Dogs have many interesting habits, but one of the strangest for us humans to understand is why our pets eat poo.
The term for this behaviour is 'coprophagia', and whilst it’s certainly not the most desirable trait that our beloved four-legged friends possess, there are reasons why they could be doing it.
Why do dogs eat poo?
No one knows for sure what goes through their pet's mind when they make this choice, but it is a surprisingly common dog behaviour, so don’t overthink the situation too much. Dog owners are certainly not alone when it comes to trying to understand this peculiar action from their pooch.
To gain attention from their owners
Dogs love to use their mouths to explore the environment around them, leading to many of them eating poo as they investigate. While it's natural behaviour for dogs, it can be frustrating for dog owners.
The Dogs Trust explains that some dogs may eat poop to get attention from owners, adding: "For some dogs who enjoy human attention, even being told 'no' means they're getting their owner's interest, so they might eat poo to get their owner to interact with them.
Similarly, if a dog starts eating poo and their owner runs over to try and stop them, they might learn to do it in order to get their owner to come over."
To satiate a feeling of hunger or boredom
Most dog breeds, especially working dogs, require a lot of physical and mental stimulation to prevent them from becoming bored. Both hunger and boredom can affect your dog in various ways, leading to behavioural changes.
"If your dog usually eats twice a day, try splitting their daily food allowance into three meals, or more," The Dogs Trust explain. "Smaller meals given more often throughout the day may help to reduce peaks of hunger that might make poo more tempting."
As well as this, another thing you can do is to make mealtimes more interesting and engaging for your dog, such as using food-releasing puzzle toys or hiding toys outside for them to find. As normal as it may be, many dogs will eat poo when they are bored, so try to keep them busy.
"If your dog goes to the toilet in your garden, interact with them as soon as they've finished and call them inside for a reward," the team adds. "You can then pop outside and clean the poo up, out of their sight. If you rush out to clean up while your dog is still there, you risk them eating the poo while you’re on the way. Calling them inside for a treat or a game also rewards them for coming away from it, which is a very useful lesson."
Lack of focus
What about if your dog eats poo on a walk? This is where you can utilise the bond between yourself and your dog. Work on strengthening it so that they pay more attention to you and find the poo less tempting. This could be in the form of playing games with your dog, treats and having them look at you at regular intervals throughout the walk.
The Dog's Trust advises: "Each time your dog acknowledges a poo on the ground, simply use their name to gain their attention. When they look at you and away from the poo, reward them with tasty treats or a game with their favourite toy as you lead them away.
"If your dog ignores you, don't worry, it just means the poo is tempting and it's difficult for them. Stay still and calm, make a 'kissing' sound, or use a higher-pitched voice to try to gain their attention. Only if necessary, gently guide them away without yanking on the lead. As soon as they turn and follow you, give them a reward. This will help them understand what a good decision it was to leave the poo alone, so they'll be more likely to make that choice again next time."
Hopefully, you'll now have a better understanding of the reasons dogs eat poo and the ways owners can hopefully make them ditch the habit for good.
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Becky is a freelance journalist based in Somerset, UK, specialising in all things home, gardens, lifestyle, and entertainment. With a love of classic rom-coms and a penchant for romanticising her own everyday life, she enjoys embracing cosy, slow living with her family and their crazy Welsh collie, Cookie. Becky has been published in publications such as Cosmopolitan, The Independent, The Evening Standard, The Telegraph, Collider, Happiful Magazine, OK! And many more.
