Puppy eats cat excrement what to do. If your dog eats cat feces: reasons and what to do

Reasons why a dog eats cat poop

The following can force a dog to eat cat feces: a lack of any microelements, most often enzymes, in the animal’s diet.
Try giving your dog special vitamin and mineral supplements (sold in pet stores), and observe. Raw, unpeeled beef tripe also works well. It is advisable to feed it raw, but it should be introduced into the diet with caution, as it often causes stomach upset. You can cook it slightly, it will be better absorbed. Tripe can be purchased at the market, in regular grocery stores, or at a pet supply store. Pet stores also sell dried tripe and can also be used.

Many dogs are naturally inclined to pick up and eat poop while walking. This directly threatens the health of the pet, since it is unknown what this or that street animal could be sick with. It is difficult to wean a dog from this habit; the problem can be solved radically - by wearing a muzzle when going outside. Small breed dogs should be watched more closely and kept on a leash. You can use the services of professional trainers; they have developed special programs to teach your dog not to pick up.

There is another version of the reason for eating the contents of the cat's litter box - dogs just like the taste! The fact is that cat food contains more protein than dog food. Protein is responsible for the constituent elements of cells and is essentially a building material that forms the tissues of the entire body. It is not surprising that the dog is so eager to eat these tasty morsels... There are special tablets that are tasty for animals and impart a bitter taste to excrement. And although they are produced to solve the problem of dogs eating their feces, they can be given to a cat by reducing the dosage. These tablets are harmless to both dogs and cats.

It has been noticed that puppies up to about 6-7 months of age and dogs of small breeds are most often prone to eating feces.

Should you scold your dog if it eats its own poop at home?

Eating your own or other people's feces is natural for dogs in the wild. However, at home, this causes a feeling of disgust in the owners and threatens that the animal may contract a disease from other people’s excrement. You can’t scold natural processes.

Excrement can also become a source of serious viral diseases - hepatitis and parvovirus infection.

Weaning off the habit should be done as gently as possible and you should not expect it to take a short time.

It’s a terrible sight to see a dog eating its own or someone else’s excrement on the street.

This habit will not bring any benefit to either the owner or the pet; getting rid of the craving for processed food as soon as possible is the only correct solution to the problem. To wean your dog from eating excrement, you need to understand the reason for the habit. Having learned the reason for the craving for waste, you should take care of your pet’s education, take care of its health, and maintain an active lifestyle.

What to do?

Unfortunately, once a dog has tried it once, it will try again and again. At every opportunity, “it” will be eaten, with its ears flattened, its tail wagging guiltily. And the owners do not always have the physical ability to immediately clean the toilet. It’s worth considering that cats are squeamish, and not everyone will be able to use the litter box after such “desecration.” The ideal option is to place the cat litter in a place inaccessible to the dog.

If the dog is large, the problem can be easily solved by keeping the door ajar. You can hang a chain like a door chain, the cat will easily pass through the hole left, but the dog will not be able to. Or rearrange the furniture so that the passage to the tray is narrow and inaccessible to the dog.

However, some breeds of dogs are even smaller than a domestic cat, what is the solution in this case? You can try placing the cat litter box on some horizontal surface where the dog cannot reach. There are many models of cat houses, so it won’t be difficult to find a suitable surface. An alternative is to place the tray in a box with high sides; a small dog is not able to jump so high.

If for some reason the proposed options are not considered, there is only one thing left to do - tightly close the door to the room where the cat litter box is located. You should not try to sprinkle the tray with pepper or mustard, treat it with deodorant or hairspray, hoping that the dog will not like the smell. Most likely, the dog will not notice anything, but the cat may not like such interference. Then searching throughout the apartment for traces of her life activity is not the most pleasant experience.

All you have to do is put in a little effort and attention to solve the problem - and life with pets will become comfortable, without causing any trouble!

