What You Should Know About Dog Eating Poop
Can there be a worse feeling than seeing your cute little puppy, the little puppy that you let lick your face, eat a large pile of poop? Even the greatest of dog lovers can feel the urge to vomit after seeing this display of canine instinct. Regardless of why dogs partake in such behavior, it is a behavior that must be rooted out, perhaps more for our sanity than the dog's health.
Experts disagree on why dogs eat feces and so it's somewhat difficult to come up with a cure. Scientists agree that eating feces, called "coprophagia," is normal dog behavior, albeit behavior that should be modified in domestic situations. It doesn't seem to matter the poop's source. Dogs will eat the poop of horses, cows, cats or even their own. The only poop that doesn't represent a health risk is the dog's own excrement.
Most dogs will outgrow the poop eating phase before adulthood. However this is not always the case. Some dogs seem to enjoy the feast so much that they continue the behavior throughout their lives, regardless of how well -fed they are. Breaking this habit can sometimes be difficult but there are some methods to try.
When walking your dog, make sure to keep them on a leash at all times. If the dog approaches a delicious pile of poop, give them a firm tug on the leash and a commanding "no!" Eventually the dog should get the idea that eating poo is not alright.
One theory of poop eating is that the dog is lacking nutrients. You can try to increase the amount and quality of their food in an attempt to correct this problem, but don't be surprised if it doesn't work.
Do not let feces accumulate in the yard. There's no reason to provide them with the temptation for a quick snack.
As a last resort to cure the hard-core poop eater, a food additive called Prozyme is available. This is an all natural substance that acts as a food supplement and makes the poop unappetizing, if you can believe that.
Occasionally, poop eating dogs do actually have a medical condition causing their desire to eat excrement. This disorder is called Enzymatic Pancreatic Insufficiency Disease and is caused by a lack of a digestive enzyme. A blood test can confirm its presence and it can be treated with medication. The disease causes the god to be unable to fully digest their food, leading to a nutrition deficiency. The dog attempts to correct this by eating the partially digested food excreted as feces.
Experts disagree on why dogs eat feces and so it's somewhat difficult to come up with a cure. Scientists agree that eating feces, called "coprophagia," is normal dog behavior, albeit behavior that should be modified in domestic situations. It doesn't seem to matter the poop's source. Dogs will eat the poop of horses, cows, cats or even their own. The only poop that doesn't represent a health risk is the dog's own excrement.
Most dogs will outgrow the poop eating phase before adulthood. However this is not always the case. Some dogs seem to enjoy the feast so much that they continue the behavior throughout their lives, regardless of how well -fed they are. Breaking this habit can sometimes be difficult but there are some methods to try.
When walking your dog, make sure to keep them on a leash at all times. If the dog approaches a delicious pile of poop, give them a firm tug on the leash and a commanding "no!" Eventually the dog should get the idea that eating poo is not alright.
One theory of poop eating is that the dog is lacking nutrients. You can try to increase the amount and quality of their food in an attempt to correct this problem, but don't be surprised if it doesn't work.
Do not let feces accumulate in the yard. There's no reason to provide them with the temptation for a quick snack.
As a last resort to cure the hard-core poop eater, a food additive called Prozyme is available. This is an all natural substance that acts as a food supplement and makes the poop unappetizing, if you can believe that.
Occasionally, poop eating dogs do actually have a medical condition causing their desire to eat excrement. This disorder is called Enzymatic Pancreatic Insufficiency Disease and is caused by a lack of a digestive enzyme. A blood test can confirm its presence and it can be treated with medication. The disease causes the god to be unable to fully digest their food, leading to a nutrition deficiency. The dog attempts to correct this by eating the partially digested food excreted as feces.
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