Canine Coprophagia (Why Dogs Eat Poop)

Some people do not realize that faeces contain E-coli, which is deadly bacteria. So think about what happens after dogs eat poop. What do they do with their contaminated tongues and mouths? Lick you?

What if your dog steals food and licks your counter or plate? These places are now contaminated. If they are not properly cleaned, you may eat from them and get E-coli in your system.

Why dogs eat poop?

There are many reasons for which dogs eat their poop. One is that their mother eats the faeces of the pups until they are old enough to come out of the den. If she did not do this, predators would locate and kill the pups in no time.

Dogs also eat it because they were left alone too much, and perhaps all they had to eat on for entertainment was their poop. This is one reason why you really need to be sure the breeder from whom you purchase takes good care of the pups. Puppies develop very bad habits very quickly and have to be supervised at all times. It’s easy for them to adapt to your routine, but it’s also easy for them to create their own.

Poor nutrition is yet another reason for this disgusting habit. Put your dog on an all-natural food, so he does not feel the need to increase his nutrients by eating poop.

So what else can you do to stop dog eating poop?

Now that you have some understanding of the problem and the health risks, here are three of the better alternative ways to cure the problem:

1. Feed your dog fresh pineapple (not canned). He will love the fruit, but his poop will taste really bad to him once he eats that.

2. Claim the space if he tries to eat his poop. To “claim,” you straighten yourself up like a proud soldier, shoulders and head up, eye contact on the pup the entire time throughout this exercise. Stand between him and the spot, with feet spread halfway between the military “At ease” and “Atten-hut!” Remember, hold eye contact. When the puppy lies down and turns away (or walks away), you may walk away from the spot, because he has now surrendered the area to you.

3. Clean up the dog poop each time he goes.

There is another solution to stop dog eating poop. It’s not a favourite of mine, because if your timing is off, you could make your dog afraid to go poop. So ALWAYS let him finish before doing this. If he turns around to eat his poop, squeeze something loud (like a bike horn). Dogs hate that noise! It will make him afraid to go near the mess.