Lyla Lindsey
The technical term for puppies eating faeces is coprophagia, and it's a common but unpleasant habit that can be difficult to break. Coprophagia can be caused by a range of factors, from diet and boredom to more serious medical conditions such as diabetes or Cushing's syndrome. If you're concerned about your puppy's health or wellbeing, it's important to consult your vet, who can refer you to an animal behaviourist if needed. While it may be tempting to scold your puppy for eating faeces, punishment is not recommended as it can lead to negative associations and further complications. Instead, there are several strategies you can try to prevent and address coprophagia, including providing a high-quality diet, keeping their environment clean and free from faeces, and teaching commands like leave it and come.
How to stop puppy eating poop in Australia
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Behaviour | Coprophagia is a common behaviour in dogs, especially in puppies, and can be caused by various factors, including boredom, anxiety, attention-seeking, or learned behaviour from their mother or other dogs. |
| Diet | A poor diet can be a contributing factor. Transitioning to a high-quality, species-appropriate diet that meets their nutritional requirements can help reduce the behaviour. |
| Training | Environmental management and training techniques, such as supervising walks, keeping the living area clean, and teaching commands like "leave it" and "come," can help prevent puppies from accessing and eating faeces. |
| Medical Conditions | In some cases, coprophagia may be related to underlying medical conditions, such as Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI), diabetes, Cushing's syndrome, or micronutrient deficiencies. Consulting a veterinarian is essential to rule out or treat any health issues. |
| Emotional Factors | Eating faeces when left alone may indicate an emotional reason, such as separation anxiety. Consulting a vet and seeking the help of an animal behaviourist may be beneficial in these cases. |
| Parasites and Infections | Parasitic infections, worms, and other infectious diseases can be transmitted through coprophagia, making it crucial to address the behaviour and ensure proper parasite control. |
| Punishment | Punishing a dog for toileting mistakes may lead to coprophagia as they may try to hide the evidence to avoid punishment. Positive reinforcement and distraction techniques are recommended instead. |
| Nutritional Deficiency | In the wild, dogs may eat faeces to add minerals or vitamins to their diet. Ensuring your puppy's diet meets their nutritional requirements can help prevent this behaviour. |
| Identification | Providing your puppy with a collar and identification tags is essential, especially when supervising outdoor access and walks to prevent them from consuming faeces. |
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What You'll Learn
- Consult a vet to rule out medical issues like diabetes, thyroid disease, or medication
- Improve their diet to ensure nutritional requirements are met
- Train your puppy to respond to leave it and come commands
- Keep the puppy's living area clean, including the yard
- Provide more environmental stimulation to reduce boredom
Consult a vet to rule out medical issues like diabetes, thyroid disease, or medication
If your puppy is eating poop, it is important to consult a vet to rule out any underlying medical issues. While it is a common behaviour for puppies to eat their own or other animals' faeces, it could also be a sign of a health problem.
One possible medical reason for your puppy's poop-eating behaviour could be diabetes. Diabetes in dogs can cause an increase in appetite, leading to coprophagia. Early signs of diabetes include excessive thirst, increased urination, weight loss, and a noticeably increased appetite. If you notice any of these symptoms in your puppy, it is important to consult your vet as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Another potential health issue to consider is thyroid disease. Hypothyroidism, in particular, is one of the most common hormonal diseases in dogs and can lead to a reduction in their metabolic state. It is caused by abnormally low levels of thyroid hormones, which regulate the body's metabolic rate. If left untreated, hypothyroidism can have serious consequences for your puppy's health. Treatment for hypothyroidism involves lifelong oral administration of synthetic thyroid hormone replacement drugs.
It is also important to consider the possibility of medication side effects. Some medications, such as steroids, can increase a dog's appetite, leading to coprophagia. If your puppy is taking any medications, consult your vet to discuss the potential side effects and explore alternative treatment options if necessary.
While it may be unpleasant, consulting a vet and ruling out these potential medical issues is an important step in addressing your puppy's poop-eating behaviour. From there, you can work with your vet to develop an appropriate treatment plan and ensure your puppy's overall health and well-being.
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Improve their diet to ensure nutritional requirements are met
Improving your puppy's diet to meet their nutritional requirements is a great way to stop them from eating poop. Firstly, it is important to note that puppies have different nutritional requirements compared to adult dogs. Puppies need more dietary protein and essential amino acids to support their rapid growth and development. They also need higher levels of fat, especially essential fatty acids, for energy, growth, and development. Calcium is another important nutrient for puppies as it helps them develop strong bones and teeth.
When feeding your puppy, it is important to consider their individual metabolism and body type, as nutritional requirements vary from dog to dog. Portion sizes should be determined by your puppy's body condition, not by the amount of food they have eaten or left in the bowl. Puppies usually need three to four meals a day after weaning, but you can decrease the frequency of meals over time.
There are several types of puppy food available, including canned, dry, freeze-dried, dehydrated, fresh, and raw. Canned puppy food is the most expensive and palatable option, while dry puppy food is the most economical and convenient choice. If you choose to feed your puppy a raw diet, ensure that it includes a variety of ingredients such as raw meaty bones, liver, vegetables, seeds, and fruit to meet their nutritional needs.
