Why Do Dogs Like to Eat Their Dung?

Disgusted to see your dog eating their own shit? Do not hurry to get rid of it because the behavior there is a scientific explanation.

Research from the University of California at Davis shows 16 percent of the thousands of dog owners at least see his dog 6 times eating his own feces.

The behavior is indeed no explanation for sure.

But according to Benjamin Hart, a veterinarian at the Center for Animal Behavior in Davis, the behavior is related to the behavior of a wolf, a dog's ancestor.

Wolves have a habit of defecating away from where they live because the feces contain eggs of intestinal parasites.

According to Hart's study, 80 percent of dirt-eating or coprophagy dogs will choose fresh feces, at least not more than two days.

"If dogs eat it properly it's safe to eat, they will not get infected by parasites," he added.

In the Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Hart concludes that today's poop-eating dogs still carry the instincts of their ancestors.

The puzzle why dogs eat dirt is not finished yet, but at least the above explanation is most logical.

James Serpell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school, called Hart's theory a plausible explanation. But he is more likely to call the dog-eating poop as a greedy dog.

In Serpell's research, dogs in developing countries not only eat their own feces, but also human ones.

"Considering historically, this greed dog behavior may still be practiced by modern dogs today," said Serpell.

"Modern dogs and cats are fed foods rich in fat and protein, which are not fully digested, making dirt waste a potential source of food for dogs," he added.

Meanwhile, Canine Science Collaboratory Director at Arizona State University Clive Wynne said the survey showed dog-eating dogs had a tendency to eat cat litter.

"This is consistent with the idea that behavior is motivated by appetite and desire to eat," he was quoted from Science Alert as saying on Friday (1/19/2010).

To overcome the dog's "weird" behavior, researchers are still studying many things, including looking for tablets that make dogs uncomfortable to eat their droppings.

"We will see some clinical trials on treatments that are quite different so they can solve the problem," Hart said.

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