Poop eating in dogs is definitely a behavior problem. According to experts there are a few reasons for poop eating in dogs.
It occurs mostly in puppies. It might be a behavioral problem or even an underlying medical problem. If this occurs excessively, the responsible thing to do would be to take your dog to your vet to have him checked out.
Although this is a possibility, it is mostly a behavioral problem. So when all medical problems are eliminated, it is time to look at the other reason why this happens. It is important for your dog to have his vaccinations regularly. Diseases can also be spread through poop eating.
Why does your dog eat poop?
Hiding evidence.
Your dog might know that this is unacceptable bad behaviour. So he might eat it after having to go in the house for fear of the consequences. Your puppy might even be confused about it. If he was punished for doing it inside, he might think he was punished for doing it. So he might eat it even if he does it outside, because he thinks he should not do it at all.
Likes the taste.
Your puppy might simply just love the taste of the poop.
Dog might be bored.
Your dog might be bored and have nothing to do. Get your dog a few toys or even a friend. Dogs learn to socialize while interacting with other dogs. He needs to come into contact with others like him. If you grew up among dogs and never came into contact with humans like you, you might think you are a dog, right? And you might not know how to interact with others like you.
Copying other dogs
If you have more than one dog, there is a possibility that one of your dogs might copy another. Especially the younger ones.
Hungry Dog.
This can occur in dogs that get fed once a day. They get hungry and the poop is the closest thing to supper.
Overfed Dog.
An overfed dog can digest his food too quickly resulting in the poop still smelling like his supper. And if it smells like supper, then it must be supper, right? Well for a dog it might be.
Protecting against predators.
This is protective behaviour. When a bitch eats her puppies poop, one dog eats another (sick) dogs poop in an attempt to protect him against predators. After all, dogs are wild animals... and they have protective instincts.
Dog Cleaning House
Your dog will eat his poop if things get too much. If you take too long to clean his house out, he might just take the initiative to spring clean his house. There are quite a few theories on how to stop your dog from eating poop. However I have found a few that is quite useful. Clean up as soon as possible. Your dog will not eat poop right after he had a meal.
If possible try to clean as soon as possible. Try feeding him twice a day to avoid him getting too hungry. If he is not hungry, there is a good chance that he will not eat his poop. Mix pineapple or garlic into his food. Apparently it tastes awful in the poop, but I will not be able to verify it as I have not tried it before. Try to keep your dog stimulated. If he does not get bored too often, he might not see an opportunity to eat his poop. Happy Puppy Training...
It occurs mostly in puppies. It might be a behavioral problem or even an underlying medical problem. If this occurs excessively, the responsible thing to do would be to take your dog to your vet to have him checked out.
Although this is a possibility, it is mostly a behavioral problem. So when all medical problems are eliminated, it is time to look at the other reason why this happens. It is important for your dog to have his vaccinations regularly. Diseases can also be spread through poop eating.
Why does your dog eat poop?
Hiding evidence.
Your dog might know that this is unacceptable bad behaviour. So he might eat it after having to go in the house for fear of the consequences. Your puppy might even be confused about it. If he was punished for doing it inside, he might think he was punished for doing it. So he might eat it even if he does it outside, because he thinks he should not do it at all.
Likes the taste.
Your puppy might simply just love the taste of the poop.
Dog might be bored.
Your dog might be bored and have nothing to do. Get your dog a few toys or even a friend. Dogs learn to socialize while interacting with other dogs. He needs to come into contact with others like him. If you grew up among dogs and never came into contact with humans like you, you might think you are a dog, right? And you might not know how to interact with others like you.
Copying other dogs
If you have more than one dog, there is a possibility that one of your dogs might copy another. Especially the younger ones.
Hungry Dog.
This can occur in dogs that get fed once a day. They get hungry and the poop is the closest thing to supper.
Overfed Dog.
An overfed dog can digest his food too quickly resulting in the poop still smelling like his supper. And if it smells like supper, then it must be supper, right? Well for a dog it might be.
Protecting against predators.
This is protective behaviour. When a bitch eats her puppies poop, one dog eats another (sick) dogs poop in an attempt to protect him against predators. After all, dogs are wild animals... and they have protective instincts.
Dog Cleaning House
Your dog will eat his poop if things get too much. If you take too long to clean his house out, he might just take the initiative to spring clean his house. There are quite a few theories on how to stop your dog from eating poop. However I have found a few that is quite useful. Clean up as soon as possible. Your dog will not eat poop right after he had a meal.
If possible try to clean as soon as possible. Try feeding him twice a day to avoid him getting too hungry. If he is not hungry, there is a good chance that he will not eat his poop. Mix pineapple or garlic into his food. Apparently it tastes awful in the poop, but I will not be able to verify it as I have not tried it before. Try to keep your dog stimulated. If he does not get bored too often, he might not see an opportunity to eat his poop. Happy Puppy Training...
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