Puppies can be cute, fun, and sometimes even funny, but they have a dark side. The puppies can feed on anything around them, including their poop. Therefore it is your duty as puppy owner to ensure the pet eats only good meals and not anything he comes across. In this article, we shall discuss some of the essential things you need to know about puppies and how to stop puppies from eating their poop. Without further ado, let get started.
Reasons Why Puppies Eat Their Poop
Before discussing some of the best ways to prevent puppies from eating their poop, it is essential to know some of the reasons why puppy eat their poop. Some of those reasons are;
1. The Puppy Is Hungry
A puppy is generally hungry all the time, especially when you are away for an extended period. Therefore, if you have been away for a long time with the puppy, the first thing it will do is try to eat whatever it finds that can satisfy its hunger. That can be anything from their poop to a shoe or even a piece of paper.
2. The Puppy Gets Bored
A puppy can get bored when there is no activity around him, so the puppy will start doing things that he does not usually do, like eating the poop of another dog. However, this does not mean that puppies are bad dogs because they do not eat their poop unless they have no other choice.
3. Puppies Love Eating
Puppies love eating and will find any food they can eat. That is normal behavior and is part of their need to keep themselves healthy. They will eat any food or even their feces if they are hungry. If the puppy’s owner does not provide enough food or nutrition, it may eat their feces or even eat other things around them, such as cat litter. That is an essential point if you think your puppy might eat their poop or other things around them, such as cat litter. If you notice your puppy doing this, you should remove them immediately, or permanent damage could be. The only way to stop this from happening is to provide adequate nutrition.
4. The Puppy Is Curious
Puppies generally like to see what things are like, so when he sees his poop, he is always tempted to eat it. However, if you have a very young puppy or one still growing, this behavior may worsen. It will often eat other parts of their body, especially their tails.
5. Puppies Love Exploring
Puppies love exploring everything around them, including other dogs, cats, and objects. They will also explore their owners’ stuff, so make sure you leave them some toys or treats to keep them entertained. You should make sure you do not leave them any dangerous items like sharp sticks because they will start eating them without knowing what they are or how to use them.
6. The Waste May Contain Undigested Food
Puppies eat a lot, and therefore they will often eat things that are not good for them, like hamburgers, hotdogs, chocolate, ice cream, etc. therefore, when they poop, they often leave behind some of the undigested food from their meals. That is one of the reasons why it is essential to make sure your puppy has an adequate amount of fresh water to drink. If he does not, his body will try to eliminate the undigested food by passing it through his feces. That can cause various problems such as flatulence, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.
How To Stop The Puppy From Eating Poop
Puppies are curious and like to try out new things. If you give him something that he is interested in eating, it will take the puppy some time to get used to it, and most of the time, he may even try to eat it for the first time. When you first bring a puppy home from the breeder, it is vital to introduce him to various food to get used to different kinds of meat and its smell. If your puppy eats their poop, the following ways can help you stop the puppy from eating their poop. Those ways are;
1. Offer Your Dog Enough And Nutritional Meals
The best way to make sure your puppy does not eat his poop is to make sure he has an adequate amount of nutritious meals. It would help if you fed your puppy three large meals a day and two smaller ones. That will keep him satisfied and prevent him from doing things like eating his waste. Also, you should provide healthy snacks such as pieces of carrots, cucumbers, celery, etc., between his meals. That will also satisfy his need for nutrition and prevent him from getting too hungry or too full.
2. Provide Safe And Exciting Objects
Puppies love playing with toys and therefore, if you want to keep them happy, then make sure you provide them with safe and interesting toys. Toys that are unsafe or boring may make your puppy turn into something that it does not enjoy, like eating its waste. You can use a variety of different toys that are safe such as bones, balls, chew toys, etc. You can also try to create your games with your puppy to be interested in playing with you and not with the poop.
3. Give Them Enough Water
A hungry puppy is likely to eat anything around him, whether it is his poop or food. That means that if you do not give your puppy enough water, they will eat their feces and other things around them. The best way to prevent this is to ensure your puppy has enough water every day.
4. Give The Puppy Room To Play And Exercise
If your puppy spends a lot of time in one room, he may end up eating his waste. Puppies need lots of room to run around, play, and exercise, so you need to give them a space where they can play with their toys and have their meals without having to worry about the consequences.
5. Clean The Area Regularly
One of the ways you can stop your puppy from eating their poop is to clean the area often. When the area becomes messy and dirty, your puppy may get into trouble when trying to eliminate and you want him to stop doing that. Therefore make sure that you keep the floor and the area around the toilet clean by wiping it down every day. This way, you will prevent your puppy from having problems in the future.
6. Give The Puppy Attention
Puppies love to be loved and cuddled. If you do not give your puppy love and attention, he will try to eat his poop and other things that he does not like to get your attention. The best way to prevent your puppy from eating his waste is to spend time playing with him and giving him lots of attention.
7. Have Your Puppy Tested For Worms
Many different kinds of worms can live in a dog’s intestines and cause various health problems. One of these is hookworm. If your puppy has this parasite in his system, it will most likely cause him to have anemia, leading him to eat his feces. Therefore it is essential to have a test done for your puppy to ensure he does not have any intestinal worms. That will protect you and your family from getting sick.
8. Clean The Puppy’s Poop Immediately
You should clean your puppy’s poop as soon as he finishes eliminating it. That will remove the odor from the area and prevent your puppy from eliminating in the same place again. Also, cleaning up the poop immediately will remove the parasites and other bad things from the stool. That makes it easier for your puppy to eliminate in the future.
9. Consult A Certified Vet
Lastly, consulting a certified vet is the best thing that you can do to prevent your dog from eating his poop. That is because a vet is experienced in dealing with different diseases. Therefore he will be able to tell what kind of problem your puppy has that may make him try to eat his poop. It would help if you took your puppy to see a veterinarian at least once a year to ensure everything is okay. That will allow your puppy to get treatment if something is wrong with him. If you do not take him to a vet, you will not be able to detect many health issues with him, and you may end up treating him at a much later stage.
Conclusion
Following the above-discussed ways on how to stop puppies from eating their poop, you will be able to prevent your puppy from eating feces. Also, there are many different ways to prevent your puppy from eating his poop. The main thing that you need to do is clean up after him and pay attention to him. By doing these things, you will easily prevent this problem from occurring.
What do you think?