[K9teeth]

My dog ate poo.
Is it okay if dogs eat poo?
What should I do?

[JohnSnownw]

Dogs are known to do that. It isn't going to hurt it, but you should try to discourage that kind of behavior.

"It is important for dog owners to know that this behavior is normal for a mother dog with
pups," adds Dr. Eurell. Newborn pups must learn to urinate and defecate. The mother
Teaches the pups by licking their bottoms. The pups respond to this "tickle" by urinating and
Defecating. The mother then consumes the pups' excrement, which serves two protective
Purposes: it keeps the den area clean and it removes smells that could attract a predator.
Some pups learn this behavior from their mothers and will stimulate themselves and
Consume their own feces. Most pups stop by the time they are weaned.

It is more difficult to understand why adult dogs eat feces. Some dogs will learn this
Behavior from other dogs. In some cases, eating feces may be an attention-seeking
Behavior. For some dogs it is possibly due to anxiety or boredom. Most often the
Motivation for eating feces is just not known.

From:

http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/petcolumns/s...cle.cfm?id=166

[labman]

Just why dogs eat feces is poorly understood. I lean toward nutrition. However, too much and too rich of a diet is far worse for a growing puppy than eating feces, which they often grow out of. Usually the worst problem is sickening the owner. I have tried to control the problem by careful clean up. You can also use food additives if the dog is eating its own. The schools I raise puppies for suggest either pineapple juice or canned pumpkin. You can also try the commercial products, Deter or Forbid.

If my answer doesn't cover your problem, post back with more details.

[bushg]

k9teeth my dog did this when I first got her. The rescue group said it was it could be because she was nervous in the shelter. They must have been right, because it has been 3 years and she doesn't do that now. So in my dogs case it was nervousness.