Our furry little friends have lots of rather interesting habits and behaviours. One of the most disgusting, is, many dog breeds like to eat their own pooh or the remains of other dogs pooh. The correct term for this habit is Coprophagia, which is the eating of faeces.
It doesn’t stop there. Dogs also love to eat, cows pat, horse manure and fox pooh (mostly their favourite).
So, why do dogs eat pooh? There are numerous reasons why your dog loves to eat their own pooh and it doesn't relate to a specific dog breed. Often, there is a misconception that the dog is lacking in nutrimental deficiency, but this is simply not the case. if your dog is eating their own pooh, you must investigate the reason why and if you’re concerned you should take them to the vets.
Listed below are several reasons why your dog loves to eat their own pooh.
Potential parasites
Your dog may have internal parasites that absorb all their nutrients from the food they’re eating. This will cause them to crave their own pooh. If you’re doing is showing weight loss, then you must take them to the vet immediately for them to be checked out professional.
Health conditions
There are certain health conditions such as diabetes or thyroid issues, that can cause your dog to become hungry. If you think this could be a potential issue, then you must take your dog to the vets for a professional opinion.
Deficiencies
There are certain deficiencies that can cause your dog to want to eat their own pooh. Your dog may be suffering from a hydrochloric acid deficiency. This can happen at any age and is often a result of a bad diet.
Enzyme deficiency
A highly processed diet can cause your dog to suffer from an enzyme deficiency. Your dog needs the correct amount of digestive enzymes to help break their food down correctly. Without the correct amount, your dog will be unable to absorb the right amount of nutrients. This will result in them wanting to eat their own pooh. If you think this may be an issue, then you must seek veterinary advice.
Being underfed
Your dog may be eating their own pooh because they’re hungry. You must ensure your dog is fed the correct amount of food at regular times. If your dog is losing weight and they’re being fed correctly, then this could indicate a health issue and they will need to visit the vets.
Cleaning up after themselves
On some occasions, dogs will eat their own pooh to clean up after themselves. Female dogs clean up after their puppies to help keep their nest clean. The need to keep their area clean could result in your dog eating their own pooh and other dog breeds pooh.
Suffering from boredom
If your dog is left alone at home all day or they’ve not had enough mental stimulation, then they’re most likely to become bored and find new ways to keep themselves entertained. One of the new ways could be eating their own poop.
Behavioural problems
Dogs love attention and if they’re not getting enough, they will try their very best to grab yours. If you’ve become busy recently, or not been paying enough attention, then your precious little pooch may start poohing in the house snack on their own poop when they feel like it.
