Dogs have a strong sense of smell, and it seems like they have a strong stomach too. Whether they’re at home or in public, dogs love to snack on whatever they can find, wherever they find it.
Even if it’s poo! Sometimes not even their own poo! It doesnt matter if it’s poo from other dogs or other animals like birds, rabbits, or cats, some dogs seem to love to consume them.
Coprophagy
The scientific term for eating poo is ‘coprophagy’, which is translated as act of eating poo is “faeces eating”. And I can confidently say that most dog owners, myself included, are disgusted by this behaviour. But a new study has provided more information on the matter and could potentially help us manage this behaviour.
Study
The study shows that only a minority of dogs eat others poo. The study of over 1000 dog owners found that only 16% of their dogs consume other dogs’ poo a minimum of six times. Furthermore, 77% of dog owners have never seen their dog consume another’s poo.
The research ruled out a couple of factors that do not play a role in determining if your dog is a coprophagic. Characteristics such as the dog’s age, gender and whether it has been de-sexed have no effect on whether your dog is a poo eater. Similarly, there is also no correlation between poo eating and its diet, or whether it has been house trained.
How To Stop My Dog From Eating Poop?
The best predictor of whether your dog eats poop is how much access they have to the stuff. In particular, fresh faeces. The study found that 80% of coprophagic dogs only consumed excrements if it is less than 48 hours old. Thus, it seems that the most effective way to stop your pet from eating poo is keeping them away from it. This is another reason why it is very important to pick up poop on a regular basis, both at home and out in public.
Additionally, the study found that dogs that were ‘greedy’ in nature, and households with two or more dogs were more likely to be coprophagic. Certain breeds such as terriers, hounds and sheepdogs were found to be more likely to consume faeces, while poodles seem to entirely shun the practice.
Evolution?
The researchers have also proposed that the behaviour might be linked to evolution. We all know that excrements can contain diseases and parasites, so it might’ve been a good idea in the past to consume it early to prevent parasites from growing in the excrements in the days that followed. This reason might be why your dog is still showing the same behaviour.
Summary
The best way to prevent your dog from eating poo is simple. Just prevent your dog from having access to it, especially if it’s fresh. Regularly clean up after your dog and train your dog to not eat them by providing a tasty snack as an alternative.
Does your dog consume faeces? Let us know in the comments below!
