Why Pooches Eat Poop
Dogs are often called man’s best friend, but a lot of pooches do something man would never do: they eat poop. Some dogs eat their own poop. Some dogs eat other animals’ poop. Some dogs eat poop indiscriminately, and with gusto. This poop-eating habit, officially termed “corprophagy”, is relatively harmless to a dog’s health, but it may have a jarring effect on the emotional well-being of a dog’s owner. Several explanations exist as to why mutts like to munch on manure.
IT’S HEREDITARY
Corprophagy may be a residual behavior left over from a time when dogs ran wild. Before dogs were tamed by man, they traveled in packs and scavenged the ground for food scraps. These scraps included feces.
MAMA DID IT
After pups go poo, mother dogs instinctively eat the excrement. The act of eating feces may be a learned behavior dating back to a canine’s infancy.
THEY NEED THE NUTRIENTS
Dogs need protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and water, just like humans do. Some dogs feed on feces when they’re not getting enough nutrients from their own food. Poor-quality chow may be to blame.
THEY ARE CLEANING HOUSE
Dogs in kennels and puppies in crates frequently eat their own feces in attempt to keep their cramped quarters clean. A dog who eats waste may simply be cleaning house.
HABITS ARE HARD TO BREAK
If a dog gets into the poop-eating habit as a puppy, he’s likely to continue that habit into adulthood.
POOP ALLEVIATES BOREDOM
If a dog is bored, he may eat poop for entertainment. If he gets attention for it – even negative attention – he is all the more likely to continue the habit.
OWNER THINKS IT’S A FUN GAME
If a dog sees his owner picking up poop with a “toy”, or even “playing” with fun-looking plastic baggies of the stuff, he may start to feel like he’s being excluded from some great game. If a dog’s owner yells or appears to get excited when the dog sniffs or eats feces, this reaction may only spur him on.
Corprophagy is a common canine habit. The best way to curb a dog’s propensity for poo is to eliminate temptation before it’s too late. Using a professional company like ByeByeDoggiePoo.com to get your yard in shape is just the start. They serve Roanoke TX, Westfield TX, Southlake TX, Grapevine TX, , Watauga TX, Colleyville TX, and Keller TX. Regular visits will ultimately help break the habit and a healthier dog will be the result. Just as a human with no junk food in the pantry is more likely to eat well, a dog with no poo in the yard is more likely to refrain from eating excrement.