You know how hungry your dog can get, but you never thought it would stoop so low. Like eating breakfast in a potty. How disgusting is that, but they do. The Greek word for this is called “Coprophagia,” which means eating dung (eating poop) in English. Once started, it can be a hard habit to break.
Vets speculate that dogs eating their own poop or poop from somewhere else may be bored or looking for some type of nutrients not found in their own food. And they may like the taste of it. This behavior is not uncommon in dogs and most dogs do it on occasion. Also, eating dog poop rarely causes health problems, but it makes your breath a real mess. It can be a health concern if your dog eats a large amount of kitty litter if he eats it from a litter box. Your intestines may become clogged, and if you keep up this habit, you may have parasites.
Here are some things you can do to help your dog stop eating poop.
1) Complement your diet with more nutrient-dense foods. Your dog could be eating poop to try to supplement the vitamins and minerals it is missing.
2) Clean the surrounding area of any dog poop and any other animal waste. If your dog goes to a cat litter box for a treat, he simply moves the litter box out of Fido’s reach but still within your cat’s reach.
3) Give your dog lots of toys to play with. Maybe she’s going to the poop bar because he’s bored. Then give him something else to chew on and keep him busy. Dogs develop bad habits when they have too much time to play.
4) If your dog is crated, it’s good to take him out often and clean his crate. Sometimes he may want to clean it himself.
There are many theories as to why a dog eats poop, but actually one knows for sure why a dog indulges in this habit. We hope these few tips help you correct this behavior.