Why does a dog eat its own or cat's excrement? How to wean it off? A dog eats feces: why and how to stop it? Dog eats cat poop what to do

Almost all dog breeds suffer from coprophagia, that is, an appetite for other people's excrement, with the exception of miniature poodles. This is such a common phenomenon that many owners regard it almost as a variant of the norm. However, the popularity of this habit does not mean that your pet does not need to be weaned from it. On the contrary, this should be done the sooner the better, because the pet’s health is at risk.

There is nothing abnormal in itself about interest in other people's groups; on the contrary, it is a completely natural phenomenon. This is how dogs learn about each other - to male whether the one who left this bunch belongs to the female group, whether he is in a state of sexual desire and whether it makes sense to pursue him. Also, during the first month after giving birth, the bitch eats the feces of her babies. When the puppies' food becomes more varied, the mother stops being weird. The unpleasant thing is that the cubs, who have the instinct to copy the behavior of their parents, often begin to repeat after their mother and it is up to the owner to wean them from such behavior.

So why do dogs often display such, to put it mildly, exotic culinary preferences?

Out of curiosity

This behavior is typical for suckers; in this way they study the world and everything that surrounds them. Any child is inclined to put into his mouth what he sees, puppies do the same.

Due to dietary disorders

If a dog's diet lacks enzymes, instinct will tell them where to get it. The feces of their own kind are one such source. Manure is especially rich in enzymes and beneficial bacteria that improve digestion, but if it is not there, dogs are ready for any ersatz - a bunch of their brothers, cats and even birds. It is useless to scold and beat a dog for this: instinct is instinct, and if the pet’s diet is inadequate, the animal will look for ways out of the situation provided by nature.

Here it is worth mentioning separately which diet is still considered incorrect. According to veterinarians, a dog has an unbalanced diet if its menu mainly consists of:

• bones;
• meat;
• cheap dog food;
• food rich in salt or spices;
• confectionery products.

Also, some “caring” owners still come up with the idea that the more you feed the dog, the better it is, or that in order to save money you can mix ready-made food with raw meat.

Due to serious disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract

A person is endowed with the ability to speak, he can go to a doctor, say what bothers him, where it hurts and get adequate treatment. Animals are deprived of such an opportunity. Sometimes symptoms appear already at a serious stage, when significant harm has been caused to health. Warning signs include flatulence, problems with stool, abdominal pain, discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and bloating. The dog's instinct calls for all these symptoms to be drowned out by searching. beneficial bacteria, and they can only be found in feces. That is why, having noticed such a feature in your pet, you should not postpone a visit to veterinary clinic.

The dog is starving

If a dog has nothing to eat, it will not disdain anything more or less edible and rich in vitamins, just as people eat copalchem ​​with cadaveric poisons in the tundra. Therefore, this behavior street dogs You shouldn't be surprised.

Video - Why does a dog eat feces?

Due to the neglect of the owners

Very often, a dog can even eat expensive food and not experience health problems, it’s just that the person pays too little attention to it. Then the pet resorts to everything that can cause a rich, emotional reaction from the owner. Almost always the dog is aware that he will be scolded and punished for eating heaps, because every time he showed interest in them, the owner got angry. Thus, according to animal psychologists, she may resort to this method in order to get at least some emotional investment from her two-legged friend.

The dog is jealous or not sure that it is loved

Very often, the reasons for a dog to eat feces lie in psychology. If there is another dog or even a cat in the house, the dog, who considers himself deprived of attention, begins to eat heaps. By eating someone else's feces, it thus eliminates the smell and "marking" of someone else's territory. If he eats his own, the reason is either health, or this is the dog’s way of asking you to pay attention to it.

Why does a dog eat cat feces?

As already mentioned, the dog may be unhappy with the presence of other animals in the apartment, in particular cats and kittens. Most often this happens when the new “passenger” and the existing inhabitants of the house were not introduced properly and were not given the opportunity to adapt. Thus, the dog will eliminate the stranger from its territory and its fecal marks.

