One of the more distasteful behaviors we dog owners have to deal with is a nasty little habit some dogs have of eating feces, which is known as coprophagia. Now most of us can stomach our pooch’s penchant for hadeda and bird droppings or even an odd snack of herbivore poop, but when it comes to the acquired taste of cat scat, human feces or their own waste, we humans shudder in our boots at the thought of a lick from bullterrier breath.

So what causes coprophagia?

Actually, coprophagia is not such a strange phenomenon after all if we remember our dogs are carnivores, which means their natural diet in the wild would include a fair helping of this unsavory ingredient. And because our beloved best friends have short intestines and their food passes through them in record time, they are actually designed to eat glow-in-the-dark stuff, exhumed from the last century which most seem to wolf down with great relish.

But why is it then that some dogs would prefer to chew through their own tails, rather than indulge in coprophagia, while others depend on their own private recycling arrangements when faced with a daily ration of pellets?

Dietary requirements

Well the answer to the first question is,  any self respecting dog who’s dietary needs are met to his satisfaction wouldn’t ordain to drop  his standards  … unless of course it was cat or human feces which is an entirely different matter, and an opportunity not to be missed by the majority of dogs!

And the answer to the second question is one doesn’t have to be a quantum physics professor to guess what your dog feels about his kibble! But to be fair, I am sure the coprophagia alternative to conventional fast food must harbor some good protein because dogs are pretty sharp when it comes to nutritional fulfillment.

In fact our northern neighbors in the rural outbacks employ low slung, yellow curs, solely as sanitation workers in order to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of their premises and their young children.

Side effects of coprophagia

But back to coprophagia and it’s side effects. Although it may be par for a doggie course, the habit can certainly present us humans with health hazards. Worms come to mind, along with E-coli, diarrhea and a lethal cocktail of all those other dreaded diseases associated with raw sewerage. And although your dog has a gut of cast iron, I shouldn’t think it that healthy for him either.

But there is good news. Very simple really, because a well fed dog, according to him, wouldn’t dream of lowering himself to such undignified behaviour.