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One of the more disgusting things your dachshund might do is eat poop. Whether it’s their own or another dog’s, it’s quite gross. When they do it, you’re probably left wondering why on earth would they do such a thing.
Is this normal for dachshunds? Or is something wrong that’s causing them to behave this way?
Why Dachshunds Eat Poop:
Your dachshund eating poop could be a sign of many things. Less serious reasons are they want attention, it’s instinctive, or they’re simply cleaning up. More serious reasons relate to their health such as a parasite, disease, they’re overly anxious, or their diet is lacking proper nutrients.
In this post you’ll learn all about the reasons why your dachshund might be eating poop, what you can do about it as well as the top 5 tips to help stop your dachshund from continuing to eat poop.
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
Top 8 Reasons Why Your Dachshund Eats Poop
1) They’re Cleaning Up
If your dachshund has pooped in an area where they feel it’s ‘their’ space, they may be eating it to keep their area clean.
For example, if they were to poop inside their crate and then eat it, they’d likely be tidying up.
Dog’s are known for liking to keep their den clean and if they accidentally go number 2 because they can’t hold it any longer, they’ll eat it to clean up.
Also, it could be a learned behavior from their mother.
A mother will eat their young’s bowel movements to keep their space clean. It also ensures that no predators will track the scent of the poop.
Which is quite instinctive behavior as modern, domesticated dogs don’t have to worry about predators tracking the scent of their young’s poop.
Now they just have to worry about their owners being upset with the mess.
2) They’re Anxious
If your dachshund eats their poop only when you’re not around, this could be a sign of separation anxiety.
Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety may react in many different ways, and one way is by eating their poop.
What some people don’t know is that separation anxiety can present itself even if your pup didn’t have a traumatic experience when they were young.
Things like a change in schedule, a change in where they live, a change of owner, or the loss of a loved one can create separation anxiety.
If you’ve recently got new hours at work, moved to a new location, recently adopted your dachshund from someone else or a family member recently passed, these events can cause your pup to be anxious.
And in turn, eat their poop.
It’s a reaction to their negative emotional feelings because of a recent change.
Related Reading: 7 Ways To Eliminate Your Dogs Anxiety, Shyness Or Fear
3) They Want Attention
Dog’s are very smart and learn quickly about what gets a reaction out of you.
And your dachshund is no exception to this.
If they’re bored and want your attention, they will do whatever it takes to get you to interact with them.
Some dogs will destroy things, some will be noisey, some will go number 1 or 2 inside and others will even eat it.
If you make a big scene from them doing this, they’ll likely continue to do it because they know it’ll bring you to them.
If you think your dachshund is simply eating their poop for attention, and not because of a medical reason, it’s best to remain as calm as possible.
Don’t yell at them, don’t give them attention, simply put them outside without saying much.
This will help them learn that eating their poop doesn’t work to get your attention.
To help prevent them from trying something different, schedule some more play time where you can give them attention and tire them out.
Related Reading: 10 Best Toys To Entertain Your Dog | Boredom Buster Toys
4) Parasite
If your dachshund has an intestinal parasite, it will take all their food’s nutrients for itself, leaving your dog starving.
If you notice that your pup is always hungry, is being fed often, yet still eats their poop, they may have some form of intestinal worm.
Everytime your dog eats, the parasite will consume the food leaving nothing behind for your pup.
This will make them feel starved all the time and eat whatever they can to help themselves feel less hungry.
And unfortunately, that might sometimes mean eating their own poop.
5) Instincts
Your dachshund might be eating their poop because they inherited the behavior from their ancestors.
This may sound odd, but wolves would often eat the faeces of a sick member in their pack in an attempt to stop the spread of the sickness.
Since they had no other way of ridding their den of the poop, their only choice was to eat it.
So, much like how people sometimes say, ‘Oh you have your fathers temper!”.
Your dachshund might have their great-great-great grandfather’s desire to eat poop to keep their pack safe from parasites.
6) They Aren’t Feeling Well
Certain diseases like hyperthyroidism, cushing disease, and diabetes can make your dachshund excessively hungry.
And if they unfortunately have one of these conditions, they may be eating their poop because they always feel hungry.
In this instance, it’s more of a compulsion to help curb their hunger. Which doesn’t really work, but they’re desperate.
If your dachshund is getting into their senior years and is eating their poop you should take them to the vet.
7) They’re Under fed
If your dachshund isn’t getting the amount of food they need in order to feel full, they’ll eat whatever else they can find.
