Weird Stuff Dogs & Cats Eat

by Amy Shojai | May 12, 2020 | Ask Amy Videos, Dog Training & Care

Owners fill bowls with nutritious food to keep dogs healthy. So what’s up with all the weird stuff dogs eat? why do dogs eat rocks, eat dirt, eat poop, and even eat dangerous stuff?

Weird Stuff Dogs Eat–And Why They Do It

Dogs use their mouths the way we use our hands. They pick up objects and explore their world by mouthing, tasting, and chewing. That sometimes gets them into trouble if they swallow something they shouldn’t. Find out why dogs eat grass in this post. Cats also eat grass for similar reasons. But that’s not nearly as objectionable as some other targets.

Poop Eating Pups

Poop eating—called coprophagia—disgusts owners but this common habit comes naturally, especially to puppies. Mom-dogs keep the nest clean by picking up after the babies, and youngsters typically copy-cat the behavior. Most pups outgrow the habit. But many dogs continue to snack on cat box “treats” or the leavings of cows and horses because—well—it must taste good to them. Also, the cat, horse, or other critters may not have completely digested all the nutrients so the dog relishes giving the poop another chance. I wrote more about litter box grazing in this post, and you’ll get some quick tips in the Ask Amy videos, below.

Why Do Dogs Eat Dirt

We’re not sure why dogs eat dirt but many seem to relish certain types of soil. Some wild animals target clay-like soils that naturally absorb toxins, and others eat mineral-rich dirt to supplement their diet.

For dogs, scent probably plays a role. Perhaps another animal has “marked” that spot of dirt, so the dog tastes to get a better “read” on the message. Dogs target specific types or locations of dirt, too. Eating too much dirt can plug up doggy plumbing but an occasional taste probably isn’t worry-worthy. Here;s more information on why dogs eat dirt.

Dogs Eating Weird Stuff

Dogs swallow an amazing range of non-edible items and it goes beyond eating the kid’s homework. The behavior, called pica, can happen accidentally when the dog gulps down a piece of a toy. Pica may be purposeful if the object proves too tempting—baby bottle nipples that smell of milk, used tampons, and grease-smeared foil or turkey-basted string prove irresistible to dogs.

The most common item is socks, followed by underwear, pantyhose, rocks, balls, chew toys, bones, hair ties/ribbons, and sticks. Most items tend to be owner-scented objects and dirty diapers are another favorite—it combines the attraction of poop-eating.

But some dogs seem drawn to such weird items as pagers, hearing aids, drywall, batteries, rubber bands, or anything (including sand!) with bacon grease poured on it. Dogs develop bad habits out of boredom, stress, or even obsessive-compulsive behaviors and turn into garbage disposals. These dogs chew and suck down rocks and sticks. In these cases, you may need to make your dog vomit to get rid of the dangerous item.

Poke The Poop

In most cases, small objects pass harmlessly through the body and end up on the lawn within 24-72 hours. Get a stick and wear gloves to poke through the doggy droppings to be sure he’s gotten rid of the object. Feeding your dog a meal can turn on digestive juices, cushion the item, and help move it along.

But sharp objects can cut, heavy stones can plug the system, and string-type material (thread, ribbon, Easter grass, tape from a cassette) can cut and strangle the intestines. Swallowed coins, batteries, or other metal objects can poison pets once they react with digestive juices. Don’t touch string hanging out of either end of the dog, or you risk hurting him worse.

If you’ve seen the pet swallow something he shouldn’t but it doesn’t pass, or the dog vomits, retching without result, won’t eat, looks or behaves distressed, or coughs repeatedly, seek help. It may require X-rays to figure out what’s wrong on the inside of your pet, and surgery to get it out.

Most puppies outgrow indiscriminate munching. But if your dog vacuums up anything that hits the floor, pet-proof doggy toys as well as your home. It could save you veterinary bills—and your pet’s life.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!

Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!

Why Does My Dog Eat Poop? Stop Litter Box Grazing With The Door Buddy

by Amy Shojai | Apr 21, 2016 | Ask Amy Videos, Dog Training & Care, Product Reviews, Sponsored

Do you often ask, Why does my dog eat poop? This disgusting habit drives humans nuts, and even cats get upset with dogs eating cat poop. So when you ask, How can I stop my dog from eating poop?” you’ll find the answers here. Read on!

