The technical term for this doggie fecal fetish is Coprophagia. The reasons that dogs may eat feces are not scientific; however there are many logical theories and possible remedies.
Why Dogs Eat Poop
As outlined on their website, Animalbehaviorassociates.com, in “Why Dogs Eat Poop”, Dr. Daniel Estep, Ph.D. and Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D. give some possible reasons why dogs eat poop.
- Dogs have a carnivorous (meat eating) heritage.
- When dogs hunted in the wild, they ate internal organs and stomach contents of their kill.
- There may be nutrients or digestive enzymes in the feces.
Additionally, Pet-Comfort-Products.com has a list of twenty reasons a dog might eat poop. Among the twenty, here are some logical answers from their list:
- Dogs are neat animals, so if they poop in their crate or kennel, they want to clean up their home.
- A dog may eat feces because of parasite or worms.
- Dogs may be hiding the evidence because they have gotten into trouble previously for pooping where they shouldn’t.
- A mother dog may eat her puppies' poop so predators won’t know there are puppies available.
- Young puppies may experiment tasting it since it’s there.
- A dog may watch his owner pick up the poop and think that’s a good idea and do it himself.
- A dog may not be getting fed often enough, and is hungry.
- A dog may be trying to get his owner's attention.
Do All Dogs Eat Poop?
It is common for a dog to snoop around animal feces, and some dogs even eat their own stool. Estep and Hetts explain that eating their own feces is a strong urge for some dogs and others may never do it. Dogs might get into a cat’s litter box, or find horse manure particularly tasty.
As disgusting as that may be to most dog owners, they should think about this quote from The Ultimate Horse Site, “Let's try to educate others to stop being so anal about horse manure. It is a clean, natural product used by landscapers, vineyards, farmers and big companies like Scotts to provide topsoil, fertilizer and other gardening products. Poop is part of the natural cycle of life." - EnviroHorse website
Can Eating Feces be Dangerous for a Dog?
In general, the answer is no. However, studies show that eight out of ten dogs get worms at some time in their lives. Dogs who nose around and nibble on animals feces up their risk for getting roundworms or hookworms and other parasites. For the dog's health, his owner should have him tested regularly and wormed when necessary.
How to Stop Dogs from Eating Feces
If a dog is eating his or other animal's feces, the dog owner can try several things to discourage his dog from this behavior. Most obviously, he can be more diligent about picking up the stool before the dog can get back into it.
The Partnership for Animal Welfare (Paw-rescue.org) discusses Coprophagia and solutions in its article, “Dog Tip: Stopping Dogs From Eating Poop”. They recommend trying these solutions to discourage dogs from eating feces:
- Changing the dog’s diet to add more nutrients
- Feed more often
- Always walk the dog on a leash to keep the dog under control.
- Develop a command for not eating poop.
- Buy a drug additive from a pet store or vet that flavors the feces so that dogs aren’t attracted to it.
- Try non-drug diet additives, such as 2-4 tablespoons of canned pumpkin, 1 tablespoon pineapple or spinach, or a bit of meat tenderizer to the dog’s meals.
The idea that the family dog likes to eat feces isn’t a pleasant thought for dog owners, but they need to understand it is not unusual. By trying a few of the remedies listed above, hopefully, a dog owner can curb his dog's obsession and correct the unwanted behavior.
Related Reading:
"What Does a Dog Cost it's First Year?"
Resources:
Animalbehaviorassociates.com
ultimatehorsesite.com
Pet-comfort-products.com
Paw-rescue.org
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