Dogs do the silliest little things.
It seems like almost every canine has a poop-eating vice. Below are 8 reasons why.
1. Habit From Puppyhood
Like human babies, puppies are eager to learn about their surroundings, and one of the ways they do this is by putting things in their mouths.
2. Copying Our Behavior
Canines learn a lot from watching our actions. Dogs watch you pick up their waste on a daily basis. After seeing their owners pick up their poop countless times, some pups want to know what all the fuss is about. Not able to pick up things with their paws, dogs go for their only option — their mouths.
3. Attempting To Get Attention
Dogs love to be the center of attention and canines notice that eating poop gets them a lot of extra attention; they just don’t realize it’s not of the positive variety.
4. Cleaning Up
While they don’t do all the grooming cats do, many dogs like to stay tidy. Canines who are crate trained can be especially finicky about keeping their surroundings clean. This need to be clean can lead dogs to eat their poop to get it out of the way.
5. Trying To Prevent Punishment
If your dog discovers that having a bathroom accident makes you upset and leads to punishment, they may go out of their way to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Pooches will eat poop because they are worried if you find it you will get upset.
6. Motherly Instincts
Canine moms are programmed to protect their babies. Even though most households don’t hold any predators for a dog and her pups, some mutt moms will still be cautious. One of the protective measures moms take is eating their puppies’ poop so predators won’t find the family.
7. Looking For Food
Dogs will go to desperate measures to show you they are hungry. If your dog isn’t giving enough food they will start seeking out other sources, including poop.
8. Feeling Ill
There are certain parasites that might drive a dog to eat their own poop. While these are rare, they are serious. If you suspect your dog is ill, you should take them to the vet immediately. Additionally, poop is full of parasites. If your dog makes a habit out of eating the gross snack they could develop health problems. One natural remedy we like to have dog parents keep on hand is diatomaceous earth for pets.
This post was reposted from Paw Nation. What happened to paw nation: https://dogplayoutdoors.com/what-happened-to-pawnation-com/
