UK - Why Your Dog Eats Poop Explained

Many animals consume faeces, a most locally sourced meal that may contain intact food particles—and thus nutrition.

To the horror of dog owners, this fondness for faeces sometimes applies to their pets.

It “may be an evolutionary legacy of the dog’s long history of scavenging for a living,” says James Serpell, a professor of animal ethics and welfare at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

A precautionary vet visit is step one, says Serpell, who also wrote the book, The Domestic Dog: Its Evolution, Behaviour and Interactions with People. Owners should rule out pancreatic enzyme deficiency and make sure the dog is eating properly, he says.

If all is well, reward-based training should help. Gently but firmly discourage the behaviour while leash-walking, and give the dog treats and praise when he ignores scat, Serpell advises.

If the poop-eating behaviour persists, he says, “a distasteful substance such as monosodium glutamate can be added to faeces to discourage the behaviour.”

ProDog Nutrition: A dog that is eating other dogs poop or dogs muck is likely to be missing essential nutrients from their diet. Our supplement, ProDog Flexx, is full of the nutrients a dog needs and will most likely stop this worrying behaviour.

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ProDog Nutrition is the manufacturers of supplement for dogs to help with joints, weight gain, lean muscle building and energy recovery collate the best news, advice and articles from around the world. Click here to read our article: www.prodognutrition.com/dog-nutrition-news-november-2017/