Why do puppies and dogs eat poop?!? I remember being at the breeder’s house to pick out my first puppy. I noticed how quick he got in the pen to clean out any little poop, saying “before they ate it”. My first thought was “gross” but I did not give it much thought beyond that.
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Wait, My Puppy Did What?
Fast forward a few weeks. And little Gracie is home! She pooped outside! Wait, why is she eating it?!? NOOOOO! That pretty little face did not look like it would commit such a vile act.
We learned to be poop bag ninjas in our house! And if we were not right there to pick it up the inevitable happened. She was FAST too! Eventually with treats to reward her for just using the bathroom outside we were able to woo her away from that warm, steaming pile of poop.
Training
I had a trainer come to the house for Grace after she snapped at me when she was eating a bone. Yhat behaviour needed to be nipped right in the bud before it got going. I mentioned the poop eating as well. That was when the lady got really upset and started yelling at me about food and that she was not getting the right nutrients.
I was a bit stunned actually when she then proceeded to go into a rant about what kind of food I should be feeding my dog. Then she said I needed a high level of protein and which store I should shop at. As it turns out most of that information was completely inaccurate for my breed.
Reasons Why
If you look it up, there are many reasons why a puppy or dog eats poop of any kind. Yes, they may be eating it for undigested protein and fat. It may also be a habit that was picked up many years ago in the wild, as mother dogs would eat the feces of her puppies so that the scent would not attract predators.
Oh, Benson
Regardless of the reason, it is just plain gross. I mean, who doesn’t love when your puppy breathes fresh poop stench right into your face. Or better yet leave your skin smelling like it after a kiss. Benson even one upped that…
One night he woke me up to go outside to the bathroom. He came in and decided to jump in bed with me. And he likes to lie next to me with his head and front paws wrapped around the top of my head on my pillow. I guess he enjoyed too much of the smelly delicacy when he went out because he gagged and threw some of it up right onto my pillow! Needless to say that went right into the garbage. My favorite pillow too!
Thankfully, Grace outgrew her poop eating penchant relatively quickly. Benson? Not so much. I still catch him on occasion nibbling a fresh poop like he’s eating corn on the cob. And with a great amount of delicacy. There are a few things that you can look to try if your dog is an avid poop eater.
Behavioural Reasons
Try to see if it is simply a behavioural issue. Maybe they are doing it because they just enjoy the taste of it. Or maybe they are just keeping their area tidy or are simply bored. You can try to put additives in their food to prevent this. Pineapple is one thing I have seen added to food to do this.
I have also heard of people sprinkling fresh poop with a hot pepper spice or hot sauce as well. I have mixed feelings about this. It can burn your dog’s mouth and could potentially be inhaled or end up in their eyes and could end up hurting them. And if you are taking the time to follow your dog around with a spice jar, why not just pick it up immediately?
Nutrition
There is something to be said for nutritional issues as well if you do not think that it is a behavioural issue. Some dogs may be looking to find additional nutrients because either their food is lacking them. Or they may not be absorbing them properly. Take a look at the ingredient list on the dog food and ensure that it is not full of filler products.
The trainer I had come in wanted me to switch to a super high protein food for my dogs. Her view was that big dogs need super high levels of protein. What she did not take into consideration was the food my breeder was using and that I was still using is a high quality food suitable for all life stages. As such, my puppies did NOT need a high level of protein. This could cause them to grow too quickly resulting in joint problems!
Other options include poop eating deterrents, which are easily found online and in pet stores. I found that just being diligent in picking up in the yard and correcting the behaviour was enough for Benson to gradually stop. While some dogs just outgrow it, there are those that will remain lifelong poop eaters.
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