This lets your cat jump up to access the box while keeping it out of your dog’s reach. Put up a pet gate or door that allows the cat access to their litter box while keeping the dog out of that room. Dogs That Eat Cat PoopĮven though it’s considered normal, you don’t want your dog diving into the litter box for a snack. If your puppy or dog is eating poop, the best way to help them is to put systems in place that prevent them from practicing the habit.Īfter you’ve determined why your dog eats poop, try these solutions based on the reason behind the behavior. When potty training a puppy or dog, never use punitive measures. The dog may eat the evidence because they’re worried about how you’ll respond. Some dogs may learn to eat their poop as puppies if they have been repeatedly punished by their owners for defecating in the house. They’re Scared of Being Punished for an Accident Lack of enrichment activities when confinedĤ. You being away from them ( separation anxiety) Possible sources of anxiety that can cause coprophagia include: If an anxious dog is confined, they may defecate and eat their own poop. Other dogs eat poop as a displacement behavior when they are anxious. Your veterinarian will need to perform diagnostic tests to determine if your dog has an underlying medical problem, such intestinal parasites, nutritional deficiencies, or gastrointestinal disease. If your adult dog has never been a poop eater and suddenly develops the habit in association with symptoms of disease, such as weight loss, lethargy, discomfort, behavioral changes, vomiting, or diarrhea, make an appointment with your veterinarian.Ĭoprophagia can be associated with diseases of the intestinal tract and sometimes other parts of the body (such as the liver or brain). Coprophagia can be associated with diseases of the intestinal tract and sometimes other parts of the body (such as the liver or brain). When you have a puppy or dog that eats other dogs’ poop or their own poop, have your pet examined by your veterinarian. If your dog is eating poop, they may not be feeling well. And let’s face it: It’s really difficult to not pay attention to a dog that’s eating poop. As your dog becomes an adult, this is carried over as a learned behavior that gets them attention. Your dog may not even necessarily want to play, but they might simply want you to engage with them. These puppies have learned another way to get their human parents to “play” with them. Other puppies may interpret the yelling as an excited invitation to play.Īs a result, they dart away, and then suddenly, an impromptu game of chase occurs. When this happens, some puppies may be startled, drop the poop, and never touch it again. If your dog does this, you will probably run towards them and cry out some form of “ drop it.” For example, when puppies are young, they may explore by grabbing their poop with their mouths. Some dogs may have started eating poop when they are young because they feel like it’s a game. Here are four reasons why an adult dog will do this. Abnormal Reasons Why Dogs Eat PoopĮating their own poop or another dog’s poop is not a common behavior, and you’ll need to find out what’s causing it. It’s normal for dogs to eat the poop of another species, but it’s uncommon for adult dogs to eat their own poop or another dog’s poop. But this poop can also contain harmful bacteria, so it’s best to discourage your dog from eating it. The stool of other animals, such as horses or cats, contains nutrients that can be beneficial. The Poop of Other Animals Tastes Good to Themĭogs sometimes eat the poop of another species. This could explain why, of the roughly 3,000 dogs surveyed, “the coprophagy was overwhelmingly directed at fresh stools.” 3. After two days, the infective larvae would develop. When eaten, the poop would have parasite ova that are not infective, the study explains. Wolves would typically eat fresh poop (less than two days old) to keep the den free of fecal-borne intestinal parasites. It’s InstinctualĪ 2018 survey published in Veterinary Medicine and Science hypothesizes that dogs eat poop as a behavior inherited from wolves. Nursing female dogs often eat the poop of their young to keep their den clean. Normal Reasons Why Dogs Eat PoopĪ dog eating poop can be normal in the following scenarios: 1. For example: It’s normal and somewhat common for dogs to eat the poop of another species, but it’s uncommon for adult dogs to eat their own poop or another dog’s poop. And while some are normal, others are signs of an underlying issue. The scientific term for the poop-eating habit is coprophagia.ĭogs eat poop for a variety of reasons. To stop a dog from eating poop, use positive reinforcement and redirection. It's normal for dogs to eat the poop of other species, but it's abnormal for dogs to eat their own poop or other dogs' poop.There are normal and abnormal reasons why dogs eat poop.
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