Why do dogs eat poop?

Dogs eating poop is generally caused by instinct, as faeces retains the smell of food, and dogs may mistake it for edible food. If the dog isn't fully fed, it may resort to eating poop. Some dogs imitate their mother's behavior. Secondly, a lack of essential minerals in the dog's body can lead to pica, which causes the dog to eat strange things like faeces, wall dust, and stones. Lastly, dogs may eat poop to hide their tracks, avoid punishment from their owners, or simply out of rebellion, trying to attract attention from their owners through this abnormal behavior.

1. Instinct

Some dogs eat poop due to instinctive behavior. This is because faeces often contains partially digested food, which emits a smell. Dogs have a keen sense of smell and may mistake faeces for food, eating their own excrement.

Additionally, when dogs are born, their mother licks their anus and eats their excrement, a natural warning behavior to avoid being detected by predators. Some dogs imitate their mother's actions.

1. Deficiency of essential minerals or excessive hunger

A lack of essential minerals can cause pica in dogs, which makes them eat odd things like faeces, wall dust, and small stones. This usually occurs due to a overly single diet and is more common in young dogs. If not corrected in time, the dog may retain this habit into adulthood. Owners can consult a veterinarian and feed their dogs essential minerals, continuing for 2-3 months. They can also feed their dogs daily with vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and spinach, which are rich in essential minerals and vitamins.

Also, if a dog is usually hungry and there are still nutrients in the faeces, it may eat it again. Owners should appropriately increase the amount of food given to their dogs and stick to a regular feeding schedule.

1. Hiding tracks

Dogs' ancestors in the wild would eat their own faeces to eliminate smells, preventing themselves from being detected by predators. This habit has been preserved. If a dog has been severely scolded by its owner for defecating everywhere, it may eat its own faeces out of fear, destroying the evidence of its "mistake."

1. Rebellious psychology

Dogs are intelligent animals. If their poop-eating behavior has caused their owner to react strongly, they may repeat this behavior when they want to attract attention. Additionally, if the dog is unfairly beaten by its owner out of revenge and rebellion, it may suddenly develop a habit of eating poop.