Why Does My Dog Eat His Own Poop?

Dogs' eating their own poop (or coprophagia) isn't as common as some people believe. Contrary to popular belief, it is not normal dog behavior. Healthy dogs fed a good diet don't usually eat dog feces. They may be interested in feces from other animals (cats in particular) but it's not a healthy sign if your dog is eating his own feces. Dogs eat their own feces and feces from other dogs for several reasons:

1.Starvation

2.A lack of required nutrients in his diet

3.Poor nutrition from poor food

4.Anxiety, boredom or loneliness. Psychological problems can cause a dog to experiment and taste things.

5.Mother dogs do clean up after their puppies. This is normal dog behavior. However they only clean up after the pups as long as they are nursing. They stop cleaning up after the pups when they begin eating solid foods.

6.Pups will taste feces (and anything else). They are exploring the world. It's usually something they only do for a short time.

There are some things you can do to discourage your dog from eating poop.

1.A vet visit is a good idea to rule out any underlying health problems.

2.Make sure you are feeding your dog a good food so he's getting good nutrition in adequate amounts.

3.Clean up your yard often so there won't be any "deposits" lying around to tempt your dog.

4.You may need to walk you dog on a leash so you can pick up after him as soon as he potties and give him the "Leave it" command so he won't bother the feces.

5.Products like Forbid, meat tenderizer or MSG have been used successfully to discourage dogs from eating their own poop. They make the poop taste bad to your dog (if you can imagine that).

6.Do not let your dog have access to cat litter boxes. These litter boxes will keep him coming back for more and make it impossible to break his habit.

7.Make sure that your dog is getting lots of time with you and lots of playtime and exercise. Keeping your dog busy and occupied doing enjoyable things can help keep his mind off less agreeable habits.