3- Why do some dogs eat droppings and feces
?Why does a dog eat feces
If you notice that your dog eats feces, you are wondering if there is a nutritional deficiency or a mental issue causing this behavior. You may find it disturbing, but it may just be canine nature. Many dogs eat feces, which vets consider to be eating feces as normal
The tendency of some dogs to eat their own droppings or the faeces of other animals has a scientific name: canine faeces familiarity as there is no known relationship between diet and this condition
Medical reasons for dogs to eat feces
If your dog eats its feces: Stools may consist of undigested food. This is an indication of a possible medical problem
Your dog may not feel well: Coprophagia can occur especially if it is a new behavior When there is a medical error with your dog It can be a sign of diseases in the intestines, liver or brain You may also notice sudden weight loss, vomiting or other behavioral changes Visit a doctor Vet to rule out intestinal parasites, diabetes, thyroid disease or other diseases
It could be a sign of anxiety: Another possible reason for eating dog feces is that your dog is nervous. This may happen if the animal is punished for contamination in the house, and if the dog is in a cage and goes to the bathroom and eats its feces, this may be an act to avoid anxiety
You should consult your vet to rule out health problems such as
The presence of parasites
Diets that lack nutrients and calories
Malabsorption syndromes
Diabetes, Cushing’s disease, thyroid disease, and other conditions that may cause an increase in appetite
Drugs such as steroids
Behavioral causes of dogs eating feces
Your dog isn’t the only one doing this: Although there aren’t many studies on the topic, one has found that one in six dogs eats feces regularly
Mother dogs may do this to clean up: After taking out the litter, mothers often eat the litter of the puppies to keep the den clean. This is normal behavior and not every mother stops at weaning her dogs
Greedy eaters are more likely to eat feces: Dogs that drive and steal food are more prone to this behavior as dogs have evolved by raking so it may be an instinct to make sure they are getting enough food
It could be an attempt to get attention
If your dog is looking for more attention and knows that you usually react aggressively when you catch him eating poo, the behavior may be a way to get attention. Poop eating may be similar to other negative attention-seeking behaviors such as gnawing, jumping, or stealing things to start the hunt
Not knowing the difference between real food and feces: Dogs fed their faeces may associate food odors with the smell of feces and will not be able to tell the difference
Lives with a sick or elderly dog: If your dog lives with another sick dog,
a healthy dog may consume the faeces of a weaker dog than the family members, especially in cases of fecal incontinence. Scientists indicated that this is related to the instinct to protect the herd
?Why does a puppy eat its litter
The reason most dogs eat cat litter A, his litter (usually the lumpy type) is that cat litter in the litter tastes good over time, most puppies eventually learn that food tastes better than feces and they stop, but some dogs like feces and will continue to eat it
Disadvantages of dogs eating feces
Some dogs find horse dung and goose droppings particularly attractive. Eating their faeces is harmless, but eating other animal faeces can cause health problems if the faeces are contaminated with parasites, viruses or toxins. In most cases, this behavior will fade before the puppy is about nine months old
Effective ways to stop your dog from eating feces
First you should check that there are no underlying medical issues causing this behaviour. If your vet tells you it is a behavioral problem, there are a few ways you can train your dog to stop
Dogs that like to eat litter prefer fresh litter, so if you have cats, pick up litter immediately from your garden. This also means cleaning the litter box right after your cat has gone and making sure the litter is put where the dog can’t reach
Provide a toy for a toilet break if your dog is looking for things to eat in the yard when you let him out to do his work Bring a toy or treat to distract him Don’t leave them alone with time to search
Be positive in training and work with positive reinforcement and treatment to teach commands like “let it go.” Breaking a bad habit can take time, so be patient
Treatment for eating feces in dogs
Vitamin Supplements: There has been a long-standing theory that dogs eat feces because they are missing something in their diets so a dog with a vitamin B deficiency in particular could be the main suspect and studies have backed this up
Enzyme Supplements
The modern dog diet is higher in carbohydrates and lower in protein and meat-based fats compared to a
dog diet where some people have had success in using supplements. Adding enzyme supplements can make their stools taste less appealing. Some owners have found success in getting rid of this habit by adding papaya, cottage cheese or ground pineapple to their dog food
Types of stool in dogs
Brown dog stool
Green dog poo
Orange or yellow dog stool
Red streaks in dog feces
Black dog poo
Greasy and greasy dog feces
White spots in dog feces
The right age to train dogs to the toilet
The best time to start toilet training a dog is when they are between 3-6 months old (ie only 12-24 weeks) so at such a young age they must have sufficient bladder and bowel control to learn how to hold on or at least go where allowed them to defecate
The number of dog meals
Adult dogs should eat twice a day in the morning and evening some people feed their dogs once a day but dogs that are fed only once a day can feel hungry and can sometimes be prone to biliary vomiting (vomiting caused by an empty stomach)
Medium-breed puppies require three meals a day
Large breed puppies usually need 3 to 4 meals a day
Therefore, a dog breeder must develop a diet for his dog and follow a certain system, as the number of meals varies according to the type of dog
