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Why does my dog eat poop?
Really, it doesn’t get much more disgusting than catching Fido in the act of eating his (or his doggie friend’s, or the cat’s) poop. Coprophagia. Yes, it’s common enough that there’s a word for it. And, there’s a perfectly logical explanation.
You may not realize this – maybe it’s not the topic of your everyday conversations – but dogs eating poop really isn’t all that unusual. Yes, it’s disgusting, but it turns out it is a natural behavior and most dogs are hard-wired to do it.
Long before dogs became members of the household, they were wild animals that would fall prey to other carnivores. It was the role of the mother to protect her litter of pups, and that included ridding their scent from the area – you guessed it – by eating her puppies’ poop. Of course there are other, less sweet reasons a dog eats feces. Some are just plain hungry. Some actually enjoy the smell or taste (you’d be hard-pressed to find a dog that doesn’t love snacking from the cat’s litterbox!), and some are looking for specific nutrients they might be missing from their diet.
If poop-eating is excessive, talk to your veterinarian to rule out any health issues. If all’s well – and it usually is – there are ways to curb this behavior through training or dietary supplements that make poop less palatable.
Up next, does your dog chase her own tail? It’s not just for fun! There are several reasons dogs do it. Click NEXT!
