Causes?

Dogs may exhibit coprophagia for various reasons, including natural instincts like a mother cleaning her puppies' den, nutritional deficiencies, hunger, or curiosity, particularly in puppies. Other factors such as stress, anxiety, attention-seeking, underlying health conditions, or learned behavior from unsanitary environments can also contribute to this habit.

Why It's Important?

Dogs commonly eat their or other animals' feces to self-correct for a vitamin or mineral imbalance. Some foods contain essential nutrients that help regulate the digestive system and keep it working correctly. When these nutrients are missing from your dog's diet, he may eat feces as a substitute for his body's needs.

Additional info?

Coprophagia is one of the most common behavioral issues veterinarians see in dogs. If you consistently witness this behavior in your dog, you should schedule a veterinary appointment to determine if there are medical reasons behind the behavior.