Comments on: What Can I Do About My Dog's Coprophagia (Poop Eating)?

By: Linda

Linda — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:44:08 +0000

I have to say that SAYLAXK may be on to something! I have never heard that but it actually makes more sense to me. I still think dominence plays a roll at my home plus I think they just like it and it was a learned behavior by 2 of my dogs. I heard Ceasar Millan say it was from 2 things- #1 Mineral vitimin defeciency, or boredom. Sorry , i hear this over and over again but do not agree. I have to agree with kelly too, just love em but don’t kiss on the lips!! LOL. Linda

By: Spike

Spike — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:36:30 +0000

That’s certainly an interesting suggestion, Salaxk. Not one I endorse, but interesting.

By: Salaxk

Salaxk — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:15:54 +0000

One obvious reason that answers and discussions on the internet never seem to have considered is the simple fact that small animals have short intestinal tracts. Therefore, smaller animals tend to eat poop. That is why cows and humans do not eat poop.

A smaller animal’s intestinal length is incapable of digesting plant material sufficiently, as well as unable to process its ingestions to allow bacteria to fully develop.

By eating another animal’s poop it is borrowing the intestinal tract of the other animal as part of its digestive process. By eating its own poop, it is doubling the length of its own digestive tract by double dipping. Therefore, smaller dogs tend to practice it more frequently.

It is apparently safer for a dog to ingest its own poop rather than that of another animal to avoid being infected by any possible unfriendly micro-organism.

It is therefore, unnatural and possibly diet-wise harmful to stop a dog from eating its own poop unless it is an obsession with the dog.

Perhaps, you should change the dog food you are feeding your dog to reduce the frequency of its double-dipping.

You should also consider slow-boiling carrot-potato-tomato soup with garlic till the vegetables become soft and dissolved and then mixing it into its dry dog food. You should try different vegetables like broccoli.

You should consider bringing your dog to a horse farm where the animals are certified disease free and let it enjoy a great chow day once a month.

By all means let your dog eat its own poop but not too frequently. It’s only natural.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:16:28 +0000

My dog eats her stuff and loves it if she can get to it faster than me. It’s gross. I’ve read in the Shih Tzu books I have that its pretty common to that breed-maybe some breeds are more prone to it than others. My pup isn’t lacking anything, I do believe she just likes it.

Just goes to show you that though we treat them sometimes as babies, they’re not-they’re dogs. Love em-just don’t kiss em on the mouth.

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:28:37 +0000

believe me I know for a fact that vitimins and minerals is NOT why my dogs eat POOP. My 3 last labradors all eat dog poop from each other but not their own and do not believe the youngest dogs poops get eaten- I think this has dominence reasons behind it.
I know they learned this behavior from my first labrador. I feed TOP quality dog food , and extra vitimins ect…… I do pick up every day, but with 4 dogs it is really difficult to control. Boredom , no way they are all walked 2 miles a day and do dog agility and rally obedience training- are very active dogs. I am home most the time – so that idea is just out the window. I have learned not to get up too upset about it but the gas they get from it is the worst. Winter time this problem really becomes more trouble because snow covers it and I can’t find it to pick up! I do not believe anything I can feed them will stop it. I really think it’s a natural thing for them, but I do wonder is it has calories? would anyone know that answer.

By: ARPhilo

ARPhilo — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:17:54 +0000

One of my dogs loves to eat this stuff and does not discriminate between whose it is or what animal it comes from. Perhaps he is bored. His scenery unfortunately is pretty stable being that he doesn’t get out much past the yard (due to other behavioral issues he has). He’s apparently had the poop fetish since his shelter days. I’ll bring it up with his vet as well. Thanks for the article and I will try some of the stuff in it.