It is important to feed your puppy high-quality food that is formulated for their age and breed size. A steady diet of table scraps can create a nutritional imbalance and cause an upset stomach or even toxicity in dogs. If you are unsure about your puppy's nutritional needs, consult your veterinarian or breeder for advice.
By ensuring your puppy's nutritional requirements are met, you can help improve their overall health and potentially deter them from engaging in coprophagia, or the eating of feces.
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Train your puppy to respond to leave it and come commands
The "come" command is one of the most important commands to teach your puppy, as it could save their life. To begin, figure out what you want to reward your puppy with, whether it be a treat or one of their favourite toys. Start off by kneeling on the ground a few feet away from your puppy and wiggling the reward in front of you, while simultaneously saying their name and the command "come". Be sure to use a happy, inviting tone. Once your puppy comes close to you, reward them straight away with plenty of verbal praise.
It is important to never use your puppy's name to reprimand or scold them. If you do so, they will associate their name with being punished. This is why you should only use your puppy's name to praise them. When reprimanding, simply say "no" without yelling their name angrily.
The "leave it" command is also essential, as it can be used to stop your puppy from reaching for something they shouldn't have, especially if it is dangerous. To teach this command, start with a tasty treat in one hand and a boring 'leave it' item in the other hand, such as their dry food, a sponge, or a piece of paper. Hold out the hand with the boring item, let them sniff, and wait for them to look or move away from it. When they do, reward them with the treat from the other hand. Repeat this until your puppy is reliably looking away, and then start to add in the "leave it" cue.
When your puppy is ignoring each treat one at a time, try walking past an entire row of treats after giving the "leave it" cue. Reward a successful run with something extra special, like a game of tug or a chew bone. Show your puppy that ignoring things means the chance for something even better. You can also try the "free-choice" exercise, where your puppy learns the cue "take it", which means "you may eat this now". This is especially important for grabby dogs who snatch treats from your hand.
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Keep the puppy's living area clean, including the yard
Keeping your puppy's living area clean is essential to prevent coprophagia, or the act of eating faeces. This behaviour is common in dogs, especially when they are young, but it can develop at any age.
Firstly, ensure that your puppy's yard is cleaned daily to remove any faeces. This is crucial, as it removes the temptation for your puppy to engage in coprophagia. If you have a cat, keep the litter box out of reach or in an area that your puppy cannot access. Baby gates can be useful in this regard, as they allow your cat to jump over while keeping your puppy out. Regular cleaning of the litter box is also necessary, as a dirty litter box can be an enticing target for your puppy.
Supervision is also key. When walking your puppy, keep them on a lead to prevent them from accessing faeces that may be on the ground. If you are unable to supervise them, ensure they are in a clean space where they cannot find any faeces. This could be an enclosed, clean yard or a specific 'puppy-proofed' area of your home.
In addition to keeping their space clean, it is essential to provide your puppy with plenty of environmental stimulation. Boredom is a common reason for coprophagia, so ensure they have access to toys and other forms of entertainment. This can include interactive games and activities with you, as well as solo play with appropriate puppy toys.
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Provide more environmental stimulation to reduce boredom
Boredom is a common cause of coprophagia in puppies. By providing environmental stimulation, you can reduce boredom and prevent your puppy from engaging in undesirable behaviours, such as eating poop.
Creating a stimulating environment with plenty of engaging toys, games, and activities can help keep your puppy entertained and mentally and physically engaged. Puppies are naturally curious and playful, so providing a variety of toys that spark their interest and satisfy their chewing instincts is essential. Chew toys, puzzle toys, and interactive games are great options to keep them mentally stimulated and provide an outlet for their energy. You can also set up obstacle courses or scavenger hunts in your yard or home to provide physical exercise and mental stimulation.
In addition to toys and games, providing a stimulating environment can include creating opportunities for socialization and exploration. Puppies are highly social animals, and regular interaction with other dogs and people is crucial for their development. Consider enrolling your puppy in a puppy socialization class or arranging playdates with other vaccinated and well-behaved dogs. Supervised exploration of different environments, such as parks, forests, or urban settings, can also provide mental stimulation and expose your puppy to a variety of sights, sounds, and smells, enriching their overall experience.
Another aspect of environmental stimulation is ensuring a calm and stable atmosphere. Anxiety and stress can contribute to behavioural issues, including coprophagia. Creating a consistent daily routine, establishing a designated resting area, and providing access to fresh water and comfortable bedding can help reduce stress and promote a sense of security for your puppy.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many reasons why puppies eat poop. It could be due to boredom, a lack of certain nutrients in their diet, or a way to get attention from their owners. Mother dogs also eat their puppies' poop to keep their living area clean and free from disease, and puppies may pick up this habit by watching and copying their mothers.
Eating their own poop is not dangerous for a puppy. However, consuming poop from other animals may cause health issues if the stool is contaminated with parasites, viruses, or toxins.
There are several strategies you can try to stop your puppy from eating poop. Firstly, keep their living area clean and supervise them on walks to prevent access to poop. You can also train them by working on commands like "leave it" and "come", and teaching them to come to you for a treat after they have eliminated.
You should feed your puppy a high-quality, species-appropriate diet that meets their nutritional requirements. Some people also find that their dogs are less tempted by poop after ingesting pineapple juice, paw paw, papaya yoghurt, or cottage cheese.
While poop eating is a common behaviour in puppies, you should still consult your vet to rule out any potential health problems or behavioural issues.