The reasons may also lie in health. If a dog is fed cheap, unbalanced food, poor in vitamins and microelements, it will look for those wherever it can, including in the feces of other inhabitants of the house. Therefore, if you notice that the dog is “feeding” in the cat litter box, you should definitely show it to the veterinarian and find out exactly what the reason is. It is possible that the dog will have to buy a special vitamin and mineral complex. Sometimes doctors recommend feeding your pet raw, unpeeled beef tripe. However, the latter should be entered into the pet menu with caution, otherwise it can cause serious malfunctions. gastrointestinal tract. They buy tripe at markets or farm stores; pet stores have dried tripe, which is also good.

Important! Unfortunately, the habit of eating other people's feces is so ingrained in many dogs that the individual will not give it up voluntarily. Under no circumstances should you punish or admonish your pet; he simply will not understand, since any animal is driven primarily by instincts. You can resolve the issue quickly and without unnecessary stress by wearing four-legged friend before the walk, muzzle and leash. Even if this measure does not prove to be effective, you should contact professional dog handlers and trainers.

What should an owner do to stop a dog from eating excrement?

So, it is clear that it is useless to admonish an animal and punish it like a preschooler. If something bothers a dog, it will solve the problem as nature dictates. Therefore, it is necessary first of all to exclude medical reasons. You should take urine, stool, and blood tests, ultrasound examination. It is possible that the doctor will tell you to reconsider your pet’s diet. Only after making sure that the reason for the exotic culinary preferences If the dog is not in good health, you can contact a dog handler.

So, the algorithm of actions for weaning a dog from eating feces is as follows:

• visiting a veterinary center, examination;
• change of diet, introduction of vitamins and mineral supplements(vitamin B and sulfur are required);
• showing greater tolerance and patience towards your pet - after all, that’s why you got a dog, to make it happy;
• if there are several animals in the house, take this moment into account and pay more attention to the dog than before;
• distraction from feces by commands “Fu”, withdrawal from “targets”;
• immediately clean up waste after your pet on walks;
• After each trip to the toilet, reward your pet with a treat or favorite toy;
• consult a professional.

Important! If you still fail to stop the “fun” in time, never bring your face close to the dog’s face and fur - this can lead to serious infection.

Video - Why does a dog eat feces?

Dog eats baby's poop from potty

The appearance of a new family member often causes jealousy among four-legged animals. Eating baby feces from a potty is one of the manifestations of such jealousy. You should never stop this through punishment, shouting, swearing - on the contrary, you should show the dog that you care about it and love it no less than before. And of course, be sure to take him to the veterinarian - the reason for eating human feces may have the same roots as the interest in heaps left behind by their own kind. And you need to immediately empty the child’s potty as soon as he goes to the toilet, so as not to make the dog’s behavior become a habit.

What are the dangers for a dog eating feces?

By regularly eating feces, dogs run the risk of becoming infected with:

1. Worms. Infection with helminths is fraught with many problems with digestion, metabolism and even death.
2. Parvovirus enteritis - this is especially typical for young dogs; the infection is severe and the likelihood of death is high.
3. Leptospirosis (the liver takes the brunt of the attack, often the dog dies in the first day after infection). It is especially dangerous for teenage puppies and older dogs.
4. Toxoplasmosis (the disease is severe and always has serious prognosis and dangerous, including for humans). Sometimes the body is unable to fight the infection due to too much low immunity, and the dog dies.

So, there is no doubt that the first thing you should do if you notice that your dog is systematically eating someone else's feces is to call the veterinary clinic and make an appointment with the doctor.

You can watch a video on how to wean your pets from an unpleasant habit.

Video - Why does a dog eat its own feces and the feces of other dogs, how dangerous it is and how to deal with it

Should you scold your dog if it eats its own poop at home?

A dog is not a person; he has no concept of conscience or self-awareness. So she will behave well in exactly one case - if nothing bothers her, neither in her own body, nor on the territory, nor in the house, nor in communication with other creatures. If there are problems, then the dog will do what it knows how to do - eat feces for the sake of enzymes or microelements, thus achieving the elimination of the marks of strangers from its possessions, attracting the attention of an owner who is too cold, in his opinion. And in general, scolding and punishment are unreliable methods; it’s not for nothing that our ancestors came up with the proverb that you can’t get far with a whip.