This post is sponsored by The Door Buddy. I am being compensated to help create awareness about pet-proofing and kid proofing cat litter boxes but BLING, BITCHES & BLOOD only shares information relevant to our readers. The Door Buddy is not responsible for the content of this article.

Puppy antics delight most new owners, but dogs eating poop prompts anything but smiles. My own darling Magic indulged when he turned six months old. He’d make a beeline to visit his horse buddy next door and find the nifty treats she left on the ground. After these nasty snacks Magic always tried to kiss everybody on the lips, yuck! Thank doG, he finally outgrew the behavior…

But many dogs indulge. Urk! That’s why I’m thrilled today to be reviewing The Door Buddy.

WHY YOUR DOG EATS POOP

Dogs commonly eat their own or another animal’s droppings (coprophagia). This is normal behavior for mom-dogs that must clean up after their babies, and some of the pups may end up mimicking this behavior. It first appears in pups at about four to nine months of age. And generally, the dog outgrows the behavior. There are a number of ways to deter the behavior in puppies, discussed in my book Complete Puppy Care.

DOGS EATING CAT POOP

For adult dogs, though, it’s not unusual for the cat’s litter box to be treated as a canine snack bar. That’s because cat food contains more protein than dog food, and as a result, feline waste tastes good to dogs. The nasty habit is not only unsanitary, it puts Sheba’s tail in a twist to have a dog messing with her toilet. Cats pestered in their bathroom look for another place to “go” such as behind the sofa.

Toddlers Play In (Yuck!) Schtuff, Too!

It’s not only dogs that investigate the kitty potty and hiss off the cat–and risk illness from parasites, too. Human babies and toddlers, just like puppies, love to explore and guess what ends up being tasted? Even if there are now safe cat litters for every purr-suasion, swallowed litter makes anyone queasy. Double urk! A dog invading the cat’s space also can make litter box training more difficult.

Prevent dog access to litter box with The Door Buddy

The Door Buddy is an innovative strap that controls the size of door openings.

What’s a caring parent (of two-legged or four-legged “kids”) to do? Enter the Door Buddy.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE DOOR BUDDY STORY

I already had a couple of ASK AMY videos on YouTube about the issue, and received an email from one of my viewers. Scott Johnson wrote to tell me about his product, The Door Buddy, and offered to send me a sample to review. I was intrigued.

The Door Buddy is a management tool that helps you control access to the cat’s litter box and/or food bowl–or kitty’s favorite room. Essentially, it’s a peel-and-stick low-tech and economical solution that installs in minutes. The adjustable strap allows you to determine the size of the door opening so that your smaller cat can come and go (and eat or eliminate in peace) while preventing larger animals–including babies and toddlers!–from entering the area.

Economical & Easy DIY

The Door Buddy requires no fancy installment and is way less expensive than pet gate barriers or “cat flap” and doggy doors that often are recommended. I was concerned that 90-pound Magic would bulldoze his way through since no screws attach the strap to the door and frame. A very determined large dog could get through–but for smaller dogs and those like Magic that only require a reminder, The Door Buddy works like a charm.

15% off from the website @ TheDoorBuddy.com – use the code AMY15 😊

Check out the video, below, for more details on the Door Buddy and how easy it is to install. I love the video clips at the end of the kiddies, and bet you will, too. Oh…and then scroll on down for your chance to WIN a Door Buddy to try out at your house. You can also see my video review below with MY fur-kids and how they react to the Door Buddy.

Great for Multi-Cat and Multi-Pet Homes!

At my house, my Karma-Kat is a bit of a piggy when it comes to Seren-Kitty’s food bowl. Magic has taken to doing a paws-up on the table where I feed the cats, and reeeeeching over to clean out their bowls (sheehs, there’s another use for me!). Because my two cats are enough different in size, the Door Buddy works quite well to offer Seren access while limiting Karma’s ability to gnosh from the room where she’s fed.

Do you have dogs that pester your cat during dinner or potty duty? Or maybe you have Mutt-and-Jeff size dogs that need to have separate feeding ops? I could see the Door Buddy working particularly well for multi-pet homes–but also as a boon to keeping your cats calm when the grandkids come to visit!

Now take a minute to watch the video, below (with Seren-Kitty, Magical-Dawg & Karma-Kat). What do you think? Do tell! Yes, I look a bit tired because my video software was being obnoxious (much easier to train cats and dogs, LOL!)