Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?

As humans, the act of dogs eating poop totally disgusts us. We ask ourselves, Why do dogs eat poop? What could they possibly be thinking? There are a few reasons that dogs engage in such vile behavior. Let’s examine some common questions:

Why do dogs eat other dogs poop? Dogs often eat other dogs poop because they are lacking in something. Either they aren’t getting enough food or enough nutrients in their diet. Since feces from another dog can sometimes smell like dog food, they will ingest it to make up for their hunger or lack of nutrients from their own food. This gives them instant satisfaction and therefore makes it a difficult act to break. There is a product called Forbid that can be given to dogs that will make the poop not as appetizing. A few other things you can try is putting a small amount of hot sauce or lemon juice on the poop to discourage consumption.

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Why do dogs eat cat poop? Dogs that eat cat poop are also likely suffering from some lack of nutrient or enough food. Some dogs just develop a taste for “kitty crunchies” so prevent access to the litter box to put a stop to this unwanted behavior.

Why do dogs eat their own poop? Some dogs may eat their own poop out of anxiety, stress or boredom. If the dog is crated for long periods of time, he may eat his poop to try to keep his kennel clean. Try to get him out of his crate often for potty breaks, exercise and interaction.

 

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If none of these seem to discourage the poop-eating behavior, you may want to take a visit to your veterinarian to rule out other problems such as parasites. Parasites can rid the body of essential nutrients and thus can cause a dog to feel the need to replace those nutrients by eating poop.

The most important things to do to stop this problem, is to feed your dog adequate amounts of high-quality dog food, give them plenty of time to potty and exercise throughout the day, prevent access to the cat litter box and have them checked out by your vet.

1 thought on “Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?”

  1. My dog Yorkie/Poo 3 1/2 yrs old, female is starting a strange behavior. eating grass I know is for upset stomach and to make them either settle the upset or make them throw up. She just ate this morning a stale hidden piece of a roll probably from a squirrel. I thought squirrels pee on their soon to be hidden food so no other animal will eat. Today I saw she had a small piece of her own poop in her mouth, I yelled and yes she dropped. Will this behavior be from being yelled at and to get our attention?

    Reply

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