There’s nothing more disgusting than seeing your furry friend eat its own or another dog’s poop. In a lot of cases, they are proud of the behaviour, and then come in for some praise, or god forbid, a big wet kiss. Owners near and far ask themselves why is my dog doing this? What’s wrong with my dog? Some owners may even be so disgusted or embarrassed about the behaviour that it starts to break down the relationship between them and their dog. Well, I am here to let you know that it’s more common than you think and, in some cases, perfectly normal. It’s a matter of knowing what is normal, what could be behavioural and perhaps what could be a medical issue. I am going to briefly share with you some things to help you understand the behaviour and how to cope and help your pet cope.
Some Facts About Coprophagia
Coprophagia is the term that means the practice of eating stool (feces). Coprophagia is not always an abnormal behaviour for dogs or puppies. Mother dogs consume their puppy’s poops. This keeps things nice and clean during nursing. We all know the saying ‘monkey see, monkey do’. I guess in the case of this topic, it’s ‘puppy see, puppy eat doo doo’!
Puppies go through an oral phase where they explore everything with their mouths, sometimes eating all sorts of strange things, including feces. As time goes on, most puppies figure out the difference between a poopsicle and puppy chow! In these cases, this is a very normal and expected behaviour, so don’t sweat the small stuff.
Not A Puppy but Loves the Brown Stuff?
I wish it was a simple easy answer to why your dog is exhibiting this behaviour, but it’s just not so simple. There could be a number of reasons why your dog just can’t put down the brown stuff.
- High protein, low residue, puppy food
- Irregular feeding schedule
- Feeding inadequate amounts of food
- Under-stimulating environment
- Constant opportunity to ingest feces
- Inadequate attention/supervision
It’s important to consult your veterinarian regarding this behaviour. We always want to rule out any medical conditions that could be contributing to the behaviour. In some cases, it could be due to a poor diet, which is easy enough to remedy. It could be as simple as a more satiating kibble to hold them over from meal to meal. In other cases, it could be due to severe anxiety and trauma and may require medications prescribed by your veterinarian.
What to Do About the Poo?
Once your veterinarian has ruled out any medical concerns, there are many things you can try, to stop this unwanted party trick. A good start is making sure there is no temptation so you can do the following: picking up the poop as soon as the dog has relieved themselves, and keeping your dog on a leash and walking them directly inside after the deed is done. Some dogs will wise up when they realise you are not going to allow them to continue the behaviour. You may be that, oh so blessed owner, that has a dog who treats their bum like a personal soft serve station. Good news, I have a few recommendations for that nastiness.
Don’t Forget About the Everyday Stuff!
I have a drama queen of a dog if you have ever seen one. If he doesn’t get what he needs, or even thinks he needs, there will be trouble. And trust me, he isn’t cleaning the yard as a favour to me. Making sure you spend time EVERY DAY with your dog is so important. Training, exercise and praise can be just the things your dog needs to encourage him to have better behaviour. Fun working games like hunting, fetch and other activities are so great for exercise and stimulation. Training perfect recall is not only imperative for the safety of your dog, but can redirect the behaviour when you see they may want to eat their poop. Another great command to help with this behaviour is “leave it”. “Leave it” can be used in many ways to solidify the relationship and respect with your dog, as well as make it very clear to your dog what you want from them.
Once you have spent time exercising your dog and working on discipline, it’s now the perfect time to give love and affection. By showing your dog affection when they are calm and physically satisfied, it builds HUGE trust. With trust comes a very respectful and responsive dog. This will help when asking your dog to do or not do things.
I hope these suggestions will help to get you on your way to a fresh start. It’s always disappointing to have undesired behaviours when it comes to our pets. Just remember as long as you stay consistent and clear with your dog, the sky’s the limit! Don’t ever forget that there is no shame in your question game, so always consult your veterinarian about any concerns.