By TB Thompson DVM
Ashley usually enjoyed being awakened by her puppy Charlie’s morning kisses. It was so nice to be loved and appreciated. Then one day, she noticed a bad smell when Charlie licked her face. She realized he had been eating poop! After she stopped scrubbing her face and screaming, she made an appointment to see Charlie’s vet and asked, “Why does my dog eat poop?”
For dogs, coprophagia (eating poop) is actually a normal behavior. It’s something mother dogs do for their puppies to keep the den clean. Young puppies may eat stool in order to populate their GI tracts with healthy microorganisms. When the behavior persists past early puppyhood, there could be a problem. For sure, it’s an unwanted behavior for the people who live with these dogs.
By TB Thompson DVM
Why do dogs like to roll in rotten things like dead animals on the ground? It’s a very good question. I recall the time I was walking my dog through a lovely green field. She was running off-leash while I fondly gazed at wildflowers and birds. Such an idyllic life!
My reverie was shattered as I noticed my dog had stopped trotting along and sniffed at something in the grass. Suddenly, she slammed her shoulder and neck on the ground and proceeded to roll around in ecstasy. Once I got closer the smell was the first clue that this was not a favorable situation for me. She was grinding some unidentifiable slimy organic matter all over her shiny black fur. My dog was playing wolf.
