Why do dogs eat poop?
That is one of the grossest things our pets do! Dogs seem to relish getting in the cat box, then breathing poop breath on us and licking us with poop tongues. Why would any living thing eat poop? Some living creatures like insects and worms make their living doing just that. There is some nutrition in waste, which is why it is used for fertilizer. In fact our domesticated pets’ food has such a high percentage of grain in it that the poop must still smell nutritious. Several of my dogs always thought so.
I think dogs eat poop for several reasons:
- They are puppies, and don’t know any better
- They are neurotic, bored, scared, or really lonely
- It smells good to them
Even if you know why dogs eat poop, it is still nauseating to us. So here’s the second question: How do we stop them from doing this? Let’s take the list one at a time:
- Puppies will usually grow out of it, but don’t let it become a habit. Clean up after them when they go.
- If you have a herding dog, varmint killer, or other breed with a busy personality, they need a friend or to stay busier. Dogs that are afraid of everything sometimes eat poop because they are suffering from anxiety disorders. Some dogs are just weird.
- This is the one that you can sometimes control. There are products made of papaya and pineapple enzymes called papain and bromain that will digest the protein to make the poop taste “worse.” You’d have to be a dog to be on the panel to test that product. They come in packages or pills that you add to the food. It should work…unless your dog likes fresh papaya or pineapple.
- Another great way is to walk your pet soon after eating to in order to keep them busy and keep the poop out of the yard.
Even though this is gross, it’s one of the most frequent questions I get asked.
Bone App… No my little saying really doesn’t really work here!
Healthful dog food and good nutrition go hand in hand (paw in paw?). I’ve spent more than 10 years treating common dog ailments, obesity and chronic conditions through nutrition. You can find out more about my new book Dog Dish Diet: Sensible Nutrition for Your Dog’s Health.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great blog and to the point. I have a Swiss friend who recently took his 16 week lab puppy into the alps. This little girl took a real affection to the cow pies. I think we have all seen dogs that may not eat their own poop, but go for cat, rabbit, or deer feces. Although cow pies is a bit more unusual, do you have any suggestions for these owners?
Great blog! I’ve been directing people to it because I keep getting that question, too. Btw, Pacino says hello, and asks that you please stop writing blogs about him unless he gives you his Pug Publicity Release Form.
P Kidding. I’m gonna try the bromain and I’ll keep you posted. Aren’t you excited…..
One of the male pups from my last litter of Golden Retrievers developed this horrible habit. The new owners tried every commercial product available and nothing seemed to work. At first I thought they might be feeding him an inferior food or he was being left alone and bored. Wrong – he was on one of the better quality kibble products (Premium Edge Lamb & Rice) and getting lots of exercise and attention. I suggested adding a couple of tablespoons of canned crushed pineapple to his food. It did not happen overnight, but in the course of a week or two, they noticed that he just stopped eating the poop! He has never gone back to it, so I always suggest this first before investing in a lot of commercial pills and products. Of course this also must be accompanied by good hygiene, a good diet and of course adequate exercise and social interaction. I’m happy to know he has all of these, but we may never know why he developed this disgusting habit in the first place. Only thing I can figure is the scavenger side in him came out a little too strong. Go figure! — Good luck to anyone dealing with this problem!
Trish,
Thanks for the pineapple tip. I will “pass” it on to those poor owners that want to try it.