’t it nice to know that there is a fancy technical name for a nasty habit?
Coprophagia is the scientific term for eating poop. It is a common behavior for dogs and, while it has been studied for years, there seems to be no answer as to why some of our best behaved dogs do it, while others are never even tempted.
There appear to be several reasons why dogs may indulge in this disgusting pastime:
- It is often common in puppies whose digestive systems are not yet fully operational. Especially during housebreaking or paper training, they may see the feces simply as another form of food or snack.
- A dog may be hungry and have no access to real food. They can sense the nutrient value still present in their poop.
- You may be feeding a food lacking in sufficient nutrients and/or not appropriate for your particular pet. When a dog is fed food that is of low quality or inappropriate, he feels compelled to eat more of it to satisfy his craving for healthy nutrients. Much of the excess food is undigested and comes out as poop that actually smells a lot like the food that the dog previously ate. As a result, the dog tries to eat the food all over again. Don’t ignore this. It is a sign that the dog needs a better diet that provides more satisfaction and nutrients.
- Dogs that consume feces from other animals (particularly vegetarian animals like deer) may be seeking nutrients not found in their own food. Again, a better diet plan may be the cure.
- A dog that spends most of its time confined to a kennel, a small yard or on a chain may eat his poop to clean his personal space or stay occupied. (Even dogs get bored.) More exercise and play help, along with regular cleaning of the area. If the poop isn’t left around for long, it is less probable that it will be consumed.
- Separation anxiety can cause a dog to be lonely or feel restricted.
- The presence of some internal parasites may be a cause since the parasite feeds off of nutrients from the host dog. The dog will always feel hungry as a result.
- When a dog is punished for poop accidents in the house, it can feel guilty and try to consume the evidence. More responsive training is the cure much of the time, along with more trips outside so the pet does not need to hold it for as long.
- Mother dogs will often eat the feces of their young as a means of hiding their presence from perceived predators.
There are ways to change the dog’s behavior and prevent the problem. You will like your dog better and he will be healthier as a result.
- Change the dog’s diet to a nutritious, low residue/high quality diet formulated specifically for the dog’s stage in life, breed and specialized medical issue. If you are unsure which food to provide, ask your vet or find recipes for nutritious foods on the web.
- Try feeding your dog a little more. He may be hungry. Remember, however, that more of a low quality food may only make the poop-eating problem worse since much of it will not be properly digested.
- Take the dog to the vet to make sure that no medical or health problems, including parasites, are compelling the dog to eat feces.
- Clean up as soon as you can after the dog defecates. Stopping access is a key to stopping the problem.
- Walk your dog on a leash rather than confining him to a run or pen. This places you in an ideal position to tell the dog to leave it and restrain the dog from trying to sniff or eat poop. As with any other habit that you wish to break, praise often and provide tidbits when your pet listens to your commands.
- Make “leave it” part of your repertoire of commands. As the dog approaches another animal’s poop (or shows interest in his own), you can use it and create an entirely new good set of habits. Distract the dog and reinforce the good behavior with praise and treats.
- If your dog is pooping in the house, put the animal on a schedule that provides more outdoor time after eating. Abide by it. So much of training is about conditioning the human rather than the dog.
- When a dog poops in his crate, it is a sign that he is not being taken out and exercised often enough, or that he is suffering from separation anxiety and acting out. Allow more time for exercise and play and reward generously when the dog defecates outside. Praise for good behavior works better than anger and criticism.
Still have a problem? Check out products and additives that you can feed or apply to the poop pile to discourage dogs from consuming it. Some of the easiest ones are:
- Two to four tablespoons of canned pumpkin added to the food bowl each day apparently tastes good in food but repugnant when it is defecated.
- Canned pineapple, pineapple juice or spinach added to the dog’s food works in much the same way. Just a teaspoon to tablespoon based upon the dog’s size should do the trick.
- Pour hot sauce or lemon juice on a poop pile – just one bad experience may do the trick.
And, remember, training and good management are the best ways to prevent or solve this and most other dog problems. Never lose your cool. It doesn’t help and it could actually hurt your relationship with your dog.
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