All About Copraphagy
(That is, poop-eating.)
Why they do it
There are a number of triggers that can drive a dog to munch on poo. As with many behavioral problems, this one warrants a trip to the vet. One of the least common, but worth concern, is a B-vitamin deficit. This is easy enough to address, just make sure your dog is getting a good multi-vitamin with B-complex in it. Dogs may also take to poop-eating if they are lacking certain digestive enzymes. Your vet can prescribe medication to address this problem.
Any medical problem that causes blood to be shed in feces will make that feces more attractive to a poop-eating dog. Bring in a sample of the feces that your dog finds delectable (whether its his own or someone else's) so your vet can rule out parasites and other issues.
Some dogs resort to copraphagy when they are simply hungry. In this case, reassessing the amount of food your pet gets or switching up his feeding schedule may solve the problem. Pay attention to when the behavior happens most often compared to your dog's feeding schedule.
Does she get fed in the morning and eat poo on her evening romp? Maybe she needs an afternoon snack. You could split her total food intake between morning and evening or adjust the amount she's getting fed. Growing pups may need their food intake re-evaluated frequently. Sometimes changing your brand of dogfood helps as well. Many commercial dogfoods (even some that market themselves as being "high end") are really quite terrible for dogs and wreak all sorts of havok on their digestive systems which can lead to many issues, but that's an article for another day. Talk to your vet about the best food foryour dog.
Occasionally, when a dog is improperly house trained, he can make the connection between feces in his vicinity and being punished. He may then eat the feces the minute it's noticed (or produced) in order to prevent the punishment he fears will follow.
Once a dog discovers that eating poo gets a reaction from you, he may do it just for the joy of watching you say "Eww Fido! That's gross!". It is important to address the behavior with a quick leash correction and a firm "No" without getting all excited about it. Or better yet, distract your dog the moment he shows interest in the poo so that it never becomes an issue.
Some dogs simply eat poo- and couches- and other things - out of boredom or anxiety.
A dog that is left in a confined area for an extended period of time and not cleaned up after regularly may eat his or her own poo in order to keep his living area clean. Forcing a dog to live in his own poo can cause all sorts of psychological issues.
Steps to eliminate Copraphagy:
1. Take your dog to the vet along with a sample of the stool he finds most tasty (his own, the cat's, the other dog's, etc.).
2. Make sure your dog is on a nutritionally balanced diet. Talk to your vet about vitamin supplements and feeding schedules.
3. Make sure your dog has plenty of yummy bones and bully treats, maybe a Kong and a Twist n Treat or Tug a Jug to keep him occupied when you can't entertain him. And make sure he gets plenty of exercise to relieve stress and to encourage him to nap instead of being bored.
4. Keep your dog's potty area clean and make sure his potty area and his living area are not the same.
5. If your dog makes a move toward a poopy snack, move away at a brisk pace and run him through some tricks with plenty of treats to get his mind off of it.
Supportive products
The following products claim to make poop taste bad (implying that it tastes good?) therefore discouraging dogs from eating it. I have found, however, that what works for one dog doesn't work for most dogs and what works for most dogs doesn't work for mine! So give these a shot and let me know how they work.
Potty Mouth by Four Paws
8in1 Deter - Coprophagia Treatment
and
For-Bid
You can also try adding pumpkin or meat tenderizer to your dog's food but watch the sodium content. The main ingredient in the meat tenderizer and most of the commercial poo-flavoring food additives is MSG. You could also go out and put a few drops of Tabasco on all the poo in the yard before letting him out. This will teach him that eating poo runs the risk of an uncomfortable burning sensation, and may put a stop to it.
When to Leave it Alone
Female dogs naturally eat the feces of their pups while they are in the nest. If this is the case of your dog, leave her be. If the habit continues after the pups have left the nest, you can address it then.
Have you had this problem with your dog? Let us know what you did about it.
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