Reasons for eating

The factors that cause dogs to eat feces are varied. It is a disease or a behavioral reaction. The following are especially likely:

Various diseases. For example, a malfunction of the pancreas, malabsorption syndrome or infection. If a problem is identified, it is important to contact a veterinarian for a comprehensive examination.
Incorrect (unbalanced) nutrition. It is equally bad when the dog lacks any substances or has them in excess. If there is a lack of vitamins, microelements, or enzymes, the animal tries to replenish them on its own. In particular, it eats cat excrement, since the latter does not digest food as efficiently and its feces are more nutritious. The situation is similar with eating human feces. The problem may also be related to indigestion. Even if the nutritional system is compiled correctly, the presence of any malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract or diseases can lead to digestion problems.
Self-medication. An example is dogs eating horse excrement to combat worms.
An attempt to attract attention. It usually appears when the owner does not devote enough care and time to his pet. In this case, it is pointless to scold the dog, because it gets the desired result - albeit negative, but the attention of the owner. It is important to try to quickly determine whether this is the reason for further resolution of the situation.
Behavioral disorder. Mostly occurs when a pet accepts a person's attempt to take away feces as a game. The second situation is if the dog is bored or does not want to be alone. In the latter case, it is not uncommon for other negative behavioral actions to occur. For example, damage to property or barking for no reason.
Imitation. If the owner cleans up after the animal, then it is very likely that the dog will also do this, only in his own way.
Repetition of maternal behavior. Whelping bitches eat their feces during the period when the puppies are small. Presumably this is an instinctive desire to eliminate the smell of feces in order to protect the offspring from predators. As a result, the situation when a puppy eats its own excrement is quite common.
Imitating the behavior of other pets.
Leader recognition. There is an opinion that in a group of animals, subordinate individuals can eat the feces of dominant ones. This can also be attributed to instincts. This is confirmed by examples of similar animal behavior in the wild.
Jealousy, rivalry or territorial guarding. It appears if there are other pets. By eating their feces, the dog cleans its territory.
Puppy age. The behavior is caused by curiosity, the need to study the world around us, including taste.
Taste preferences. Oddly enough, dogs may like feces. Especially with interspecies coprophagia (specifically when they eat cat poop). It is also possible that the animal becomes addicted to stale food, which it replaces with excrement.
Previously experienced famine. Some owners believe that one meal a day is enough for an adult dog. But in cases where the animal is hungry for some reason, it is possible to eat feces to obtain the microelements necessary for the body. There are known situations in which feces were eaten by individuals kept in good conditions, but in the past they were severely starved.
Stress. An unusual or exciting situation can lead to coprophagia in a dog.

Question answer

If a dog eats poop, is it missing something?

Often, a pet begins to eat feces when it lacks nutrients from the food given by its owners. It is necessary to review the dog’s diet, consult with a specialist and make adjustments to it. While the dog is being transferred to a new diet, eating feces will have to be stopped (for example, by wearing a muzzle while walking).

Eating cat feces - is it normal?

The smell of any feces is recognized by animals as markings of territory. Dogs can easily eat the feces of a cat who lives in the same house with them because of jealousy. Thus, the territory is cleared of the “presence of a competitor.” At the level of animal psychology, such a gesture is quite natural.

Should you scold your dog if it eats its own poop at home?

You can’t immediately start scolding your dog for starting to eat feces. If such behavior is noticed, contact a veterinarian, ruling out internal diseases, and then just start weaning off such behavior.

Dog eats baby's poop from potty

The appearance of a child in a family can provoke feelings of jealousy in a pet. By eating baby feces, the animal clears the territory of someone else's smell, leaving ownership of the territory for itself. In this case, malnutrition, lack of nutrients or internal diseases must be excluded. Try to clean up the potty after your child in a timely manner to avoid temptation for your pet and to prevent a single gesture from becoming a habit.

Many pet dog owners have observed their pets eating their own feces. They wonder: why does the puppy eat its own excrement and what to do in this case?

What should an owner do to prevent a dog from eating feces?

There is no method that definitely allows you to get rid of coprophagia. Let's look at the most effective ways to stop a dog from eating excrement.

Contacting a veterinarian

If you discover that your pet is eating your own or someone else's feces, you should give the animal a deworming drug and consult a doctor. It is important not only to examine your dog for diseases, but also to consult a specialist on proper nutrition.

Nutrition correction

In essence, this method is interconnected with the previous one, since in this matter, consultation with a veterinarian is necessary. It is advisable to check the balance of your pet’s diet. If only dry food is used, on the advice of a doctor, it is better to introduce natural food, without mixing the 2 types of food, and purchase a vitamin complex.

