Posts Tagged ‘why do dogs eat poop’

Coprophagia (sometimes referred to as coprophagy, or poop-eating) is a pretty disgusting habit that fortunately solely some dogs indulge in. It appears to be “one of these things” as far as dogs go: a behavior that defies logic and scientific study, and mystifies dog trainers and veterinarians around the world.

Several, if not most, dogs will eat the feces of other animals (notably other dogs, cats, sheep, and horses) with gusto whenever the chance presents itself. It’s a very common behavior in dogs, but not notably well understood. The simple truth is that no-one really is aware of why some dogs can make a beeline for a pile of poop that’s lying on the grass. It’s natural for dogs to wish to sniff the poop – nearly all dogs will try this, since the depositor’s anal glands have left a reasonably Post-It note there for different dogs to “read” – and it’s just as natural (seemingly) for some dogs to want to consume these little signposts. Read the rest of this entry »