NIP YOUR PUP’S POOP-EATING
HABIT IN THE BUD
by Mike Palmer
Dog owners know that the warmer weather typically unveils a
backyard full of presents from their four-legged friends. This
thaw can be an extra messy time if your pup is a poop eater.
Poop eating – also known as coprophagy – is fairly common
behavior. Although you may find it to be nothing but a repulsive
habit, the behavior does have an underlying cause, and you
should get to the bottom of it immediately.
One possible reason for the poop consumption is that your pup
may not be digesting his food properly. This may be because
the food is low in digestible nutrients and is basically coming
out the same way it went in. To the puppy, his stool tastes
similar to the food he just ate. Replacing his food with a higher
quality food can solve this.
However, this may also be a sign your pup has a problem with his
digestive system, and its best to take a trip to the vet. Another
possibility is parasites and worms, which can leach nutrients from
your pup’s system, causing him to be hungrier than normal. He
will respond to his hunger by eating whatever is available.
If you pup is left alone for a long time, he may begin messing
around with his poop out of boredom. This tends to happen
more often during cold weather, because they are fascinated by
their frozen stools – or poopsicles.
It could simply be caused by not feeding your pup enough food
during the day. If you’re unsure how much to feed your pup,
utilize the