Why Do Dogs Eat Their Own Poo?

Almost every dog owner has experienced the dismay of catching Rover eating his own "poo." To humans, coprophagia, the act of eating solid waste, seems disgusting and wrong. Your dog may develop the habit for several reasons.

Causes

Coprophagia might develop from poor diet, causing the dog to seek nutrients from other sources, according to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Boredom and the physical inability to absorb sufficient nutrition from food also cause coprophagia.

Types

Dogs with coprophagia will either eat their own stools or eat the stools of other animals.

Time Frame

Bored dogs or dogs with nutritional issues can develop coprophagia at any time, according to the CVMA. However, genetically predisposed dogs start eating stools in late puppyhood and stop at about the age of 1 year.

Diet

The CVMA recommends a diet high in fat, fiber and protein and low in carbohydrates to reduce stool eating. Increasing activity or providing toys might help boredom-induced coprophagia.

Medications

Once started, coprophagia is a difficult habit to break in your dog. Medications that make stools unpalatable can be added to the dog's food.

References

• Animal Health Care: Many Reasons Why Dogs eat Stool

Resources

• Doctors Foster and Smith; Stool Eating: How to Break the Habit