So your dog eats poopâŚ
As your pet sitters, we pledge to keep your dogs from doing this.
As pet sitters, we meet dogs with a variety of tastes. Today weâre writing for a particular kind of parent. Yes, your dog loves to eat everything you put in front of him, and, unfortunately, many things you donât. You know what weâre talking about- poop! God love him, your dog is a connoisseur. You can stop being embarrassed and worrying now; your favorite pet sitters have compiled a list of many of the causes for stool eating. We hope this helps!
 Why your dog is eating stool
1. Puppies love to explore
Every dog will ingest another animalâs stool at some point in his or her charmed life. Your young pup may eat stool as part of her âgetting to know the worldâ explorations. Donât panic. This is usually temporary and shouldnât present a problem for your dog unless the stool is riddled with parasitic eggs. Left uncontrolled, internal parasites will rob your dogâs nutrients or prevent your dogâs body from absorbing those nutrients, at which point you need to take your dog to the vet.
2. Adult dogs shouldnât eat stool
On the other hand, an adult dog eating stool is generally considered a red flag. Copraphagia, as itâs also called, can mean that there are dietary issues such as nutritional deficiencies or the presence of parasites in your older dog. Parasites can rob you dogâs body of nutrients, causing him to try to supplement his meals on his own. A visit to your vet will confirm the presence of those pesky, potentially life-threatening critters.
3. Are you encouraging stool eating unwittingly?
Consider that dogs may eat stool out of boredom. These are social animals who crave companionship. Chances are, your dog receives quite a bit of attention when he eats a âchocolateâ treat. Break his habit by giving him more attention before he does that; take him out for longer walks (or hire a dog walker or runner to help you with this!), and feed him twice a day to give him something to look forward to. Portion out his toys so there is something new to look forward to, as well!
4. Nutritional deficiencies are linked to stool eating
Causes related to nutritional deficiencies include a lack digestive enzymes or hydrochloric acid, genetic issues or flaws, and poor diet. While you canât change your dogâs genes, you can employ several simple remedies that do often work. Weâll share those in our next blog post, so check in on Facebook next week or add us to your feeds!
A founding member of the Equipaws family, Frankie can mostly be found working behind the scenes, helping co-create online branding, managing several social media accounts, designing brand collateral, writing copy, and managing events. She also fills in for pet sitters and dog walkers when needed in Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, and South Miami. Her own small pack consists of Boots the Shih Tzu mix and Nutmeg the Chiweenie.
