POO EATING!

LET’S TALK POO!

There is nothing that will turn people off more than seeing a dog eating poo! It may be its own, other dogs or other animals, whichever it is, it is still repulsive to most of us.

Poo eating, or coprophagia to give it it’s official title, is actually a natural behaviour which our dogs may learn to do by watching their mum clean up after the litter. It is also seen in wild dogs and wolves and is thought to keep them safe from predators and, for some conditions, to return them to health.

WHY DOES IT HAPPEN

In the domestic dog situation poo eating can happen for a variety of reasons:

As a result of stress

If they have toileted inappropriately or had an accident in the house it is only natural that we may get upset. In fact, this is the worst thing we can do!

Sensitive dogs will learn that having toileting accidents makes us angry and gets them a telling off, this can lead to dogs being secretive and going off into other areas of the house maybe behind sofas or under beds hoping that the ‘evidence’ will not be discovered. If this is not successful then they may feel eating it is their only choice!

This can then also be seen outside. If a dog has been ‘told off’ for toileting indoors – the dog may feel that any toileting is unsafe and continue the poo eating behaviour outside.

Toilet training takes time, patience and effort on our behalf whether it is a puppy, new rescue or an older dog who may have lost some bowel and bladder control. Make sure you follow the rule of letting them out into the garden regularly and praising, gently any weeing or pooing outside. If you are having problems with housetraining please get in touch.

Poor Quality Diet

Some low grade foods may have components which end up in the faeces undigested, this can make the poo more attractive.

Feeding a species appropriate diet of the best quality you can afford will help. Speaking with a qualified nutritional advisor will help you navigate the minefield that is dog nutrition!

Ill Health

Some illness and gut microbiome imbalances can cause poo eating. If the dog is unable to extract all the nutrition he requires from his food he may seek to find it in faecal matter.

Some medications, eg steroids can make a dog hungry which will make poo more attractive as can some disease conditions such as diabetes, thyroid issues and worms.

Dementia and other older dog issues can make them more likely to eat poo too.

If your dog has any problems with his bowels, vomits intermittently or seems unwell it would be worth getting a Vet check to rule out any health issues.

Attention Seeking Activity

Some dogs may poo eat to gain attention from their owners. If they feel they lack attention from their owner, finding something that causes us to interact with them will be repeated.

Make sure if you suspect it could be an attention seeking activity that you teach an appropriate alternative behaviour and interact with them in other ways.

Scientific studies show us that most dogs will not eat poo which is more than 2 days old. So, there is merit in keeping your garden clear and picking up straight after your dog on a walk. Often coprophagia is seen in puppies and they eventually grow out of it – but if not checked and retrained it can remain a problem for life!

Hunger

If dogs are hungry they may eat poo to top up their calorie content. Check that they are having enough to eat and the food you are feeding is keeping them feeling full. The feeding guides on prepared commercial foods are just that, a guide, some dogs need more to maintain body weight.

WORRIES ABOUT POO EATING

Apart from being a thing you don’t want to tell your friends about, poo eating can be hazardous.

It can be hazardous to us – particularly if we let dogs lick around our face and mouth. Both our dogs and us risk picking up parasites, virus’ and bacteria from faecal matter so discouraging ‘poo eaters’ from licking us and particularly children is important.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

Don’t ever punish the dog, the dog may not be able to help it – training a different behaviour will have a much better result
Get a Vet check – make sure there is no medical reason for the behaviour
Train a good, kind and effective 'LEAVE IT' command – so if off lead you can stop them
Train a different behaviour – watch for the subtle signs that they are even THINKING about it and distract, keep them on a lead whilst training if you find it difficult to get them to come away from poo
Clean up poo regularly so nothing is left behind in the garden
If your regular walk is poo ridden – it might be easier to find somewhere else to walk whilst you train ‘leave it’
If all else fails and you cannot interrupt the behaviour a basket type muzzle (please do not use any other type) may be a temporary measure whilst you put training in place. Please always train your dog to the muzzle - contact me if you need help
Check the quality of the food you are feeding your dog – and get knowledgeable advice if you consider changing diet
I’ve had some success adding ideally fresh pineapple to the food. Canned is ok if rinsed well first. Pineapple contains Bromaline which can render the poo bitter to taste, the pineapple is quite palatable when in the food but, I’m told, is bitter to taste when it has passed through the digestive system.
You can buy over the counter preparations to add to the food which may help
Have a consultation with a dog trainer who can help get to the root of the problem
Make sure your dog has lots of mental stimulation to keep his mind active

So there is no denying that coprophagia is not a pleasant activity and certainly not one to be encouraged, but if you are struggling with your dog poo eating or would like to talk about appropriate nutrition or training a different behaviour please get in touch.