It is not unusual to see dogs things that make us go Awww! But sometimes they do kinds of stuff that you make you say Ewwww! Eating poop is one of the gross habits that dogs do. They do so out of boredom, to seek attention, or due to any health issues.

The act of eating stool by the dogs or animal is called “Coprophagia”. This upsetting condition is a very common problem in dogs and puppies. In this article, we discuss the various reasons why they do so.

Poor Digestion

One of the possible reasons behind your dog eating poop/stool is because they might not be digesting the food properly. If the food that feeds your dog is low in digestible nutrients, it comes out in basically the same form as it went in. If the dog has poor digestion system, it also results in the same way.

In such cases, dogs eat their poop as it tastes exactly the same as they ate. For this, switching to higher quality can help to solve this problem of your dog. Hence, make sure that your pup gets proper digestive food items.

Boredom

If you leave your dog/puppy alone in the home for a long time, they are likely to get bored easily. So, they may desire to do something interesting to refresh themselves.

A dog with a habit of eating stool.
Image Source: YouTube

And if there happens to be poop within their reach, they will surely entertain themselves by playing with and eating the poop. Thus, leaving your dog home alone for a long time is not an ideal decision to make.

Enzyme deficiency

Digestive enzymes are the important enzymes that the dog requires in their digestive system. Without them, dogs cannot observe their food properly and as a result, they will poop out the nutrients without digesting. Though dogs create enzymes by themselves, they are not enough for their body.

Dogs require an additional amount of enzymes from their food. If the dog is suffering from an Enzyme deficiency, it is likely to develop an illness. Not only that, they’ll start eating their own poop that they just got rid of because it is full of nutrients.

To stop your dog eating poop from the deficiency of digestive enzymes, you’ll have to make sure that you provide them food with enough quantity of enzymes.

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency or just Pancreatic Insufficiency is the condition when the dog does not produce enough digestive enzymes in the pancreas. And without insufficient enzymes, the dog will slowly starve showing symptoms such as diarrhea and weight loss.

The most important symptom is they start eating their stool/poop due to the lack of enzymes. Because the dog tries to get the much-needed nutrients, they eat their poop. Therefore, you should provide added enzymes to your dog with nutritious foods.

To seek attention

Dogs love people and want our attention every moment possible. If your dog is feeling a little ignored, he will try to seek your attention with every aspect they can. So, they even enjoy getting into trouble as it attracts our attention. Although your pup is getting a negative reaction, it will enjoy that because it is gaining extra attention from you.

A dog trying to eat poop. Image Source: Instagram@nhvnaturalpet

Stress

If you keep your dog in the kennel all day long, it is likely to suffer from separation anxiety and later on stress. If they suffer from stress being in their kennel all day, they try to relieve it by eating their own poop. Therefore, you should not leave your canine buddy in the kennel for a long time.

Cleanliness

There comes a time when a dog will start eating stool and it is very natural for all animals. It is when a female dog cleans up her puppies to keep the nest clean. This natural drive for cleanliness makes her eat the stool of her and her puppies too.

Some mother dogs even eat stool to protect her puppies from predators that track through the scent of their feces. Though there is not much of a danger to the puppies from a predator, it is still, a natural instinct for all mother dogs.

Punishment

We punish our dogs a lot of time for pooping in the house which is very obvious as an owner. This makes your dog think that poop is bad. And to be safe from getting any further punishment, they clear the evidence by eating it. Just to be safe from any penalty, dogs eat their poop. Therefore, you should always teach your pup some potty training which will ensure that it uses the toilet every time it poops.

Parasites

If your dog has a parasite in their intestine, it will observe all the nutrients that your dog should be getting from their food. And as the dog starves for additional nutrients, it will eat poop without hesitating. To control this, be sure to take your dog to a vet to check and cure the parasites in their body.

A dog about to eat poop.
Image Source: Wag!

Scavengers

Dogs are natural scavengers that get attracted to a scent. Saying that they are not disgusted by feces as we humans are. So, if they get an opportunity, they do not mind eating poop.

Underfeeding

If you are not feeding enough amount of diet that your dog needs, it will be needing various food supplements that cure their hunger. If they do not get any food items, they’ll feed on their own poop to satisfy their hunger. So, you’ll have to feed more foods to your dog if they are losing weight on a whole fresh diet.

Poop Eating Review

Problems of Poop Eating

  • Deficiency of Digestive Enzymes
  • Boredom
  • Stress
  • Punishment
  • Underfeeding
  • Attention Seeking
  • Parasites
  • Scavengers
  • Cleanliness
A dog smelling poop. Image Source: NomNomNow

Solutions of Poop Eating

  • Always feed your dog good quality food supplements so that they get all of the required protein, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients.
  • Make sure that your puppy gets enough playtime and attention from you.
  • Clean after your puppies regularly so that the mother does not have to eat stool.
  • Add meat tenderizer, digestive enzymes and natural additives to your dog’s diet.
  • Keep your dog always on a leash while taking them out for a walk to prevent them from eating poop.
  • Discourage your dog each time it plays with or tries to eat poop and reward when it behaves properly. This will help your dog to get rid of this bad habit in a short period of time.

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