Some doctors recommend giving your dog beef tripe. There is also an opinion that in the fight against coprophagia it is advisable to treat food with enzymes. They help improve the breakdown of nutrients. Thus, the problem of eating excrement as an additional source of vitamins is solved. Some owners use mint, pineapple, and pumpkin seeds. But there is no reliable information about the results of such treatment.

Ignoring or paying attention to the problem

According to experts, lack of attention affects the development of this unpleasant habit in an animal. To eradicate it, it is recommended to plan walks with the dog outside so that it is as busy as possible with communication. At the same time, some owners are of the opinion that if the addiction to poop is nothing more than an attempt to attract attention, it would be correct, on the contrary, to ignore the pet when it eats droppings.

No punishment

You cannot punish a dog if it has eaten feces. Aggressive actions will not help stop this behavior. It is better to distract your pet and gradually wean him from the bad habit.

Cleaning

It is important to clean up after your dog and other pets their excrement in a timely manner. This will significantly reduce the possibility of your dog ingesting feces. Also, if there is a bitch with offspring, it is necessary to monitor and immediately clean up after her and the puppies.

Use of special means

There are medications designed to make your dog lose interest in eating feces. They give feces an unpleasant taste to the animal. According to their application they are divided into 2 types. Some people treat animal excrement and even cat feces in the house. The latter are given to individuals whose droppings are consumed by a dog suffering from coprophagia. The disadvantage of the latter method is the lack of its effect when eating personal excrement, as well as with an interspecific type of addiction.

Drugs used as dietary supplements are prescribed and dispensed with a prescription from a veterinarian.

Appeal to the dog handler

In this case, there is a high probability that the situation will be resolved by training the dog not to pick up anything from the ground.

Using a muzzle

It is advisable to use the method simultaneously with the process of eradicating a behavioral habit, and if the animal is being treated.

How to stop your pet from eating feces: procedure

Having determined the possible causes of coprophagia, you can take the necessary actions to eliminate this problem.

First you need to eliminate any possibility of eating your own or other people's excrement. Keep the house or enclosure where the dog is kept clean, regularly remove all waste products.
In your absence, provide your pet with enough toys and food. In this case, the animal will have something to occupy itself with so as not to remember the addiction.

Do not punish an animal for defecating in the appropriate place, as this is ineffective. You should not poke the animal into its “heaps”. Such actions can cause loss of smell. In addition, the dog will try to get rid of possible punishment and may begin to eat its feces.
If the animal was caught, so to speak, “in the act,” a loud clap or a loud prohibiting command can be effective, and you can also throw some object towards the animal, but not at it itself. These actions will scare the pet and make it distracted from eating. Now that the dog’s attention has switched to you, you can call him to you and order him to carry out some command. After which, do not forget to praise the animal.

Try to pay more attention to the dog both at home and while walking. Keep it occupied without leaving time or opportunity to switch your attention to feces.
Teach your pet different commands, in particular the “fu” command. Repeat previously learned commands regularly; this will not only keep the animal occupied, but will also make it more obedient.

When you achieve certain successes, do not forget to praise your pet.
Use a muzzle when walking. When purchasing, it is better to give preference to those models that will not allow you to lift any object from the ground.

Don't forget about nutrition. If the animal has natural food in its diet, then it is worth introducing beef tripe, vitamins or nutritional supplements into the diet. You can also use meat and bone meal. When consuming a dry diet, you should choose premium or super-premium food.

Important!
More drastic methods may be used to combat coprophagia, such as the use of red pepper or a remote-controlled aerosol collar. However, such methods are not very humane and can adversely affect the health of the animal.

General recommendations

Solving the problem of a dog eating feces requires special attention. To combat this situation, it is advisable to simultaneously use several methods, but their combination in each case must be selected individually, taking into account the characteristics of the animal’s character. In this case, it is necessary to minimize the possibility of the pet tasting feces.

create a diet together with a veterinarian;
monitor the health of the animal;
spend more time with the dog;
clean the apartment or house (with the surrounding area and enclosure, if there is one);
If you have other pets, exclude the dog from access to places where they defecate and keep them clean.

Coprophagia is not a disease, but a consequence of problems that the pet has. This habit cannot be left unattended by simply washing the dog and giving it deworming medication. After all, failure to contact a veterinarian in a timely manner can lead to irreparable consequences.