Some dog breeders who like to walk with their pet in a park, alley or dog walking area sometimes notice how their pet begins to eat excrement. Many people are disgusted by this picture, and owners try to drive the dog away from bowel movements. But you just have to turn away - and the animal returns to its occupation. From this article you will learn what reasons push your pet to such actions, and how to wean him from a bad habit.

The phenomenon of coprophagia

The consumption of inedible objects and things is an indicator of a perverted appetite. Such perversions include eating feces, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s your own or someone else’s. This deviation from the norm is called coprophagia in the scientific community.

Studying this behavior of animals, scientists came to the conclusion that this could be caused by a number of various reasons and diseases. One of these reasons is the lack of any micro- or macroelements in the animal’s body.

Eating their own excrement in the animal kingdom may be due to problems with digestion. When passing through the intestines, some high-molecular substances, such as hemicellulose, are also poorly absorbed. This behavior is often found in mice, chinchillas, hares, and even in some young herbivorous mammals during the transition from lactation to natural food.

In dogs, females most often resort to eating excrement. And that counts normal behavior especially if the feces of the young are eaten. The reason for this behavior of animals may also be low-calorie food with a lack of vitamins B and K in combination with a low protein content.

Did you know? In 2015, the Manure Museum was opened in Italy. It is primarily dedicated to the topic of rational waste recycling.

The harm of eating excrement

Reasons for appearance

Analyzing the behavior of dogs showing a tendency towards coprophagia, scientists and dog experts have identified a number of reasons that can lead to this deviation. All reasons can be divided into three main groups: natural, problems in the animal’s behavior and the need for additional attention from the owner.

Imitation

This behavior is often found in puppies, as they try to imitate their mother. In the first month after the birth of the offspring, the female often eats the feces of her cubs. This behavior is due natural factors, because the smell of baby feces can attract predators. At the end of the feeding period, the problem usually goes away on its own.

Puppies strive to imitate their mother in everything and believe that such behavior is the norm. However, if this is not stopped in a timely manner, then eating excrement will become a habit, from which it will be difficult to wean the animal.

Curiosity

This trait is more often inherent in young dogs and puppies, because due to their curiosity they want to explore the world. And they do this, like all children, “by the tooth,” so to speak, so it is necessary to ensure that knowledge of the world around them does not develop into a bad habit.

Did you know? Eco-friendly paper is produced in ThailandPOOPOOPAPERfrom excrement, and feces of elephants, cows, moose, donkeys and horses are used as raw materials. By the way, the products are not cheap - for a standard package of 50 sheets you will have to pay about 16 dollars.

Dietary disorders

Eating feces may be a sign of an animal's poor diet. In this way, the pet tries to obtain the necessary nutrients that it did not receive with food. The reasons for this behavior may be the following deviations from a balanced menu:

• high content of cereals in the diet;
• the diet consists only of meat;
• mixed feeding with prepared and natural products;
• presence of salty and fatty foods in the diet;
• feeding with cheap feed;
• excessive overfeeding;
• incorrectly selected treats or their excess.

Problems in the gastrointestinal tract

Diseases digestive system can also cause coprophagia. In this case, it is necessary to schedule an emergency visit to a doctor who can diagnose accurate diagnosis. You may need to give your dog an ultrasound to diagnose the problem.

Important! Gastrointestinal diseases can also be caused by worms, so it is necessary to regularly carry out deworming and vaccination.

Hunger

When a pet feels hungry, it can eat anything, even inedible objects and things, so you need to analyze the nutritional value and balance of its diet and the frequency of feedings. However, it is important to remember that after the first year of life, a dog only needs to eat twice a day.

Lack of attention from the owner

If a dog does not receive enough attention from its owner, it begins to bark frequently, play pranks, and in some cases, while walking, sniffs other people’s feces and eats them. In this way, the animal tries to attract the attention of its owner, because often the owner reacts, noticing this behavior, communicates with the dog, tries to wean the pet, that is, shows at least some attention, which is so necessary for the dog.

