GEORGE NEWS - Is your dog driving you up the wall with behavioural issues?

Qualified local animal behaviourist George van Huyssteen (DipCABT, CCAB, CABTI, MHERA) of Neuro Paws can give you advice. As part of an educational drive, he will answer readers' questions once a week, either in George Herald or on the Neuro Paws website and their social platforms. This way it could also help others facing similar problems with their pets. Describe your challenges in a short email and send it to neuropaws@gmail.com. Every week, he will select a question to answer. Here is this week's question

Question of the week: My dog is eating poop; it is disgusting; what is that all about?

Answer from Van Huyssteen:

Coprophagia is the technical name for dogs eating poop. In some cases, it might be their own, but many dogs prefer to eat other dogs’ poop, cat poop or even bird poop. It is believed that up to 16% of dogs do this regularly, but why is that? Let us look at a couple of reasons for this behaviour.
Boredom. I am mentioning this first as dogs who don’t get enough mental and physical stimulation, will find something to do to make themselves feel better. A bored dog might start sniffing around and might come across a piece of poop, and the dog might start playing with it and eventually might consume it to curb his boredom. 

If this is the case, providing the dog with more stimulation might be the solution if you catch it before it becomes a habit. Should it become a habit, just about the only solution would be to keep an eye on the dog and pick up all poop immediately.

Stressed or anxious dogs might eat poop. Dogs that receive unpredictable punishment, dogs suffering from separation distress, or even fearful dogs might eat poop to make themselves feel better.

We can compare this with comfort food in the case of humans.

Many people turn to comfort food when they feel anxious or stressed, and in our case, we have a choice of what we would like to eat; in the case of dogs, poop might be the only available option.

Poor health. There are a few medical conditions that might contribute to dogs eating poop. Illnesses like diabetes, Cushing’s disease or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency can cause malabsorption or an increase in appetite.

Older dogs might engage in the behaviour because of impaired cognitive ability. Cognitive decline can affect a dog’s memory and behaviour as it ages.

Nutritional reasons. In rare cases, nutritional deficiencies can be a cause of coprophagia. Some dog foods might not contain the amounts of nutrients dogs need for good health, and they might engage in poop eating to ingest proteins, vitamins and minerals they need. If this is the case, giving a dog better quality food might change the behaviour.

Addressing the behaviour
To stop the behaviour, you need to find the underlying cause first. If the dog is on low-budget food, try giving him food of a better quality for a certain time, for instance.

 If you have a working dog that might be bored at home, increase his mental and physical stimulation. 

If you suspect a possible medical reason because his behaviour changed suddenly in some way, it would be advisable to visit your veterinarian for a check-up.

The problem, however, is that if the behaviour has become a habit, you might need to break the habit first. For that to work, you might want to start cleaning up all poop as quickly as possible after the dog or cat has defecated and put it somewhere the dog cannot get to it. Don’t bury it, as some dogs might start digging for it. 

If your dog is not a fussy eater and has no digestive system problems, you can add some pineapple or pumpkin to his food. In the case of pineapple, bromelain will help break down all proteins and will give the poop a horrible taste. 

However, excessive use of pineapple can lead to digestive issues, so it should not be given every day. A few pieces three or four times a week should be enough to see results within a few days. 

Pumpkin, on the other hand, is high in fibre and will cause firmer poop that will be less attractive to eat. However, excessive use of pumpkin can lead to constipation, so it should be used in moderation.

Preventing coprophagia starts with responsible dog ownership.

By providing your dog with adequate stimulation, a balanced diet, and a stress-free environment, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of this behaviour. 

If your dog suddenly starts eating poop, along with any other sudden behavioural changes, it's important to take action. Your veterinarian can provide valuable insights and guidance, ensuring your dog's health and well-being.

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