Why do dogs eat cat poop?

“Ugh,” thousands of our readers thought now, barely reading the headline. Some will continue reading out of pure curiosity. Someone would rather close this article, reassuring themselves with the thought that “my own pet is not like that.” But... be that as it may, four-legged friends are distinguished by, let's say, food undemandingness and indiscriminateness. And yes, some have been caught eating cat waste.

Why is this happening? Now we take our hats off to those readers who still dared and continued reading! We hope your patience will last until the end of the publication! By the way, do you know that serious research has been conducted on this sensitive topic? If you didn’t know, then you should know! Moreover, dogs, as it turned out, are interested not only in cat excrement, but also in their own - their own and that of their relatives. And 85% of dogs, forgive the naturalism, prefer “fresh” feces - up to two days from birth. This is “ugh”... At the same time, as scientists believe, this behavior is natural for dogs and their wolf relatives. Wolves are accustomed to keeping the space around their den in order. They seem to “know” that feces are a breeding ground for all kinds of parasites. The good news is that not all dogs exhibit coprophagia (that’s what this behavior is called in science). So you can breathe freely!

However, there are a number of interesting details. So, for some time after giving birth, a mother dog will most likely begin to eat the feces of her babies. Why? Two explanations. The first is maintaining cleanliness. The second is to drive away “predators” from the “bed” (or box with puppies). But this behavior goes away quickly - as soon as the kids are strong enough and begin to move aside “on business.” But... puppies are curious and inquisitive. And they, too, can taste what mom didn’t disdain! And over time, they risk not getting rid of this habit. Why?

First. Poor digestion or poor quality food. Owners should take note and try a different food. And, of course, notify the veterinarian. Second. Boredom - the puppies simply have nothing to do, and they “have fun.” Third. Stress and depression. Fourth. Constant feeling of hunger. Practice shows that most often worms and other parasites are to blame. We need to check and take action! Fourth. Elementary lack of attention. Dogs are smart, they need constant contact with their owner. What to do when someone constantly “has no time”? Many dogs solve problems in interesting ways. Including those that we are talking about now. And what - attention is guaranteed, along with indignation!

Sometimes quite elderly dogs are also seen eating waste. Please get to the root of the problem. Did it start abruptly and unexpectedly? Then make an appointment with the veterinarian as soon as possible: most likely, the dog suffers from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. And not only - in some cases the liver and even the brain are affected. At the same time, lethargy, profuse vomiting and diarrhea appear. Veterinary help needed!

But why is cat poop so attractive? There are several reasons for this. The first is research. Shki often do their business and bury the results of their labor in the soil or sand. Dogs, in turn, constantly explore and sniff out something during walks. And they come across such a “present”. How can you not taste it? Second. Many dogs are attracted to cat food itself. Moreover, many dogs perceive it as a treat. Including, excuse me, “derivatives” of this very food. In principle, everything is simple: the dog likes cat food, which means it won’t disdain it and... well, you get the idea.

Is it harmful for your dog? You can answer this: it’s not useful. We don’t know what the cat ate. Many poops are literally infested with all sorts of parasites that your dog can pick up. In theory, eating cat litter does not lead to any long-term, serious health problems. And yet, if you have any doubts, it is better to consult your veterinarian. On walks, we would advise you to keep your pet from dubious culinary experiments - you never know.

Original: Why Do Dogs Eat Cat Poop? Source: cuteness.com Photo: .com

The danger of coprophagia

Coprophagy is the eating of animal feces

. They can belong to the dog itself, or be feline or human. Statistics say that such deviations are constantly observed in 16% of dogs. 80% of animals do this quite rarely. It is worth noting that castrated males and females do this more often than others. Miniature poodles almost never eat feces.

If the owner did not stop his pet in time, and he ate too much excrement, then the poisoning can be so severe that long-term therapy with intestinal lavages and droppers will be required.

Dogs that have a habit of eating feces

, can become infected with the following diseases:

The main reasons for the behavior are described below.

Imitation

Puppies under 3 months of age

They tend to eat their own stool as it helps with digestion. The bacteria contained in them, once again entering the puppy’s intestines, create the necessary microflora in it. In the first month of a baby's life, their excrement is destroyed by their mother. After the puppies begin to be fed, she stops doing this. Some babies, watching their mother, begin to do the same, eating the feces of their brothers. If this is left to chance, then over time it will become a habit and, even as an adult, the animal will do it.