Jealousy and Insecurity

If there are other dogs in the house, then the tailed one may become jealous of its brother and thus try to attract the attention of the owner. However, this behavior may be the result of your pet's insecurity. After all, if we consider the behavior of animals in nature, it is worth noting that most often feces are a kind of territory markers.

As a result, the dog, eating waste, removes other people's marks and clears the territory of competitors. In this way, the animal tries to show its superiority and regain confidence..

Why does a dog eat cat poop?

It is important to understand what started this: Perhaps the cat’s litter box was previously located in a different place where it was difficult for the dog to get into, or perhaps the cat previously intimidated the dog, did not allow it near its “property,” and now has become more docile.

Veterinarians recommend having an open tray to clearly monitor the need to replace its contents, and placing it in a place inaccessible to the dog. Alternatively, the toilet can be installed on a raised surface, or, if the dog is large, the door can be fixed in such a position that only the cat can pass through.

Sometimes the tray is covered with two boxes different sizes, they are placed in open parts in opposite directions, creating a kind of mini-labyrinth, which will not be difficult for a cat to pass, although a small and nimble dog is also quite capable of overcoming such an obstacle.

How to stop your pet from eating feces: procedure

Having decided on possible reasons coprophagia, you can take necessary actions to fix this problem.

• First you need to eliminate any possibility of eating your own or other people's excrement. Keep the house or enclosure where the dog is kept clean, regularly remove all waste products.
• In your absence, provide your pet with enough toys and food. In this case, the animal will have something to occupy itself with so as not to remember the addiction.

• Do not punish an animal for defecating in the wrong place, as this is ineffective. You should not poke the animal into its “heaps”. Such actions can cause loss of smell. In addition, the dog will try to get rid of possible punishment and may begin to eat its feces.
• If the animal was caught, so to speak, “in the act,” a loud clap or a loud prohibiting command can be effective, and you can also throw some object towards the animal, but not at it itself. These actions will scare the pet and make it distracted from eating. Now that the dog’s attention has switched to you, you can call him to you and order him to carry out some command. After which, do not forget to praise the animal.

• Try to pay more attention to the dog both at home and on walks. Keep it occupied without leaving time or opportunity to switch your attention to feces.
• Train your pet different teams, in particular to the “fu” team. Repeat previously learned commands regularly; this will not only keep the animal occupied, but will also make it more obedient.

• When you achieve certain successes, do not forget to praise your pet.
• Use a muzzle when walking. When purchasing, it is better to give preference to those models that will not allow you to lift any object from the ground.

• Don't forget about nutrition. If the animal has in its diet natural food, then it is worth introducing beef tripe, vitamins or food additives. You can also use meat and bone meal. When consuming a dry diet, you should choose premium or super-premium food.

Important! To combat coprophagia, more can be used radical methods, such as using red pepper or a remote controlled aerosol collar. However, such methods are not very humane and can adversely affect the health of the animal.

Prevention

To prevent coprophagia, cynologists recommend introducing feed additives into the diet, for example, 8in1 Excel Deter. This drug in practice, it has proven its effectiveness: in 95-98 cases out of 100, the additive allows you to wean a dog from the habit of eating feces, which means that such a remedy will be able to prevent such unpleasant behavior. Veterinarians recommend using 1 tablet for every 4.5 kg of pet’s weight, the course of treatment is 2 weeks. However, before purchasing the drug, it would be useful to consult a specialist.

If you notice your dog has a habit of eating its own or other people’s feces, pay attention, first of all, to its diet - balanced menu often solves this problem. Also pay enough attention to your pet and its health, and a happy and healthy dog, who feels the love and care of the owner, such troubles will not affect.

Most people perceive a dog as a cute four-legged friend for the soul, a companion in games, a devoted creature with whom you want to share moments of joy. It’s easy to imagine the owner’s distress when he saw his beloved dog eating excrement. People with a heightened sense of disgust may think that the dog has developed mental problems.

