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Why do dogs eat human feces?
Dogs may eat human feces due to a lack of trace elements, causing symptoms of pica, which means they not only eat feces but may also chew on dirt and walls. Secondly, if a dog is not fed enough and stays in a state of hunger for a long time, it may resort to eating human feces out of desperation. Additionally, if a dog starts eating human feces and the owner doesn't notice and stop it in time, the dog may develop a bad habit of eating feces over time. Therefore, it is recommended that owners immediately stop their dogs from eating human feces and find out the reason behind it, then educate and correct their bad behavior.
- lack of trace elements
If the owner's usual feeding amount is too small or the food provided is nutritionally unbalanced, the dog may develop a deficiency in trace elements. In this case, the dog will resort to eating human feces to supplement its energy needs. Some dogs may also exhibit behaviors like chewing walls, digging up soil, and eating nails. In this situation, it is advised to supplement the dog's trace elements and properly discourage such behaviors when seen, so the dog understands that these are bad habits. The condition will gradually improve thereafter.
- hunger
If the owner frequently feeds the dog without a regular schedule, the dog may resort to eating feces out of hunger when there is no other edible food available. Therefore, it is essential to meet the dog's daily nutritional and energy requirements by feeding it on a regular basis and avoiding long periods of hunger, which can lead to malnutrition and weight loss.
- poor behavior habits
Human feces contain many undigested substances, and dogs have a keen sense of smell that allows them to detect these nutritious remnants. As a result, they may consume the feces. If the owner doesn't stop this behavior in time, the dog may develop a bad habit of eating feces over time. It is crucial to clean up feces promptly and avoid giving dogs access to it. When discovering that a dog is eating feces indiscriminately, immediately stop the behavior and discipline it.