Also, a pet can engage in coprophagy by imitating its owner, watching how he cleans up his feces. If the owner previously punished the puppy for pooping in the wrong place, for example, by shouting loudly or poking his nose at it, then the baby tries to erase traces of his “crime” so that the owner does not punish him.

Wrong diet

To improve your digestion

, the wild relatives of our domestic dogs sometimes eat manure, which contains enzymes and bacteria necessary for digesting heavy food. If an animal (this applies to predators) eats only meat, then their intestinal motility decreases. In this case, manure helps them cleanse themselves. Domestic dogs, succumbing to instinct, begin to eat human, cat excrement or bird droppings, since they cannot find manure in the city.

The reason for this is improper feeding of the animal:

feeding exclusively meat;
the diet is dominated by porridge;
bone feeding;
unbalanced diet consisting of cheap food;
overfeeding;
mixed diet.

Disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract

Animals cannot complain where they hurt, and often the disease can only be detected after significant damage to the health of the pet

. The consequences of chronic disorders in the gastrointestinal tract are problems with defecation, flatulence, and uncomfortable sensations in the abdominal cavity. Hoping to improve the situation, the dog begins to eat the feces of other animals, including cats. This is the answer to the question of many dog owners - why do dogs eat cat droppings. If a pet that has not done this before suddenly begins to eat the feces of other animals, you should definitely take him to the veterinary clinic.

Boredom and feelings of loneliness

Sometimes dogs that are left home alone for long periods of time feel abandoned and lonely.

. This causes them to start eating their feces. First doing this in the apartment, the animal begins to continue doing it outside. This occurs less frequently with German Shepherds and Terriers than with other dog breeds.

In this way, the pet tries to attract the attention of its owner. In this case, she is not afraid of punishment, because first the owner will pay attention to her, and only then, perhaps, punish her. Dogs are very afraid of becoming unnecessary.

Fear and self-doubt

Another reason why a dog eats cat poop is to regain its territory. If a cat and a dog live in the same house, then its feces for the dog mean a mark that indicates that the cat wants to become the boss in this room. Eating cat piles

, thereby she tries to regain her territory. She is forced to do this by the fear of losing her home.

It’s very unpleasant to talk about this topic, but what can you do? Many owners wonder why dogs eat excrement and do not feel any guilt about it? Agree, it’s not very pleasant. After all, it is important to understand not only why a dog eats its own and cat’s excrement, but also to eliminate this bad habit and eradicate it forever.

Causes of coprophagia

A large number of infectious diseases of viral etiology can be transmitted from sick animals to healthy ones through feces - feces and urine. In addition to helminthiases (infections with helminthic infestations), eating excrement can cause parvovirus enteritis. The causative agent of this type of disease is able to maintain its virulence for 12 months in feces.

No less dangerous diseases for both pets and their owners are leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis, which can affect the central nervous system of animals. But before you start fixing the problem, you must first of all understand the reasons that prompted your four-legged pet to do this.

Veterinary specialists and scientists still do not know the exact reasons that can prompt an animal to eat feces. But there are a number of factors that contribute to a behavioral problem.

The main ones are:

Imitation. In most cases, young puppies begin to eat feces, trying to imitate the behavior of their mother. It is so laid down by nature that a whelping female destroys the waste products of her puppies for a whole month after the birth of her offspring. It is likely that babies imitate their mother by picking up their own and other feces.

Remember! If this behavior is not eliminated in a timely manner, it becomes a habit and is very difficult to correct.

Instincts. The animal destroys the products of its vital activity, based on its natural instincts, laid down by nature in order to destroy the smell and cover up its tracks. Fear associated with a possible attack on the pet itself or on the owner of the animal.

Uncertainty. There is a hypothesis that the dog begins to pick up and eat excrement on the street due to uncertainty. The animal destroys other people's marks, leaving its own. This is due to the lack of a sense of leadership in one's own territory.

Acute lack of attention from the owner. Dogs cannot speak, so they show their emotional state through actions. The dog begins to bark or whine loudly when he demands attention. The same applies to eating feces on the street - after all, the owner will definitely begin to scold him for such behavior, and will pay attention.