It is worth understanding that a pet’s shocking behavior may be an “echo” of an ancient instinct. You should not be indignant or scream after your pet has eaten stool. You should quickly find out the reasons for this behavior of the four-legged prankster. Having figured out what the dog lacks, you will be able to wean the animal from a bad habit.

When a beloved dog shows disobedience, we are upset. If a wayward pet eats the droppings of cats or other people's dogs on the street, then our feeling of annoyance is also mixed with fear: what if the dog becomes infected with some kind of illness? Unfortunately, this option cannot be excluded. But scolding (and even more so, spanking) will not stop your dog from putting “this horror” in his mouth.

You should understand that even a dog of an elite breed is not able to completely block the instincts that were passed on to it from its ancestors. And as you know, nature has its own laws. Wolves and wild dogs often eat their own feces. This behavior is dictated by the instinct of caution. To prevent the enemy from following the wolf's trail, the gray cunning destroys the heaps with a single in an accessible way. A hungry wolf can use the feces of other animals as an “accidental snack.” For a mother wolf (and for a dog), eating the droppings of her children is a natural phenomenon.

To figure out why your dog has become interested in feces, analyze his behavior over the past few weeks. Perhaps the young puppy began to eat his own piles, having seen enough of the “hygienic delights” of his mother dog?

It is also possible that the dog is experiencing severe stress. Animal psychologists remind us that events such as moving, the appearance of a new pet in the house, or communication with yard dogs can affect your four-legged pet in the most unexpected way. An ugly habit becomes a continuation of fear and depression. Eating its biological “trace”, the dog longs to hide, to isolate itself from someone. If you are loudly indignant, and even more so if you beat the animal, you will achieve reverse effect: The puppy will stop trusting you.

Boredom is the enemy of discipline

Dogs, like people, are capable of experiencing a range of emotions: affection, anger, irritation. But a puppy can only express his feelings through some actions or pranks.

An owner who does not care for his pet much, leaves the dog alone in the apartment for a long time, contributes to the development bad habits in an animal. After all, boredom is not best helper disciplines. It is known that dogs, experiencing a lack of communication with their owner, can damage furniture, tear off wallpaper, or eat something bad (including a bunch of feces).

Noticing the owner’s anxiety after he puts “muck” in his mouth, the dog may repeat this annoying situation again when he becomes lonely and sad.

If in puppyhood the pet was not interested in excrement, but now eats it, it is possible that by doing so he is trying to attract your attention.

Other reasons why a dog is interested in piles

Except psychological reasons of eating feces by a dog, there are also physiological ones.

To develop a “strategy” to combat your dog’s depressing habit, you need to find out why the dog eats its mounds. If you are convinced that fear or a feeling of abandonment does not bother the animal, you should take a closer look.

Dogs may eat their own feces and human excrement due to the following problems:

If you suspect that your pet is sick, have it examined at a veterinary clinic.

What are the dangers for a dog eating feces?

It is not only disgust that forces the owner to struggle with such an oddity of the dog as eating piles. caring person The pet's well-being is also concerned. After all, droppings are far from a safe “delicacy.” Let's list the troubles that eating the feces of another animal can result in for a dog:

If a dog eats its own feces within the walls of an apartment, frightening surprises related to its health may not arise. But the owner needs to wean the pet from “savage habits” in any case. Firstly, no one has canceled hygiene standards (especially if you have children who love to play with the dog). Secondly, a dog that often eats its own feces may grab a bunch of an unknown animal when you are walking in a park or in a planting. And it’s not far from infection...

How to deal with your dog's nasty habit?

It may take you a lot of time, effort and even financial expense to figure out why your adorable puppy is eating his own poop. If the cause of this behavior is depression or boredom in the dog, it is not difficult to solve the problem. Walk your four-legged prankster more often and spend time training your pet. Develop tactics of rewards for correctly performed “near”, “fu”, “sit” by the dog. The dog should not only love the owner, but also feel that he is a leader, a leader. Having achieved this, you will avoid “distortions” in her upbringing.

