Bored Shitless

Okay, yep, this is a strange one but it has long since bothered me as to why my golden retriever eats the turds from other animals. There Dandy and I will be either playing fetch in the yard or on a walk and his nose diverts him all of a sudden from the immediate activity to hunt out and snarf down some fresh defecation du jour.

In my dog's case, it is particularly annoying since he has a never ending supply thanks to the goats’ pellets. Hey, whatever lights your candles, dog, but this behaviour has some uncomfortable side effects, particularly the dog breath. "Oh, what a beautiful dog an acquaintance might say," while bending down to pat the dog. Then Dandy opens his mouth and the out gassing hits their nostrils. Yep, it usually knocks off their initial smile.

Anyway, apparently a dog's attraction to dining on defecation has an official name used by vets: coprophagia. It even sounds just lovely now, doesn't it. Not content with discovering the term, I visited a couple of veterinary sites for more information on why my dog and other dogs engage in this behaviour. Here is what this chap Mike Richards, DVM of vetinfo.com says in his short answer: “Coprophagia” is the technical term for eating feces. This has been studied in dogs by several people with no definitive answer for "why" being found."

Great, so no definitive answer as to why. I read further on his site and really the “no definitive answer” exists as a little legal disclaimer, I think, as Mikey does go on to provide some reasons, among them nutritional deficiencies and boredom being a couple. Okay the former reason I can sort of understand...well, sort of...still weird though isn't it. Hey, thinks my dog Dandy, I feel like I really haven’t got enough nitrogen today so here's a quick and robust source! Adds a whole new meaning to “nitrogen fix” now, doesn’t it. And as for the latter, being bored, are you bonkers Dr. Mikey? My dog, says to himself, God, I am bored shitless...so why don't I, yeah, that's it, go find some shit to eat?

Perhaps I will never find the answer as to why, but I suppose I will try some of the suggested remedies, meat tenderizer in the food. Don't look at me. This is what Dr Mikey says will work. Though I think I am sticking with the one my own vet told me... “Well, Greg you can try carrying Tabasco with you on your walks with Dandy and heating up his defecation delicacies before he consumes them”. I'll certainly look a little daft, but it is worth a try.