why do dogs it feces??

Question

facts please!!!!! my dog eats her own feces she is 7 months. I want to know if it is unhealthy and how to stop it. she is a house dog, i feed her natural dog food, she is healthy, and she is trained to go on the pee pads if i'm not able to let her out side ( this is when the problem happens). now my male puppy is joining her in this act.

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Answer 1

It's OK for her - it's part of helping her pups to excrete, so she can't find it gross! Most dogs do. You sound like a good responsible owner. If she's gotta go, she's gotta go. Try feeding her some garlic or pumpkin, it might put them off the act.

It's unhealthy for humans, though. And for your dog, if she eats ones from other dogs which haven't been properly wormed. You can catch a disease from those faeces which can make you blind, paralysed, and cause brain damage, so just keep kids away from them!

Answer 2

A lot of puppys do this, ours did. It is generally caused by the puppys all being together in the same pen.

there is a product you can buy at a pet store that you sprinkle on their food for about a week. It does something to their poop either by smell or taste or something and they stop. However it doesn't stop them from eating others leavings. Our pup now a 6yr old dog no longer does anything more than smell it after he is finished.

The one problem that he does have however and have never been able to break him of is rabbit leavings. If there is a rabbit in the area he will find it and chow down before I realize what he is doing...

Hope this helps you...Just ask at a pet store..they know all about it.

Answer 3

I have 4 house dogs, and for some odd reason, 3 of them eat their "poop." We feed them all a quality dog food (Iams) and they are all healthy, ranging from 11 months to 10 years (and we have everything from a miniature dachshund to a lab!) Although it's annoying and certainly makes their breath smelly, it's just too hard to get them to stop because it's really difficult to catch them in the act. And if you scold them after they've eaten their poop, they don't really understand what they've done.

Luckily, we haven't experienced any health problems from this annoying habit and our lab, who is 7, has been doing this for years, ever since we got her.

The best things that you can do to prevent the poop-eating is pick up the poop immediately after they go potty, and scold them in the act, not after it. I have also heard that adding a little canned pumpkin to your dog's food will stop poop-eating. It apparently tastes good in the food, but tastes awful in the feces. I have yet to try this, but it shouldn't hurt, as pumpkin is a vegetable and wouldn't be toxic to the dog.

I hope this helps! You also may want to look up the topic on the Internet as you can find a ton of articles and resources.

Answer 4

Dogs will do his for a number of reasons. One reason is that sometimes they can not absorb all the nutrients in their food so they try to re-eat it. Other times it can be just a nasty habbit. You want to stop them from doing this ASAP. THey can sometimes have parasites that can cause sickness and other problems. Also, do you make a big fuss if your dog poos inside? And do you also make a big fuss if you catch them near thier poop? If so they may be trying to "hide the evidence" so that they do not get into trouble with you, and dogs will do the only thing they know how. Eat it. When they go poo, clean it up ASAP. When they leave it alone praise them and give treats. You need to make them understand that it is good NOT to eat it and it's ok if they go poo. Try this. With you keeping close watch, leave the poo and watch your dogs. When they go to eat it make a "AACCKK" sound to signal that this is bad. When they stop, call them to you and praise them for leaving it alone. This will take some time but it will work.
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Answer 5

I used to have a dog that would eat it's own crap too.. He would rather eat his own $hit , than run a rabbit... I do hate to say it, but i do have to tell this story... I took my dog for a walk one day when i was a young kid. I had to go really bad, so i did the ole #2 behind a tree in the forest. Before i could finish my ole hound gobbled down the long turd i had layed out behind me. I mean long too. I didn't have to feed him that day. He remained full as a Tick throughout the night.. Serious story.. That darn hound from then on wouldn't run a rabbit for anything.. so we allways said the saying.. "he would rather eat $hit than run a rabbity".

sorry to gross you all out, but it's disgustingly true. I have not clue as to how to get your pooch to stop eating his own dung. I hope he doesn't take a liking to yours....

Answer 6

There are usually only two reasons why a dog eats it's poop. Either if it does have health problems (which only a vet can determine that) or if it has a vitamin deficiency (just give it vitamins). I have had three pups and NONE of them ever ate their feces.

Answer 7

Dogs, like human infants, have not learned the "yuck" law. You must train her not to do this disgusting and unhealthy act.

Answer 8

Maybe the dogs trying to tell you something. Pay closer attention. Maybe the dog will get it's point accross.

Answer 9

I heard that it's actually pretty normal for dogs to eat their own poo. I know it's gross, but it's true. You can get something from your vet to sprinkle on your dogs' food that will make their poo taste bitter.

Answer 10

Sometimes dogs just do this, not sure why. Your vet should carry a product called FORBID. Sprinkle this onto her food and when she poops, pick it up and dispose of it.