Pet lovers turn to their pets for pleasure and for company. However, there are some dog owners who are sickened in trying to figure out why pet dogs eat poop. Noticing your dog ingesting his own poop is quite bothering, not to mention ‘disgusting’. So, if you want to stop these dog habits quickly, you must read the possible reasons to obtain a better understanding on what’s happening with your pet dog.
Poop-Eating Habits
The habits in which a dog eats his own feces is clinically known as coprophagia. This is defined as intake of feces habitually and deliberately. Your pet dog might be fond of eating cat feces, or he likes taking in bird poop better. Certainly there are also various dogs that do not have any choices, as long as what they are taking in is poop. Nevertheless, this is only one of the many eating disorders a pet dog can experience.
Additionally dog eating problems also consist of anorexia, which is depriving one’s self to the point of passing away; pica, or eating “not fit to eat” materials; as well as gorging, which is the opposite of anorexia for it is defined as stuffing one’s self with food to the point of suffocation and indigestion. Understanding that this dog illness is somewhat comparable with people having their personal eating disorders will help us focus on discovering a solution instead of being alarmed by our dogs’ actions.
Factors Responsible For Coprophagia
Packed with the understanding of what is affecting our canine buddies, it is now time to look for the factors forcing them to act in this way.
The number one reason why canines eat poop is generally due to the idea that they enjoy its taste. They likewise do not know what should and should not be ingested; and if they are starving and they see it, they will have no hesitations at all in taking in feces. They do not think as we humans do.
Dogs taking in their own feces are also caused by nutritional problem. When dogs do not have a particular digestive enzyme, they will consume their own poop to protect the necessary enzymes. Dogs’ coprophagia is due to vitamin B1-deficiency, according to research.
Stress is also a contributing factor on why pet dogs eat feces. When canines are stressed out, they take in their own poop to reduce the strain they are experiencing. Each dog has their own various anxiety. That is why it is important to know the solution on how to stop their stress alarms that could trigger them to start taking in their own poop.
Pet dogs taking in their feces can likewise be due to getting bored. When your canine is left alone and does not have anything to entertain him, he will turn to his own feces to play with and he will use this as a means of entertaining himself whilst passing the time till you are finally there to offer him some time.
In some cases, dogs consume the poop of other dogs that are much more dominant and threatening than them. This event occurs more on households that have more than one dog.
Certainly there are some circumstances where dogs eat feces just by accident. Canines, being curious animals, might just want to try tasting just about anything and everything around them.
Coprophagia Treatment options
In dealing with your dog’s coprophagia, dog owners must provide their pets with a healthy and balanced diet. The most suggested well-balanced food to nourish your dog is healthy dry kibble, which even helps reduce your dog’s teeth tartar.
To prevent your dog from eating poop, help him lessen his anxiety. Understand the triggers that make your dog stressed out. This will definitely help him avoid turning to eating poop as a means of reducing his stress. Also, start desensitization activities with your dog to allow him to reduce his anxiety reactions.
Most important of all, spend more time with your dog by walking him frequently. Offering him interesting games and enjoyable toys will prevent him from getting bored. Understanding why dogs eat poop will absolutely help you treat and stop your dog’s eating disorder.
