(Yes, dogs like to eat poopie...)
"Why is my dog eating poop?"
Listen up: Dogs eat poop. It's very common. So, let me just say for the record that you are not alone. This is an issue that many dog owners face every single day and it's not fun. We understand.Your dog is not completely crazy or insane. Well, maybe your dog is little insane but not just because it's eating poop. Sure, dogs have personalities like people, but eating their own poop? It doesn't make sense. Or, does it?
You might be surprised but there are real reasons why dogs go after their own poopie. They don't necessarily "like" to eat poop. Let's take a look at what's really doing on here.
First, there are psychological or "mental" reasons why your dog will eat poop. As you probably know, dogs can become confused about what is food and what is not food. A dog doesn't want to lose a meal, so they will gobble up anything. It's a matter of speed!
Some dogs are very nervous or anxious. Dogs are much like humans this way, with interesting and outlandish personalities. It is possible you just have a dog with mental problems. It isn't likely, but it is possible.
Second, there are physical reasons why your dog would eat poop. For example, your dog might have a tapeworm. If that is the case, he could be extremely hungry due to a parasite. This is not out of the question. Parasites and worms can drain your poor canine of nutrients. This can drive your dog to eat fecal matter.
Dogs learn behavior from you and other dogs. Listen, when you clean up after your dog, he sees that you pay attention to it. The dog poop gets "love" that he wants. He could be jealous of his own poop, so he'll eat it. No joke!
Your dog might have learned from a young age to hide problems or bury issues. If you are harsh with your dog, or not strong enough, you could be encouraging this behavior. You dog might be eating poop to prevent you from getting mad about the poop, even when outside. Again, this behavior is often learned.