Coprophagia is the voluntary action of eating faces. Dogs can develop this unpleasant behavior for a variety of reasons. We're talking about co-prophecy in dogs!
Canine coprophagia in puppies
Coprophagia in dogs can occur in puppies and adults.
When little puppies do their needs and are reprimanded by their owners (because they are still learning where to poop) they can be afraid of that situation by reprisals and start eating their own faces to avoid punishment.
Similarly, it is usually presented by imitation of the mother's behavior. A dog that has just given birth can start eating her feces to keep the environment clean, as she is aware that the smell will attract predators.
Within the "normality" that we might give to this behavior, only those two reasons come in.
Coprophagia in adult dogs
However, it is very common that it also occurs in adult dogs and in this case, the reasons may be several.
A lack of nutrients: If your pet suffers from a problem in the pancreas that prevents them from assimilating nutrients from food, it can happen that the dog looks for them in their droppings. In the same way, poor diet where these nutrients are scarce will give the same result.
Stress or anxiety: whether it's because of tense situations for him, separation or loneliness. Your dog will fill that void or get your attention this way.
By attraction of the smell: If your dog does not digest food well, there may be whole traces of food in his depositions that invite to be eaten again. Similarly, if your hairy one eats someone else's stool, it's because they contain powerful pheromones that help you get to know your species better.
Lack of hygiene: Sometimes a great lack of hygiene, such as your dog living surrounded by its own faces, causes this behavior to begin.
In either case, the situation is not pleasant at all and can lead to health problems for your pet. Above all, you should take special care when ingesting other people's stools, since the other animal may have intestinal parasites that will be transmitted.
Solutions to co-prophecy in dogs
To solve coprophagia in dogs it is necessary to analyze the situation that the animal lives in order to know the cause and act accordingly.
Visit to the veterinarian
Remember that one of the reasons is a nutrient assimilation problem. A visit to the veterinarian will determine with examinations if this is the reason, so that the appropriate treatment and the most recommended feeding for him can be established.
Keep your mind and body active
If what happens to you’re per rete is that he is stressed or spends a lot of time alone, you will have to look for other solutions.
Daily exercise will be essential to discharge energy and release stress, just like games. When he's left alone, leave his toys around to keep him home, and when you get home, make sure you spend time with him.
Take care of your diet
Another solution, so that the smell or taste of faces may appeal to them, is that they consume a food of high digestibility, rich in fiber and in small doses, so that it is well digested and no whole remains appear in its poop.
Act properly
In either case, it is very important that when your dog does its needs you collect them immediately, thus eliminating the possibility of eating them.
Also, do not scold him if he has this problem, because all you will get is to draw his attention more to this matter, precisely because he has managed to get you to pay attention to him in doing so. You'd go into a vicious circle!
Our final advice to co-prophecy in dogs is to be patient. Eliminating this behavior is going to take a while, but it's completely necessary for your sake!