Many people ask what to do if adult dog started eating feces. Most likely, the reason lies in the monotonous food. If you are used to giving your pet meat and fatty cereals, his stomach may not digest such food very well. Try to “make friends” with your pet with vegetables, cottage cheese, and soups.

You can’t scold your dog for leaving piles outside the litter box. Swearing can provoke an animal, quickly eliminate litter...

When walking with your pet, make sure that he does not grab a pile. Switch the dog's attention to you. Call the dog to you, and when it follows the command, reward your pet with a “yummy treat.”

When thinking about why dogs eat feces, do not overlook such undesirable factors as damage to the pet, disease internal organs. If a dog behaves strangely due to an illness, being tough will not make the animal obedient, but will only take away its strength. Treat your four-legged friend for worms and you will notice that his interest in the litter has decreased.

It’s very unpleasant to talk about this topic, but what can you do? Many owners wonder why dogs eat excrement and do not feel any guilt about it? Agree, it’s not very pleasant. After all, it is important to understand not only why a dog eats its own and cat excrement, but also to eliminate this harmful habit and eradicate it forever.

Reasons for this behavior

Imitation

When babies are born, the mother carefully covers up the traces of their life. When complementary foods are introduced, puppies sometimes notice that their mother cleans up the messiest piles. Some kids think of repeating after their mother. At this moment, the owner should stop such behavior, otherwise imitation of the mother at the “nursery” stage will develop into a vile habit, which will be much more difficult to eradicate in adulthood.

Experienced breeders recommend teaching puppies the “Fu” command. gameplay when they try to ingest cat or human feces. If the behavior is correct, the smart puppy should be rewarded. Next, you should teach the “baby” to walk and go to the toilet outside. To distract her from the addiction, just call your pet before he encroaches on his own pile and treat him with a treat. This is how the reflex “went to the toilet - immediately came to the owner - got a tasty treat” is developed.

Wrong diet

As soon as the owner notices that the dog is eating cat excrement or its own, then an urgent need to adjust the nutrition plan. Wild canines sometimes feed on manure to improve digestion due to the bacteria and enzymes it contains. Since it is impossible to find manure in urban conditions, the dog is content with what he comes across on a walk. This behavior is facilitated by dietary disturbances:

• feeding consists of cereals;
• food only meat;
• mixed diet of prepared and natural products;
• the dog eating bones, fatty, salty foods;
• cheap and low-quality feed;
• overfeeding;
• excess of inappropriate treats.

The dog eats excrement because this diet needs to be adjusted urgently. You may have to use a muzzle in order to wean your pet from eating such a “dish”.

1. Presence of gastrointestinal diseases. Flatulence, problems with defecation, a feeling of heaviness, and other uncomfortable sensations lead to the dog eating human or cat excrement. To correct the situation, you need to contact a veterinarian for tests and an ultrasound. Only after confirming the absence of diseases can the dog be raised.
2. Attracting attention. Do you know why dogs eat excrement? Everything is banal to the point of disgrace! They're bored. They want the owner to pay attention to them. If one day the owner saw that the pet was eating the feces of cats or other animals, then he began to scold and educate the dog. Did you notice? Yes! This means everything can be repeated. And it doesn’t matter if they scold you, they will punish you. It is important for dogs to understand that they are in a pack. Expulsion from the pack, a feeling of uselessness, is worse than death for a dog. So she comes up with various ways to get attention.

Here you can talk about the dog’s fear and uncertainty. Perhaps he is afraid that enemies will come and take away his territory. Therefore, to eliminate the smell, you need to eat your feces or human or cat excrement. Or, for example, a pet left behind a house as a child. With a slipper on his butt, his nose in a pile, they also scolded him. The puppy gets the feeling that if he is near a bunch, the owner will be angry. Then you need to destroy the traces. It is clear why a dog with such upbringing eats feces during a walk.

There can be many reasons. Factors that lead to a dog eating its own feces or the feces of other animals may include a lack of vitamins and animal instincts.

