Of all the revolting habits that our canines have –rolling in mud, drinking from the loo, licking their and other animal’s butt, humping etc., poop-eating is one that tops all. They don’t do it to gross us out; they do it for a number of reasons which we shall discuss closely in this month’s blog.
There are both medical and behavioral reasons why they eat stool. Medical reasons are much easier to treat but when a dog does it out of habit, it may take some time and effort on the pet owner’s part to give it up.
Behavioral Reasons Why Canines Love Stool-Eating
Dogs love to sniff:
Dogs are natural scavengers; they love to explore their surroundings by sniffing everything. Unlike us humans, they aren’t as repulsed as we are by the scent of their feces. When they don’t find it repulsive, it is just another treat lying on the floor. If given the opportunity, they will eat it.
They do what they see others doing:
We aren’t talking about humans of course. Most little pups get inspired by what they see other dogs doing. Older dogs who like the taste of the dung might exhibit an impression on a younger dog that this is an acceptable behavior. Therefore, they reciprocate what they see others doing. If you believe they have picked up such a habit form the neighbor’s dog whose owners don’t give a damn about what their dog does as long as it guards their home, it is best that you nip the habit in the bud.
It is bored:
If it is left home alone for long hours and doesn’t have much to do or play with, eating poop might become a way to entertain itself. To them, it will be a form of treat and we all know how much dogs love treats.
They eat poop due to stress:
Another common reason why dogs eat their poop is to relieve any stress or anxiety they feel. This could be due to an elongated period of isolation, fear of other larger pets or lack of affection.
