Eating feces is called coprophagia, and many dog experts consider it normal puppy behavior, tying in with nutrition and puppy health. It is most common in hunting, working, or herding breeds. Many dogs will eat his or her own feces or another dog’s. As it feels is has done nothing wrong, it wanders over to its owner wanting a hug and kiss at about that time and hopefully the owner has been observing the backyard activities of the little canine. The meaning of the words, “doggy breath,” has just then taken on a whole new meaning!
Why Does Coprophagia Happen?
Some factors involved in coprophagia in puppies are:
- Hyperactivity and out of control behavior
Immaturity
Dirty cages or environments
Most mother dogs will keep the living area clean, and if left unattended, will eat the puppies feces to remove it – forming a habitual behavior for them. This is not a usual occurrence in small kennels or household litters.
Another reason is the majority of puppies eat feces because their mothers do. It is a behavior developed by imitating. The mother will stimulate early puppies to urinate and defecate by licking, which she consumes to keep the den area clean. As time goes on and the puppies become larger they see this and some will imitate the behavior.
How To Stop Puppies Eating Feces
Adding one teaspoon of spinach or pineapple or even meat tenderizer to the dog’s diet sometimes helps as a natural treatment. Buying and using a dog medical product called “For-bid,” will decrease this behavior if you work at it. It makes the feces taste distasteful to the dog, and they will not want to eat it. But occasionally there is a nutrition or puppy health concern that can cause the behavior, so be sure to talk to your vet if this becomes and ongoing behavior.
As with any type of behavior for puppies or adult dogs, early correction and preventing the behavior from becoming a bad habit is essential. Until your puppy is fully protected through puppy shots, worming and just maturing, keep your little one on a leash to prevent them from eating the feces of other dogs that may have parasites or diseases. In addition keep all fecal material cleaned up out of the puppy's kennel, sleeping area and play area to minimize contact. While eating feces may not be a direct sign of puppy health problems or nutritional concerns, talk to your breeder if you have switched foods or notice any other unusual or uncharacteristic behaviors in the puppy.
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