The danger of coprophagia

What to do if your dog eats its own excrement

Based on the results of the examination, the veterinarian will adjust the pet’s diet so that in the future it does not eat its own feces or feces of cats and other animals. If the cause of coprophagia is a disease, then the dog is treated, and only then they move on to raising the pet. You can try giving beef tripe and purchase a vitamin-mineral complex.

To avoid such a situation when a dog eats your own or someone else’s feces, you can go out into the yard in advance and remove it from feces, and only then take your pet out for a walk. It is best to arm yourself with a muzzle and a leash. Taken together, the ammunition will prevent the dog from picking up foreign objects from the ground.

If the owner notices that the pet is up to no good and is trying to eat its feces, it is important to switch the dog’s attention to a toy or treat. A similar strategy must be followed when the pet is trying to attract the attention of the owner. It is advisable to pay full attention to your pet so that he does not become stressed.

WITH early childhood you need to accustom the puppy to to various teams, among which should be “Fu”, “You can’t”, “Give it up”. In such a situation, it is advisable to walk the dog on short leash. If the owner notices what the puppy is about to do, he needs to sharply pull the leash and say a command that categorically prohibits doing this. If your pet moves away from the pile, you need to reward him with a treat. Lessons like these should be taught as often as possible to avoid any unpleasant surprises in the future.

Some owners advise treating the feces with pepper, horseradish, mustard or similar seasonings, which will make the pile less desirable and attractive. It was also noted that if the dog behaves actively during a walk, it receives due physical activity, then eating feces is out of the question.

• If a bitch gives birth to puppies, you need to take care of timely cleaning of their habitat, so that by her behavior the mother does not teach the children to eat their own feces.
• If the dog is only on dry food, it is necessary to introduce jelly complementary foods, a vitamin and mineral complex selected by a veterinarian, and meat into its diet.
• Sometimes even a muzzle cannot protect against feces. If the pet doesn’t eat them, then at least he can roll around in them to his heart’s content. Believe me, the sight is not a pleasant one, especially since the pet will have to be washed after this.
• According to the veterinarian’s instructions, you can introduce pancreatic enzymes and probiotics into your pet’s diet, which will restore the intestinal microflora.
• It is necessary to eliminate such a factor as boredom from your pet’s life. It is out of boredom that animals begin to do who knows what. There should be a sufficient number of toys with which the dog will spend time and completely forget that he did not eat feces.
• Adding special substances to food that are safe for the pet’s body, but at the same time change the taste and smell of feces.

It is very important to show maximum patience and love during the learning period. During the process of upbringing, you cannot shout at him, punish him, or poke him in the crowd. Mutual understanding will slowly fade into the background. Next time the pet, in order to avoid screams, scandals and physical punishment eat the hated pile faster than the owner sees it. Sometimes the dog owner himself is to blame for the fact that the pet acquires bad habits. So this is why dogs eat human, cat and other animal excrement when they go for a walk.

The neighborhood of a dog and a cat in the same apartment can be quite peaceful, but it can also result in many problems. Many owners are interested in why dogs eat cat feces. Let's try to understand the reasons for this strange behavior.

Why do dogs eat excrement?

Dogs often eat not only cat feces, but also the feces of other animals, and even their own. This phenomenon is called "coprophagia" and is considered rather normal behavior for an animal in wildlife than its absence. However, the fact that a dog eats its own or someone else’s feces can signal to the owner that the animal lacks some vitamins and minerals, and he tries to compensate for this deficiency in such a not very pleasant way.

It is cat excrement that can attract a dog because it contains enough large number protein, which is practically absent in dog food. It is necessary to remember that excess proteins are harmful to the dog, and be sure to wean your pet from the bad habit.

Also, such behavior in an animal can develop as a reaction to your actions: if you scold a puppy for leaving piles in the house, he may decide that he needs to destroy “traces of the crime” in order to avoid punishment.

How to stop a dog from eating excrement?

If the dog continues to eat feces after this, use negative reinforcement: pick him up and stop all attempts to reach for someone else's feces. You can try to distract your pet with some kind of game or focus his attention on some command.