Coprophagia - Fancy Term for Eating Poop
Poop eating is an embarrassing and potentially unhealthy behavior that many dogs engage in. In addition to being gross, there are health concerns, including the possibility of picking up disease and ingesting remnants of another dog's medication.
Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?
- Hungry and looking for food
- Lacks nutrients in food he is fed
- Medical problem, including exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatitis, intestinal infections, malabsorptive syndromes, and overfeeding
- Large amounts of undigested food items which increases the likelihood of the stool being eaten because there are food items still in it
- Housekeeping - a dog kept in a small area will feel stressed in the area if the poop is not consistently cleaned up
- Boredom
Tips To Stop Dogs From Eating Poop
To resolve the problem, you should begin by making sure that there is not an underlying medical issue. After that, the dog's area should be checked to make sure it is clean enough. Once the medical and environmental aspects are ruled out, you can begin to work on the problem from the behavioral side.
It will be important to track the dog's eating and eliminating habits. You should feed your dog at the same time each day and give him the same dog food each time. With your dog on leash, take him to an appropriate bathroom spot every 15-30 minutes until he goes.
If he begins to show interest in his droppings, instruct him to "Leave It" and then distract him by requesting that he perform an obedience command like "Sit" or "Lay Down."
Dogs That Eat Poop Are Also Likely To...
|
