At some point, we all get sick of odd and disgusting habits of our dog like licking their own pee, rolling in mud, licking their own butt etc. In spite of all this, we still manage to find a million reasons to love them. Still, there is one such foul habit that even we can’t ignore: if dogs eat poop. Poop eating, scientifically correcting-coprophagia, is a common issue as almost 24% of pet parents (one in four) have faced this problem at least once in their dog’s lifespan. The reason why some dogs view poop as a highly prized delicacy varies from behavioral to environmental nature.
Why Do Dogs Eat Poop?
Enzymes Insufficiency
Our dog’s diet is full of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins but lacks intestinal enzymes that are highly required and a key component for canine’s digestion process. Nowadays, the highly processed dog food available in the market includes less animal protein which naturally contains the appropriate amount of digestive enzymes the dog needs. To overcome the deficiency of enzymes in the body, dogs have a scoop of poop rich in enzymes.
EPI and Parasites
EPI, better known as Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, is a situation when the production of the enzymes by dog’s pancreas is very less or almost zero. Deficiency of enzymes leads to improper digestion, malnutrition, weight loss, diarrhea and also poop eating.
Another reason could be intestinal parasites like worms, protozoa etc. They find their home in the dog’s gut and affect the digestion process. Proper deworming course and consultation of Vet are recommended in such cases.
Behavioral Reasons: Boredom, Attention, Stress, Clean-up
Boredom is one core reason behind poop eating. When dogs are left with no activity, interaction or left alone for a longer period, they find an alternate source of entertainment by playing with and sometimes eating their own or someone else poop.
Attention: Dogs are like little human babies. More you give them attention, more they love to continue doing that same activity for your reaction. So next time, don’t overreact whenever you catch them doing the same, not even a negative reaction.
Stress also often drive canines to eat their own shit. Extreme anxiety, new home, punishments etc are the number of reasons behind the dog’s stress.
Cleanliness: Some trained dogs are having the habit of keeping their surroundings clean to avoid their trainer’s anger. Female dogs are more concern about clean living space for newborn puppies.
Diet Issues
Poop eating habits generally arise in growing puppies as they need to be fed regular times more than an adult dog. Don’t depend highly on packed dog food. Try to feed them more raw and quality proteins. Dogs facing diseases like diabetes, thyroid issues are also prone to eat poop.
At TAILored Pet Services, our employees always make sure that your dog never indulges in such activities. Your pet’s health and safety is always our top priority. To know more about our exercise services, please visit the dog walking page and contact us as well and if you have any suggestions on why do dogs eat poop, please share your views below in the comment section.
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