Dietary disorders. Unbalanced and incorrectly composed monotonous diet. The dog instinctively tries to replenish the reserves of microelements, minerals and vitamins that are missing in the body. The cause of the disorder is excessive overfeeding, a mixed diet (ready-made and natural food), feeding the dog only meat, excess treats, feeding fatty, salty foods and bones.

Diseases of the digestive system. Possible gastrointestinal problems may cause an adult dog to eat its own feces. The causes may be helminthic infestations, infectious processes of the digestive tract.

Lack of proper upbringing. A completely healthy dog physically, with a properly balanced diet, can eat feces. To correct this behavior, you need to seek help from specialist dog handlers who will help eliminate the problem.

Causes

Males are not very prone to eating feces. This behavior is more common in puppies and bitches. Eating other people's feces by females is more like sanitary and preventive actions than a behavior pattern. In this way she tries to keep her territory clean. Natural instinct also plays a significant role, since fresh feces attract predators, and the bitch eats them, thereby destroying the smell. A puppy watching its mother, over time, adopts her habits, and, eating its feces, perceives this as the norm of behavior. This puppy behavior can be caused by the formation of the intestines. Therefore, in most cases, a grown-up puppy himself refuses to eat feces, if such behavior does not develop into a habit.

Animal feces contain unprocessed minerals, vitamins and nutrients that a pregnant bitch may be deficient in. The lack of them in their own body pushes animals to consume other people's feces. If your dog is caught eating other people's poop, his diet needs to be reconsidered. Frequent malnutrition can push the animal to fill its stomach. Also, a pet may start eating other people’s feces after eating too fatty food, since the animal’s body cannot cope with the digestion of fat.

Diseases associated with improper functioning of housing and communal services can make a dog want to eat someone else's feces. Sometimes dogs eat excrement in order to attract the attention of the owner, which they often lack in everyday life. Often, a dog eats the feces of dominant animals living in the same territory with it.

Weaning an animal from eating excrement

By acting comprehensively, the owner will be able to better understand his pet and wean him from a bad habit. To do this, you will have to radically reconsider your relationship with the dog:

change your diet;
involve more game moments;
sign up for training courses.

This will make your pet's life more interesting and eventful. Depending on the cause that led to the disturbance in the dog’s behavior, the method of elimination will vary.

When the first cases of coprophagia appear, you need to show your pet to a veterinarian. This is necessary to exclude possible pathological processes in the body that provoke the development of the desire to eat the feces of their relatives.

Important! The lack of protein components and B vitamins forces animals to look for sources in other products, and often these become human waste products.

Development of a reflex in a puppy

Small puppies begin to eat excrement due to a lack of enzymes and minerals. When puppies eat feces, they create the necessary microflora in the intestinal tract. It is necessary to seriously pay attention to the diet. It is much more difficult to wean an adult dog from eating excrement than a small puppy. However, animal psychologists have proven that there is a fact of coprophagia with fear of punishment.

If a small puppy is constantly punished when doing a “dirty” deed, then in most cases he develops a reflex to eat his own waste products in order to avoid punishment. This problem is complex, so its eradication must also consist of several stages.

An important role in eliminating the problem is played by proper education and training of prohibitory commands - “No!”, “Ugh!”. Even if the dog very quickly remembers what can and cannot be done, the owner should not lose vigilance and train the pet daily. In extreme cases, you can put a muzzle on your dog for a walk, which will prevent the dog from picking up garbage and feces.

Abstraction

Problems that arise due to a lack of mineral components in food take an unusually long time to correct. This is why it is important to keep your dog on a leash at all times when walking with your dog. It is necessary to entertain the animal as much as possible with various games and physical exercises for training.

It is not recommended to leave your dog unattended for even a single minute. You can occupy the animal’s mouth with your favorite toy and prohibit it from being released without the owner’s permission. Professional trainers recommend attracting its attention with treats and toys. As soon as the dog defecates during a walk, it is immediately necessary to distract its attention with a command; after doing so, it is necessary to praise the dog and, without waiting for it to change its mind, take it away from that place.

If you notice that your pet is eating its own or other feces, it is not recommended to coax it, chase the dog, or call it loudly. Dog handlers advise simply approaching the dog and clearly and loudly pronouncing the command “No!” You can add a loud and sharp sound to the command (clap your hands), and then take the animal away from the scene of the “crime”.

