Coprophasia

Coprophagia (the name given to the act of a dog eating its own feces) is unfortunately very common among canines and it is quite natural. Why do dogs do this?

• Mothers will eat their puppies' poop in an effort to keep the den clean which is a natural instinct for dogs.
• Other reasons dogs eat poop: tastes good, dietary deficiency, boredom, viewed as a scarce resource because owners are always picking it up. 
• What doesn't work to fix this: adding food additives, rubbing dog's nose in poop, electric shock collars.
• What does work? First make sure you rule out any medical condtion that could be causing this. Don't let your dog see you picking up after him. Then there are dietary changes you can make. 

Pica Disorder

Pica disorder is the consumption of non-food items such as balls, rocks, socks, underwwear, and other items regarded as scarce resources. This can lead to expensive surgery for intestinal blockages and can be life threatening to your dog.

• Occasionally, eating nonfood items develops into compulsive behavior, resulting in a dog who’s highly motivated to find and consume specific objects. 
• Dogs will start to eat things to own them!
• There are various techniques I use to prevent and fix this disorder such as teaching a drop it or leave it command, never taking something out of a dog's mouth, never using hard corrections and redirecting the dog to something else if it has something in its mouth.

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Links mentioned in this episode:

>> The Dog Poop Diet