Dogs and the Issue of Doo-Doos

The life of many people around the globe is made complete by the furry companion that is always lovingly by their side. Yes, of course I am talking about dogs; they come in all shapes and sizes, colors and textures, weird to the downright cute. But with being a dog-owner comes the inevitable topic of health and hygiene relating to your lovable hound.

Some of the habits that dogs have are, well, just yucky! Take for example eating feces; it is probably more common than you think, and I too have seen myself red-faced at my dog eating doo-doo. They seem to love any kind and are not particularly fussy about where it came from!

One common problem that an owner faces with a dog that likes feces is the cat litter-tray. The moggy in your home may have a tray in which it can leave its little gifts- chances are if your dog likes doo-doos, he or she will head straight for the litter-tray after the cat leaves it. Try and counteract this behavior by scooping as soon as you can after pooping. If your cat's tray is located in an enclosed room, such as a laundry room or a perhaps a closet, there are ways to make this accessible to only the cat. One option is to make an entrance to that room that is big enough for the cat to get in and out without your dog being able to follow. You will find many styles of "cat doors" available that are designed with this very idea in mind. Most of these will be able to be blended with your current décor- or will provide a perfect excuse to redecorate your home!

One of the most important points to remember about this problem is that shouting at your dog will not dissuade he or she from eating the feces (and of course we never strike our dogs either). The deed has already been done and I can highly recommend that you do not put any spices or hot sauces onto the feces to deter your dog; this will perhaps only add to the flavor and texture, making it more appealing to your hound!

Aside from the litter-tray encounters, dogs may choose to eat other types of feces. I have actually experienced my dog eating a soiled diaper after raking in the trash at my home, as well as eating something that looked quite unsavory at the local park. This behavior has been recognized by the scientific set and is termed Copraphagia. This translates as the ingestion of eating fecal matter, which can be found in many animal species throughout the world.

Many veterinarians are approached by worried dog owners whose pooches are eating doo-doo of some description; however, there is no hard and fast answer as to why dogs do this. Some suggestions state that it could be related to certain medical conditions, but eating feces is usually accompanied by other symptoms in this instance. There is the possibility that if your dog suffers from Diabetes then they may exhibit Copraphagic behavior. More often than not it is deemed as a behavioral issue and could be linked to attention-seeking problems.

So if your beloved pooch has turned to the habit of eating some unpleasant material, remember that there are ways and means to conquer the problem!