If you are lucky you have never had to ask yourself the question ‘Why does my dog eat poop?’, but for some dog owners it’s something that we have had to endure. It’s not nice, we don’t want our dogs to do it, but most of all we want to find out why they are doing it and put a stop to it!
Below are some reasons why your dog might be eating their own poop and what you can do to resolve the issue.
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Why Does My Dog Eat Poop?
#1. Lack of Nutrients
It could be that your dog is not getting enough vitamins or nutrients in their food, so they try to replace the missing nutrients by eating poop. That’s why often you will find dogs eating cat poop, as it is very high in proteins. Many vets say that a lack of vitamin B is often a main cause for eating poop.
#2. Digestion
If your dog is having problems digesting their food when they poop a lot of their food will appear in it, so to them it looks, and smells, like their dinner. It might be worth checking their poop and seeing if you need to change it to something that they can digest more easily. If they are being given a lot of human food and they are not digesting it properly then it will taste like another helping of human food to them.
#3. Curious or Copying
Often dogs copy each other and they may have seen another dog doing it and therefore they think that it is normal. Often a stray will be so starving they will eat their poop, much like they have seen other strays do. It may also be that they are curious what it is. It’s been suggested that a healthy dog will eat a sick dog’s poop to protect them from predators.
You might also be interested in reading: Why Does My Dog Keep Licking Me?
#4. Boredom
If your dog is alone all day and not getting out to the bathroom then they may poop and then get bored and eat it. They could also suffer from stress and do the same. Try leaving lots of toys to occupy them and keep your yard area free from dog poop as much as possible.
#5. Hide the Evidence
When toilet training your dog it is important to use positive reinforcement. If you yell at your dog for pooping in the house then they may eat their poop to avoid getting yelled at. Dogs can be very sensitive, so it’s important that they don’t feel that they will be in trouble for an accident and that they learn where to go to the toilet. Crate training is a great option for dogs who are messing in the home.
Does your dog eat their own poop? Or have they in the past? What did you do to solve the problem? Comment Below and let us know!
