Do you have a dog that eats poo (also known as coprophagy)? If so, you would probably like him or her to stop this soon. Not only is this very distasteful, it can also lead to or indicate health problems. We explain why dogs eat poo and what you can do about it.
Whether a dog eats its own faeces, the faeces of other dogs or cat faeces, there are a few possible causes in all these cases.
Poop eating is more common in puppies than in adult dogs. Not only may puppies have adopted the behaviour from their mother (mother dogs often eat poo to keep the litter clean), they are also naturally more curious and will try something out more quickly. Adult dogs are more likely to eat poo to get attention from the owner (punishment in this case will also be seen as ‘positive’ attention).
In western countries, dogs are unlikely to eat poo to compensate for a nutrient deficiency, especially if they are fed good dog food. However, a nutrient deficiency can be the cause in dogs that eat a lot of human food or when the dog suffers from a digestive disorder. For digestive disorders, try Dog Parex. This product contains, among other things, a mix of herbs that contribute to a balanced stomach and intestinal flora and support resistance. Or choose the Multi-Vit Soft Chews, which are packed with vitamins, minerals and trace elements and support resistance and metabolism.
Dogs can also eat poo because they simply like it or out of voraciousness, for example because they are on a diet.
Eating one's own poo or poo from other dogs or animal species usually does no harm, unless it infects the dog with parasites, such as giardia. This parasite can cause intestinal problems such as diarrhoea and sometimes weight loss. Do you suspect your dog has giardia? If so, contact your vet for a stool test and possibly a treatment plan.
It can be very difficult to unlearn dogs from eating poo, especially when they have been exhibiting this behaviour for a long time and it has become a habit. Considering dogs can eat poo to attract attention, punishment or pulling on the leash often actually has the opposite effect. It may even be the case that the dog sees the owner as a ‘competitor’ and therefore tries to eat it as quickly as possible.
With puppies, eating poo often passes by itself. If necessary, you can distract the puppy with some treats so that ignoring/not eating the poo is rewarded. With adult dogs, it is wise to walk them on a leash (don't let them walk freely), so they don't get the chance to eat poo on the sly. Does the dog walk towards poo? Stay calm and try to distract the dog with some treats. If the dog only smells the poo for a moment and then walks on, rewarding this good behaviour is also important. With dogs that eat poo because they like it, it is essential to use a snack that they find irresistible to prevent them from choosing the poo anyway.
Hopefully, these tips will help you to stop your dog from eating poo. As with all types of dog training, being consistent is most important to changing unwanted behaviour.
