5 Easy Steps to End This Dirty Habit
We love to brag about our dogs. In fact, in many ways they’re like our own children. There are some canine habits, however, that we really prefer not to bring up in polite conversation. One of these is when our dogs eat their own poop. Yes, it’s a disgusting practice to us humans, but dogs have their reasons. It’s actually fairly common and has a name, coprophagia. A great pooper scooper service can help curb the problem, but what are some steps you can take to stop your dog from eating his poop? Here are 5 things to try.
#1 Clean Up Quickly
This advice applies to both a dogs living area and walks. Keep their living area clean and free of feces. If a dog has an accident, remove it immediately. This is also for cat boxes, as dogs sometimes choose their feline companions poops over their own.
#2 Training
The number one commands you should work on for a dog with this problem are “leave it” and “come”. Experts recommend teaching your dog to come for a treat immediately after elimination. This gives them a tasty incentive, instead of going for something on the ground that is decidedly unpleasant. The most important thing is to make sure you put a stop to any investigation or sniffing by giving a firm command.
It might be helpful to make a diary of when your dog has its daily bowel movements. Make sure you go outside with her, watch for the elimination, and quickly call your dog back to you. Have your dog immediately sit and give her a reward. Then clean up the poop before she has any chance to investigate.
#3 Mindful Walks
While out for walks, pick up after your dog quickly and don’t allow them the opportunity to eat the poop. Always have your dog on a leash during a walk, and be mindful of when he may come across another dog’s poop. A gentle head harness will help you keep control of your dog and where he sticks his nose.
#4 Taste-Aversion Products
Believe it or not, some things are as disgusting to our canine friends as eating poop is to us. If you spray certain things on your dog,s poop or add it to their food, it will make it much less appealing. You can find these products in pet shops, or you may just have them around the house.
Items you can put in a dogs food include chamomile, derivatives of pepper plants, garlic, parsley, canned pumpkin, pineapple juice, meat tenderizer with MSG, and spinach. Things you can sprinkle directly on the feces include bitter apple, lemon juice, or hot sauce.
#5 Dietary Supplements
Sometimes, coprophagia is caused by an enzyme deficiency in their digestive system. This is called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or EPI, and a veterinarian can diagnose this problem. In this case, your poop eating problem may be cured by dietary enzyme supplements. These supplements break down enzymes in the dogs stomach, help them absorb the proper nutrients, and help them digest their food properly.
If dogs are fed low-quality food, they may eat feces to try to balance out what they sense as a dietary deficiency. A lack in Vitamin-B has also been shown to cause dogs to eat feces. They can be given vitamin supplements to balance their diet.
You can do a lot more than look on in horror when your dog starts eating his own poop. Try the tips above, and be sure to contact the DC area’s pooper scooper experts to find the best solutions for pet waste removal.
