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Why Dogs Eat Poop

"Discover The Causes Of Coprophagia And Learn How To Stop Dogs Eating Poop"




There are several reasons why dogs eat poop and, to give you a better understanding, we've listed some of them below.

  • One of the most common reasons why dogs eat poop is boredom; however, an anxious or stressed puppy may also develop coprophagia (dogs eating poop).
  • Your puppy may be mirroring the behaviour of another dog, or after watching you pick up after him, he may be mirroring your behaviour.
  • Your puppy may eat poop for attention - let's face it, owners can get quite animated at the sight of their puppy eating poop - mission accomplished!

  • If a puppy is often punished for messing in the home, in a bid to avoid being punished again, the puppy may attempt to 'dispose of the evidence' by eating his poop.
  • If your dogs eating poop, he could simply be 'cleaning' his living space, particularly if he's confined for too long in a small area, or has been locked in his crate for too long.
  • Your puppy may be overfed and, as a result, his food doesn't digest properly. This can result in dog poop that will still smell and taste like his dinner! (Yuk!)


  • If he's only fed once a day, he may become hungry and scavenge for food. He may even eat his own poop because he's hungry!
  • If your puppy is on medication this could be the cause of your puppy eating poop - check with your vet.
  • Your puppy's diet may be insufficient for his needs - he may be lacking in essential nutrients from his food which is causing him to eat his own (or another's) dog poop.
  • Eating poop allows the maximum amount of nutrition to be absorbed from the food. This may be a throwback to survival in the wild, before domestication.



It doesn't really matter why dogs eat poop, the important thing is to help them to stop before it becomes a habit otherwise it may become more difficult to deal with.

It's important that if you catch your puppy eating poop, you don't get angry with your dog or punish him for it.

Punishing your dog may lead him to believe he's being punished for pooping and confirm his decision to 'dispose of the evidence' was correct.

Once you understand what drives a dog to eat poop (and in particular, what's causing your dog to eat poop), it will be much easier to help him break away from his anti-social activities.

You can learn how to stop your puppy eating poop and enjoy his sweet kisses once more!

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Coprophagia - Learn Why Dogs Eat Poop And How To Remedy It

Why Dogs Eat Poop

How To Stop Your Puppy Eating Poop

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