Folk remedies

Dog handlers abroad have come up with the idea of adding monosodium glutamate or pancreatic enzymes to an animal’s food. This allows you to change the taste of feces and the animal is disgusted to touch them.

If an adult dog tends to eat its own excrement, you can add laxatives to the food, because there is an opinion that animals do not eat feces with a liquid consistency. But only after consultation with a specialist.

How to stop your dog from eating cat feces

Dog owners often encounter a problem when their pet seeks out and eats exclusively cat excrement. This behavior is due to the fact that cat food is rich in proteins, unlike dog food. This is not surprising, because a large amount of protein is dangerous and harmful to the dog’s body. Increased protein content leads to the development of pathological processes in the kidney structures.

If a dog eats the feces of a cat living in the same apartment, it is recommended to place the cat litter box in a place inaccessible to the dog. Otherwise, the dog will eat the litter and the cat feces.

As a result, acute intestinal obstruction may develop. Treatment of such a problem involves exclusively surgical intervention. Having gotten used to eating feces at home, she will continue to do so in other places.

How to wean your dog off a bad habit

Sometimes, in order to wean a dog from a bad habit, you will have to use different options; sometimes you need to try everything to achieve the desired result. The most effective of them are the following:

Eliminating the possibility of eating. If several animals live in the same area, you need to remove the pet's feces after each bowel movement, not giving the dog a chance to eat someone else's feces.
When the dog owner notices that the animal is preparing to eat feces, you need to divert his attention to other objects, for example, give him something tasty. The same method should be used if the pet is trying to attract the owner’s attention by eating feces.
A puppy needs to be trained from an early age. He must clearly understand and follow prohibiting commands. During the training process, he needs to be walked on a short leash. As soon as the pet reaches for the pile of feces, it must be pulled away, while loudly pronouncing the prohibiting command.
Treating feces with pepper, horseradish, mustard and other hot preparations will make the taste of feces less attractive to the dog and, over time, will discourage the pet from eating them.

In this article I will look at one of the bad habits of dogs - eating excrement. I will list the problems of a pet, why it eats its own feces, human or cat. I’ll tell you how to wean your dog from a bad habit and what to do.

Prevention of the problem

The owner himself must eliminate possible temptations for the animal by promptly removing feces left by the dog in the living room. If the dog walks in the yard, then it is necessary to remove feces from the area. If your pet stays alone in the apartment for a long time, it is recommended to provide its leisure time with a sufficient number of toys.

Note! It is not recommended to punish or scold your pet for the puddles and heaps that the dog leaves during the owner’s absence. There is no point in punishing physically. Moreover, it may cause behavioral problems to worsen.

When punishing a dog for an offense, a person believes that the dog understands everything. In fact, poking a dog's muzzle into its own excrement leads to a partial or complete loss of smell. In addition, in fear of being punished, the dog will get rid of excrement on its own. If a dog eats human, cat, or its own excrement, this does not mean at all that it is a bad dog. Wanting to explore the world around them, dogs taste and sniff everything.

It is not the dog’s fault that he follows his instincts laid down by nature. The owner’s main task is to wean him off the habit gradually, without using physical punishment or radical measures.

Prevention

To prevent coprophagia, dog experts recommend introducing feed additives into the diet, for example, 8in1 Excel Deter.

This drug has proven its effectiveness in practice: in 95-98 cases out of 100, the additive allows you to wean a dog from the habit of eating feces, which means that such a remedy will be able to prevent such unpleasant behavior. Veterinarians recommend using 1 tablet for every 4.5 kg of pet’s weight, the course of treatment is 2 weeks. However, before purchasing the drug, it would be useful to consult a specialist.

If you notice your dog has a habit of eating its own or other people's feces, pay attention, first of all, to its diet - a balanced menu often solves this problem. Also, pay enough attention to your pet and its health, and a happy and healthy dog that feels the love and care of its owner will not be affected by such troubles.

When a dog begins to pick up various garbage and its own poop in order to eat it, the owner is bewildered and at a loss as to what prompted a well-fed and well-groomed pet to commit such an outrage? Naturally, consuming waste products as food is not only unacceptable from an aesthetic point of view, but also definitely not safe.

Why does a dog eat feces?

