One of the nastiest behaviors our furry little friend can have is eating his own poop.

It’s actually called coprophagia (if you ever want to impress your friends with this weird knowledge), and it’s not as uncommon as you may think.

Here are some things to consider when trying to figure out the why behind this behavior:

It’s just a stage – This, obviously, is the hope of all pet owners who are going through this with their pup. If they’re young, there is a chance they’re grow out of it eventually. Of course, there’s also a chance they won’t. As gross as it is to us humans, eating your own feces is almost a ‘natural’ thing to do in the canine world.

Maybe they just like to eat – It is possible that your dog often feels hungry and looks at whatever they deem edible as food. Make sure your pooch is getting enough of his real food so that he doesn’t feel the need to scrounge. Be sure not to overfeed him, though. This could just cause more issues.

Maybe he doesn’t feel well – As with any kind of behavior that comes on suddenly, you want to make sure your doggie pal is feeling okay. Sometimes his digestion isn’t working properly. He could even have worms. Get him checked out to ensure there’s nothing else going on with him.

Something is making him anxious – You know how when you get a little anxious or nervous about something you tend to want something to eat? Canines can feel the same way. Maybe it’s comforting for them in a difficult-to-understand way. Make sure your pooch is happy and content, and he just might want to leave the poop where it is.

They like their area to be nice and clean – Believe it not, some dogs like a clean area in which to do their business. This can happen in closed off spaces or a small area as well. If that’s the case, make sure you clean up any messes before they have a chance to get to it and dispose of it in their own special way.

He’s bored – Another way in people and dogs are alike — boredom! If your pup doesn’t get a lot of stimulation during the day, he might just find himself wandering around without anything else to do. Don’t let your dog be a poop eater who just doesn’t have anything else to do!

He’s copying your actions – He poops. You clean it up. Monkey see, monkey do.

So there you have it. Now, do these tips help the ickiness factor? Will you ever forget the site of your dog eating their own feces? That would be a big, fat no! However, maybe with a few changes on your end — and of course making sure there is nothing more seriously wrong with your dog — this, too, shall pass. Uh…pun intended 😉