Why Do Dogs Eat Poop

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     Some dogs are have an atypical penchant for eating feces. In general they do not limit the eating of feces to what they themselves make but also eat those of other animals, inclusive of cats and horses. Numerous dog owners may question why their dogs adopt this strange habit.

This habit is deemed coprophagia and was considered to be caused by dietary insufficiencies which causes the dog to consume the excrement as a way of obtaining whatever nutrient was missing. More current research has inferred that the original theory is grossly erroneous. Behavioural specialists have found that the act is not performed because of a deficiency but instead is associated with their inherent nature as scavengers.

This type of behaviour is more prominent in mother dog's who will lick their puppies' rear ends to let them learn to urinate and defecate on their own. This produces a tickle like sensation that encourages the puppies to release their waste. This serves a very important purpose and helps the puppies to develop properly. The mother will also eat the feces that fall from her puppies to encourage cleanliness and prevent attacks by predators who may be lured by the odour. It is thought that puppies will adopt this pattern from their mothers but eventually outgrow it once they are no longer breast fed.

However, the explanation for adult dogs doing this is not as straight forward. It has been suggested that they adopt this behaviour by watching other dogs. In addition they may do it as a way of gaining the owner's attention or because the dog is simply bored or anxious. In many instances a direct reason is not identifiable.

The habit can be worrisome to owners who recognize that their pets put themselves at an increased risk of being afflicted with heart worm and other parasitic diseases that may affect their dog. Additionally dogs who eat feces have a tendency to regurgitate the portion that has been consumed inside on carpets and other surfaces. It is hence important that pet owners know what methods they may implement to restrict or prevent this awful habit.

It is possible to stop pets from eating feces by cleaning up any waste that may be found near the yard area. For some individuals, this may not be an option thus the next best thing is to keep the dog on a leash with a muzzle on its mouth when it is outside. It is not recommended that you punish the dog if it has been engaging in this activity years, this will only be effective at the onset of this habit. Some methods include feeding the dog pungent tasting foods like pumpkin, garlic or foods with MSG to make the feces taste bad to the dog. In some cases sprinkling other substances directly on the excrement are said to possibly deter the dog from eating it. However, the dog will probably develop the ability to smell feces that has been tampered with and will avoid eating that kind.

But essentially all pet owners must learn to supervise their dogs when outside so that they will not develop this poor habit.