Are Dog Droppings For Eating Or Rolling In?

Most Dogs will Eat Droppings

Almost without exception when a dog eats his own waste matter or indeed that of another animal, the owner is appalled and revolted, thinking perhaps that he has a perverted dog on his hands!

The correct term for this practice is coprophagia and not only is it common, it is also normal! It is not a sign of illness and depravity and is a normal part of the food gathering process. As your dog is a carnivore he would kill and eat any animal in the wild and that includes the contents of the bowel…

The faeces of an animal are a rich source of enzymes and microorganisms and once these elements reach the stomach of the dog they aid digestion The live microorganisms are killed when they reach the stomach and their fats, proteins and vitamins are then absorbed by the dog.

Dogs fed on an artificial diet are more likely to eat their own droppings plus the droppings of other animals. Dogs fed on a natural diet will rarely eat their own droppings as the waste eliminated from a natural diet is simply powdered bone and this has little nutritional value. They may still eat other animals droppings.

If you want to give your dog the vitamins and probiotics he needs then you can feed him yogurt, cottage cheese and eggs. he may still want to eat droppings as it is normal. Dogs will also eat soil and this is for the same reasons.

Why Do Dogs Roll In Droppings

When our dog decides to roll himself in animal droppings we are horrified with this disgusting habit and the smell that drifts our way! To the dog this is a normal instinctive behavior and in fact the worse he smells the better he feels. Dogs do this to appear more superior to other dogs.

Dogs did this behavior when they were wild. A pack leader would roll in droppings to create a smell and let the rest of the pack know he is top dog. A dog lower in the pecking order would also do this if he wanted to challenge the leader

As our pet dogs used to run wild many years ago, there are many instinctive behaviors that they will do without knowing the reasons why they do it. If there is a tussle of leadership between you and your dog then he may well roll in droppings to try and impress you!