DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY DOGS EAT OTHER DOG'S POOP?

My dog eats poop! Why does she do this, and how can I get her to stop? Dogs will commonly eat their own as well as other animals' feces. Puppies are known to eat their own excrement during paper training and housebreaking, and it is believed to be due to a combination of physiological and behavioral factors. On the physiological side, since the digestion of food is not always complete, puppies still see nutrient value in their feces and view it as a snack. Often dogs are attracted to undigested rice, corn or peanuts in their stool if they happen to consume these foods. Maximizing digestion can help solve this problem. To do so, add enzyme supplements to their food, such as meat tenderizer (from the supermarket), papaya extract (a natural enzyme available at health food stores) or products from pet supply stores especially designed to help dogs digest. Mix the enzyme powder in each meal, and let it sit for 15 minutes prior to feeding it to your pet. This should eliminate the presence of anything they view as "good" in their stool. It will not help with the peanuts or corn, but these foods should not be fed to your pet in any event. Another way to discourage coprophagy (the medical term for eating poop) is to coat the stools with hot sauce or vinegar, thereby making the experience of eating it unpleasant (as if it seemed great thus far!). Sometimes owners have to go to the extreme measure of injecting the stool with hot sauce so the pet gets the full extent of the bad flavor. Yet another method is through products which taste good when mixed in the pet's food and eaten, but turn bitter when excreted in the pet's feces (isn't science great?). Doing this or the hot sauce method for one to two weeks is usually enough to convince a dog that their food bowl is a safer spot for snacks. On the behavioral side, many pets eat their stool during the training stages because they become confused about whether to go to the bathroom on or off the paper or outdoors. Just as potty training for kids is tough, telling a dog when and where to eliminate is emotionally stressful. They will feel bad about going in the wrong place and destroy the evidence by eating it. Owners often call me because they are concerned that their puppy has not had a bowel movement in a few days, but it usually turns out to be a case of recycling. FYI Ever wonder why children's sandboxes come with covers? If you have neighbors with outdoor cats, they may view your child's sandbox as a great big litter box, and unfortunately your young child may choose to ingest a deposited turd. This condition, called Pica, is common in toddlers and is best avoided by keeping your child's sandbox covered when not in use. Dr. Peter Kross, DVM, has had his own veterinary practice, the Rivergate Veterinary Clinic in New York City, since 1989. He lives in Manhattan with his three white boxers, Buchanan, Wilhelmina and Laila. GET MORE IDEAS: Find 100s more vacation ideas. Tell us about your favorite family vacation. RELATED LINKS:

i have two dogs and they have never done that. I think that it's pshycological and they are missing something in their lives. give them more attention and praise them when they are being good. I'm sure that they will be more happier and will forget about any negative behaviour.

the same reason why i do. it tates good!

i have two dogs and they have never done that. I think that it's pshycological and they are missing something in their lives. give them more attention and praise them when they are being good. I'm sure that they will be more happier and will forget about any negative behaviour.

the same reason why i do. it tates good!

there are so many disgusting things that animals do that cannot be explained.to us its gross but have we ever tried to get the dogs side of the story

bcoz they r animals...

Clean thier teeth or they are just hungry. Feed your dog.

I've seen my dog eat everything from her own poop, to other's poop.. her own vomit ect.. Wish I knew why, She gets a ton of attention, so that couldn't be the cause.. it's just a mystery.