For dog lovers like me, they are not ordinary animals. Dogs are pretty much like members of the family. Though dogs may not speak our language, surprisingly enough they know how we feel. Remember the time when maybe you were suffering from a broken heart and crying your eyes out; dogs can feel your pain. They might approach you and nudge their head into your hands and maybe even lick your tears away.
That's the reason why dogs are often used for therapy wherein they are brought into the hospitals and visit sick people, old and young alike. Dogs paint a smile on people's faces. Perhaps it's because dogs have this innate sense of goodness in them. I often say that the love of a dog is like no other; it is unconditional.
Interestingly, like humans, dogs also suffer from various eating disorders. To name a few these are pica (eating of non-food materials), psychogenic water drinking (consuming more water than necessary for regular daily use), anorexia (starvation to the point of extreme, and deadly weight loss), and gorging (serious, unhealthy overeating).
But have you ever wondered why some dogs eat poop? You may be surprised to find out that it is also classified as an eating disorder. It is medically known as coprophagia. To explain it simply, it is the ingestion of poop that is often deliberate and habitual. The next time you see your dog eat poop, consider the following explanations.
#1. Some dogs eat poop because they want to get your attention. You might not be spending enough time with them. They know how much you don't like it when they eat poop. It's their way of making the statement: "Look! I'm still here. I'm eating my poop! Give me attention."
#2. Because they want to show the other dogs their dominance and they want to show them they CAN.
#3. Because they are hungry. They might not be getting the proper nutrients they need from the foods they eat.
#4. Because they want to know what it tastes like. They want to explore and experiment. Perfectly natural, right?
#5. Dogs will eat poop if they have intestinal parasites that take the nutrients they get from the food they eat. They eat it because this condition leaves them hungry almost all of the time.
#6. Some dogs eat poop because they have a genetic predisposition to do so. They inherit a gene that drives them to both carry and eat their own poop.
#7. Some dogs eat poop to hide evidence of wrongdoing. They don't want you to get angry, and to an offender, there is no crime if there is no evidence. You can't get in trouble if you eat your evidence.
#8. Some dogs can't stand living in a dirty area. What they do is clean up after themselves. Eating poop to some dogs is like a part of good grooming. They are trying to help you keep a clean house, thank them for their help.
#9. Dogs eat poop because it looks like the dog food you give them. Since it is similar, they may think it is dog food.
#10. Dogs eat poop because they are bored and have nothing else to do. Taking them out for a walk so they can socialize with other dogs can be helpful.
The next time you see your dog poop, think about your relationship with your canine friend and consider their health, diet, or breed characteristics.
