Stop Dog from Eating Poop

Dogs eating poop is also known as Coprophagy which in greek means copro – feces and phagy – eat. There are several different options to try to stop dog from eating poop which I will talk about later in this article. As well as being very unpleasant your dog can also pick up bacteria and worms and and also may spread these germs by licking members of your family.

6 Reasons why a dog eats poop

1. Eating poop out of boredom
if a dog is bored they may eat poop just for something to do.

2. They like the taste
Even though it appears totally disgusting to us it appears that dogs and puppies may actually enjoy the taste of feces.

3. To clean up their living area
It is known, that in wild dogs, the mother will eat her puppies poop in order to clean up the area, remove the scent and help protect the puppies from potential predators. Domestic dogs may also eat poop to clear up their living area (i.e. the garden or yard).

4. Because they are hungry or missing nutrients from their diet
A dog may eat poop out of hunger make sure your dog is getting a good diet and is being regularly wormed. Worms and parasites can take away the nutrients from your dog.

5. Hiding A Poop Accident
If a dog has pooped somewhere it shouldn’t for example in the house, in its crate or kennel it may eat the poop to hide the evidence.

6.To get attention
Some dogs may eat poop to get attention from the owner.

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How to stop dog from eating poop

How to stop your dog eating its own poop (or one of your other dogs poop)
If your dog is eating its own poop or the poop of one of your other dogs, one of the simplest solutions is to clear up the poop straight away stop stop the dog from eating it. Of course to do this, it is necessary to keep a close eye on your dogs toilet habits. Another option you can also try if your dog eats the poop in your garden or yard is to try sprinkling something distasteful onto the poop such as hot sauce, this would need to be done every time so eventually the dog associates the poop with having a bad taste.

Stop dog from eating poop by feeding pineapple or Pumpkin Seeds
If your dog is eating its own or another one of your dogs poop, try feeding the dog some pineapple or pumpkin seeds. It is thought that once eaten, digested and pooped, the taste of the pineapple in the feces is unpleasant for a dog. There are also some ready made products that work in the same way.

Stop dog from eating poop on walks
If there are certain areas where your dog is more likely to eat poop, i.e. horse manure on a bridle path, keep your dog on a leash in these areas. If the poop eating is very excessive or causing your dog an upset stomach you could put a basket style muzzle on your dog.

Feed your dog more frequently to stop it eating poop
If you think your dog may be eating poop out of hunger try feeding them more often (perhaps twice instead of once a day). You could also consider changing your dogs diet.

Other dog obedience tips
Good obedience training and teaching your dog to have a good recall, and to leave when asked, will also help to stop dog from eating poop.

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