So, you’ve noticed that after you take your pup to do his business, he starts eating his own feces. This is not a pleasant experience to encounter, but realistically, it’s very, very common.
There are quite a few reasons why your dog is eating his poop (sorry, we had to say it!), and many of them are no cause for alarm. According to the ASPCA, it’s common for puppies to ingest feces, (this is known as Coprophagia), as they are just getting use to their environment. Young pups will most likely outgrow this by six months. It’s also very common for nursing dogs to eat their puppies’ feces as a way of cleaning up the nest. Of course, if your dog is neither a puppy or mother, it’s possible that he or she is just doing this because it seems natural. If you do notice your dog doing this quite often, it’s important to make sure that he or she is not starving or malnourished, as these are also reasons why your dog would eat its own feces.
Now that we found out why your dog is doing this, what can you do to stop it? Well first, talk with your vet to make sure that your dog’s food is high quality, and the best for him or her. Another solution is to immediately clean up after your dog goes to the bathroom, so he doesn’t have the opportunity to snack. You can also try adding a taste deterrent to the feces that is safe for your dog, but won’t taste pleasant.
If you feel like you’ve done everything you can and you’re still not getting results, talk with your veterinarian to make sure that your dog doesn’t have a compulsive disorder. If your dog isn’t diagnosed with a disorder, it may be time to bring in a professional dog trainer who can help your dog understand that feces are not something to be eaten.
The biggest take away when it comes to stopping this behavior is to not hit your dog or rub his nose in the feces. This type of negative behavior rarely ever proves to be successful. If you would like to know more about Coprophagia, head over to the ASPCA or contact your vet ASAP.
