Why do dogs eat shit?

While poop is certainly not a staple in any human's diet, it's no surprise that poop is a common part of many dogs' diets. While it might not be entirely shocking that dogs eat poop—in fact, an estimated 16 percent of domestic dogs eat poop—it can still be puzzling. Although dogs bark and whine, they can't answer the most important question: Why?

The answer isn't entirely simple. There are a variety of reasons why domestic dogs may eat feces, which may vary depending on the dog's age, learned behaviors, and environment.

Like humans, much of a dog's dietary diversity stems from curiosity and learned behaviors. Like humans, dogs learn from their mothers. Puppies may smell feces through their mother's breath and confuse it with her mother's scent. This may cause them to mistakenly ingest feces. Likewise, dogs that are frequently fed near feces may confuse the smell of food with that of feces. What's more, during the first few weeks of their puppies' lives, their mothers may clean them by eating their poop. Puppies who are still learning may imitate this behavior, although not necessarily do so.

While it's easy to think of dogs as our playful and lovable best friends, we may forget that before they were domesticated, dogs were wild animals. In order to regain and maintain their territory, dingoes may eat the droppings dropped by other animals to mark their territory. By removing the droppings of competitors, dogs can eliminate other intruders on their territory.

Although today's domestic dogs don't exactly compete for territory, their ancestors' need to protect territory may have been passed down and evolved into some of the reasons why today's dogs eat poop. Dogs may now eat poop for a different functional purpose: to obtain nutrients. The tasks required of dogs—from running to hunting to guarding—require a hearty diet, and a dog's normal food may not provide all the nutrients they need.

Additionally, a dog's coprophagic behavior may indicate stress or anxiety in his or her life. Using harsh punishment to deter a dog from pooping in inappropriate places during a housebreaking may send the message to the dog that pooping itself is shameful, so the dog may eat its own poop to prevent further punishment. To cover up the alleged crimes. Sometimes, dogs that are stressed from isolation or overcrowding may eat feces.

In rare cases, coprophagic behavior in dogs may indicate a health problem. This behavior in adult dogs may indicate the presence of parasites, diabetes, Cushing's disease, nutritional or caloric deficiencies, inability to absorb nutrients, thyroid disease, or a reaction to medications.

Beyond that, the reason why dogs eat poop may come down to a simple search for attention. Considering the several observed and studied scenarios presented here, we can conclude that at least one dog managed to attract attention!

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