And unfortunately, that even means their own number 2.
This might be more noticeable in a dachshund puppy as they’re always hungry. But can still happen to an adult dachshund if they simply aren’t getting enough food.
One way to tell if your pup is underfed is by their weight and overall appearance.
Your dachshund should weigh anywhere between 16-32 pounds.
If they’re on the lower end of that weight and you can easily see their rib cage as well as feel their ribs when you pet them, they need more food.
Once you start giving them more food you’ll likely notice them stop eating their poop.
8) Poor Diet/Eating Non-Nutrient Rich Foods
Many of the popular dog brands are unfortunately low in proper nutrients.
They’re popular because foods that are high in nutrients are typically more expensive.
If your dachshund’s food is grain-based, has dyes and/or preservatives and has low meat content, it would be a good idea to change up their food.
If your pup isn’t getting the nutrients their body needs they’ll be hungry more often and eat their poop in an attempt to fill themselves.
Top 5 Tips For Stopping Your Dachshund From Eating Poop
1) Know Their Schedule
The best way to avoid this behavior is to know their bowel schedule.
You might think this is hard to figure out, but it’s actually quite easy!
If you feed your dachshund at the same times everyday, they’ll have to poop at very similar times each day.
This means you can control when they have to poop based on when you feed them.
Which also means you can be ready to take them for a walk when you know they’re getting close to the time when they usually poop.
Then you’ll be able to scoop their poop right away leaving them no time to eat it.
If your dachshund has no underlying health issues causing them to eat their poop or they don’t eat it because they enjoy it (gross), this will surely help stop the behavior.
If they eat at different times everyday, they might really need to go during the day.
And if they know you’ll be mad at them they may do what they can to hide what they’ve done, which means eating it.
2) Ask a Vet
A dachshund eating poop is certainly not normal behavior.
There’s a possibility that they’re eating their poop for non-serious issues like attention or wanting to clean up after themselves.
But there’s also a chance it’s something to do with their health.
That’s why if their poop eating isn’t a one-off event and seems to be happening consistently, or getting worse, it’s important to take them to the vet.
If their poop eating is accompanied by any other symptoms you’ll need to let them know so they can best help your pup.
It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to odd behavior like this.
3) Try a Stool Repellent
This solution is only for if your dachshund is eating their poop for non-health related reasons.
If you’ve had a vet look at them and they didn’t find anything wrong with their health, then their poop eating is more of just a bad habit.
Some people have had great success curbing this behavior by using a stool repellent. Which is something you add to their food that makes their poop taste really bad.
Who knew it could NOT taste bad in the first place…
This way they are much less likely to eat it out of enjoyment or habit because the taste is much more off-putting.
It’s similar to when people want to break the bad habit of biting their nails. They coat them in something that tastes bad which makes them instantly regret biting them. Eventually it stops them from wanting to ever bite their nails anymore.
4) Feed Them More Nutrient Rich Food
Sometimes your dachshund might be eating their poop because their food wasn’t fully digested.
You can notice this if their poop is either really runny or overly chunky.
If their regular dog food is more grain-based it would be a good idea to move them onto a more meat-based diet.
This will help them get more of the nutrients their body needs to help digest their food and give them a proper bowel movement.
If you’re unsure of the best types of food for your pup it’s always a good idea to speak with a vet.
They know exactly what nutrients your dachshund needs and the best quality foods available.
5) Give Them More Attention
Something you might want to try is giving your dachshund more attention.
As long as the vet says there’s no underlying health reason for them to be eating their poop, you’ll have to do some trial and error to figure out how to stop the behavior.
If they eat their poop even when you’re home, it could be a sign that they’re doing it simply to get your attention.
In this case, schedule some more play time with your pup in the evenings when you’re home from work.
Or maybe even go for a longer walk in the evening.
If your dachshund is tired, they’ll be much less likely to misbehave in an attempt to get your attention.
They’ll be much more interested in taking a nap/resting and/or cuddling with you as they regain their energy.
Related Reading: 13 Best Mind Stimulating Dog Toys: Features & Benefits
Other posts you might find interesting:
12 Best Dog Beds for Dachshunds
8 Reasons Dachshunds Are Always Hungry | Dangers + Tips
5 Reasons Why Your Dachshund Has Bad Breath + 3 Tips
17 Surprising Reasons Why Dachshunds Lick So Much + Tips