why dogs eat poop

Dogs eat poop, a behavior called coprophagia, for several reasons. It can be an innate behavior inherited from ancestral wild dogs that helped protect the pack from parasites, a survival instinct linked to scarcity of food, or a way to get nutrition from undigested food in feces. Some dogs do it out of boredom, stress, anxiety, or to seek attention from their humans. It can also be a learned behavior from their mother or related to health issues such as nutrient deficiencies, parasites, or medical conditions. Dogs may also eat feces to clean their living area or due to being punished harshly for eliminating indoors, leading them to hide the evidence by eating it. Overall, coprophagia is common and multifaceted in dogs, combining behavioral, environmental, physiological, and evolutionary factors.