Oh, will someone stop him? This is so disgusting! No, seriously, why does my dog eat cat poop/ his own/ his sibling's/ randomly found? What should I do to stop this?!

Before we begin to describe the reason why a dog eats poop, we need to look back into history. You all know that dogs did not randomly appear on earth, already completely domesticated, in the form in which we imagine them. They developed from thousands of different breeds of wild dogs, which in the process of evolution ate the remains of animals, various waste, consisting of animal and plant foods.

Consuming the feces of small forest animals was an excellent way to consume extra vitamins, a behavior we sometimes see in modern dogs.

According to statistics, it is females who eat feces more often than males. The bitch's behavior is genetically programmed to clean up after the puppies in their place of residence. Yes, yes, the dog eats puppies' feces, instinctively maintaining cleanliness in its shelter.

What are other reasons why a dog eats feces?

1. Fear of loneliness. There are known situations when a dog began to eat its own poop when it was locked up, for example, if it was left alone in a closed apartment. This unpleasant process is accompanied by loud barking, which neighbors systematically complain about, chewed furniture, and overturned things. After your dog eats his own poop, he may well start doing the same in the yard or lawn.

2. Sometimes particularly “advanced” dogs learn to analyze their owners’ reactions to a particular action, so dogs eat feces in order to once again attract the attention of their precious owner. He immediately begins to call the dog to him, chase after it, “Foo” and do other predictable fun actions that the dog regards as an exciting game.

3. Occasionally eating feces by a dog is a consequence of a lack of minerals in its body and some specific components that attract it. Monitor your dog's diet and try to avoid any lack of essential components.

4. There are situations when very small puppies, up to 2 months old, eat their own feces to normalize the balance of intestinal bacteria, which is stabilized due to their re-entry into the gastrointestinal tract of the small puppy.

5. A dog can eat its own feces due to an instinctive attraction to half-decomposed food, or food already processed by digestive enzymes, again due to the fact that in the last round of evolution, the ancestors of dogs ate almost nothing but carrion and the remains of dead animals. different stages of decomposition. It is necessary to remember the past of dogs.

6. Sometimes a dog eats its own excrement because it tries to act like its precious owner when he sweeps and cleans his home. The dog may “decide” for itself that it should also engage in such “useful” activities. As a rule, such “courtesy” is shown only after the dog has received a good thrashing for pooping in the wrong place or not waiting to go for a walk. He was pushed into his own poop with his muzzle, scolded, maybe even spanked... Dogs are very smart creatures, she is quite intelligent enough to eat her own feces, thereby avoiding repeated punishment. Again, if addicted, such meals can continue on the street.

7. A good half of our forum members associated the eating of poop by their Yorkies with cat poop. Yes, yes, Yorkies love to eat cat poop. This is due to the fact that cats are now predominantly fed dry food, which has a specific, but attractive to dogs, smell. Cat poop has the same smell, which is why Yorkies and other dogs eat it more often than the poop of other animals.

Why does a puppy eat his own or other people's excrement?

There are several reasons for this behavior in puppies. Let's analyze them together.

Intestinal formation

In puppies, fecal ingestion is often associated with gastrointestinal development. Excrement contains a large number of beneficial bacteria and enzymes that help digest food and improve intestinal motility. This need arises in babies up to three months of age. Gradually, the puppy’s digestion improves and the need for coprophagia disappears by itself. However, sometimes it develops into a bad habit, which is much more difficult to get rid of.

Imitating an adult dog or owner

Coprophagia is normal behavior for a lactating bitch. In this way she tries to keep her lair clean. A puppy, watching its mother, sometimes adopts her habit. It is necessary to stop this behavior in time, otherwise imitation of an adult dog becomes the reason why the puppy continues to eat its feces when it grows up.

The puppy can eat its own feces, imitating the owner who cleans it up. The baby instinctively tries to get rid of punishment if the owner has previously poked his nose at them or screamed loudly.

Lack of vitamins and minerals

A similar problem often appears if your pet’s diet lacks vitamins and microelements. The puppy, eating excrement, tries to make up for the deficiency of these substances.

Insufficient calorie intake

A lack of calories in a small pet's diet is another cause of coprophagia. Imbalance in nutrition, lack of protein and carbohydrates encourages the puppy to replenish its menu with the heaps it finds.