Why do french bulldog puppies eat their poop

French Bulldogs are incredibly adorable, but some of their habits aren’t so cute. Many first-time Frenchie owners know this situation all too well. They take their beloved dog outside for a walk so it can do its business. What seemed like a successful trip outside soon turns into a sight that can’t be unseen. The Frenchie ate its own poop.

You may be standing there in horror wondering “why does my Frenchie eat poop?” It may bring you a slight feeling of relief to know that your French Bulldog isn’t the only one guilty of this dirty habit. Many Frenchie owners have asked the same question.

Many French Bulldogs are guilty of eating their own poop, other dogs’ poop, and even cat poop. There are several reasons why they do this, but the most common ones are boredom, habits learned from their mother or a medical issue. The good news is, that this habit is more likely to occur in puppies than in adult Frenchies.

Are you curious to know why your sweet Frenchie is eating that dirty poop? Keep reading as we will go further into the subject and what dog owners should do.

Table of Contents

• Why Does My Frenchie Eat Poop?
• Habits Learned From Its Mother
• Digestion Problems
• Frenchies With Parasites Eat Everything
• Medical Issue
• What a Frenchie Will Do For Attention
• Bored Frenchies Do Strange Things
• Medication With Steroids
• How Can I Get My Frenchie To Stop Eating Poo?
• What Are You Feeding Your Frenchie?
• Don’t Give Up On Training
• Make a Poo Spray
• Final Thoughts

Why Does My Frenchie Eat Poop?

While you may love your French Bulldog unconditionally, you definitely don’t love it when you catch them eating poop. Especially if they give you licks with that mouth. The good news is, that you didn’t fail at training your Frenchie. This is a very common habit that most Frenchies pick up. 

When a Frenchie sees poop, they don’t think “there’s a delicious treat!” Instead, there is usually a specific reason why it’s putting the poo in its mouth. Let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons why a French Bulldog will eat poo. 

Habits Learned From Its Mother

French Bulldog puppies learn a lot from their mother’s behavior. As we mentioned above, it’s more common to see a Frenchie puppy eating poop than an adult. This is because young Frenchies are known to copy the things they see their mother do.

This likely has you wondering why the mother French Bulldog was eating the poop. There’s a very good explanation for this. You see, the mother is removing the poop from the habitat. When there’s poop around, it has a smell that can be traced by predators. As an act to keep her puppies safe, she will eat the poo to remove the smell.

Digestion Problems

If your Frenchie has a digestion problem, the food it eats could pass through its system too quickly. When the dog has a bowel movement, the food in it will smell almost identical to how it did when the dog consumed it. This can make it tempting for the Frenchie to eat the poo.

Additionally, this can also happen if you are feeding the dog low-quality food. The dog won’t be getting enough nutrients in its daily diet because the low-grade food passes through too quickly.

Frenchies With Parasites Eat Everything

It’s very important to have your Frenchie checked for parasites with its regular check-ups at the vet. When a dog has a parasite, it will feast on everything the dog eats. Even though you may be providing all the right nutrients to your Frenchie, the parasite is absorbing them all. 

This leaves the Frenchie feeling very hungry and on the lookout for something to eat. Unfortunately, poop is an easy thing for a hungry Frenchie to grab when it’s outside. 

Medical Issue

One of the downfalls of Frenchies is that they are prone to diabetes and thyroid problems. These conditions often affect the dog’s appetite. Some French Bulldogs will have difficulties eating, whereas others will eat everything in sight. If your Frenchie is the latter, don’t be surprised to catch it trying to eat poop as well.

What a Frenchie Will Do For Attention

Frenchies love attention and the funny thing about pets is when they want attention they don’t care if the reaction is positive or negative. When your Frenchie put that poop in its mouth, it knows you’re going to give it attention. Your reaction may not be friendly, but it’s immediate.

This has the dog thinking that if it puts its feces in its mouth, you’ll stop what you’re doing to focus on it. 

Bored Frenchies Do Strange Things

A bored Frenchie is likely to eat its own feces. This habit has been noticed by dog owners who leave their Frenchie alone for long periods. Since Frenchies are companion dogs, they get bored if they are left alone for too long. This can lead to some bad habits, with poop eating being one of them.

Medication With Steroids

Many Frenchies are prone to allergies. For dogs with severe allergies, steroid treatment may be recommended by the vet. One of the side effects of steroids is an increased appetite. This will have your Frenchie eating everything edible insight, including poop.  

How Can I Get My Frenchie To Stop Eating Poo?

While there are many reasons why your Frenchie is eating poop, the good news is that there are also several ways you can get them to stop. Try to pinpoint the reason behind your Frenchie’s icky habit to find the best solution, If you believe that it is medical related, always consult with your vet.

Preventing your Frenchie from eating poop may take patience, but it’s not impossible. Below are some of our top tips for stopping this dirty habit.

What Are You Feeding Your Frenchie?

Nutrition is key to good health. In many cases, a Frenchie will eat the poop because it smells of food in it. For this reason, you may need to reconsider what you are feeding the dog. It’s important to feed the dog high-quality food that meets all its nutritional needs. 

When you buy good quality food, it will keep the dog full for longer. If your Frenchie is full, it won’t go around looking for more things to feast on. 

Don’t Give Up On Training

When any breed of dog develops bad behavior, the key to getting them to stop is consistent training. As the Frenchie’s owner, it’s up to you to teach the dog that eating poo is wrong. Teaching your Frenchie commands is very important, especially the word “stop”. Be positive with your training methods so the dog responds well and you will have more success.

Make a Poo Spray

When all else fails, you need to make that poop unappetizing. Many dogs owners put ingredients together in a spray bottle to squirt on the poop so their dog won’t be tempted to eat it. This DIY spray can be made out of whatever ingredients you have on hand that won’t smell good to the dog. Common choices include:

• Spices
• Vinegar
• Lemon juice/ lime juice
• Garlic
• Essential oils; more

Final Thoughts

Why does my Frenchie eat poop? Your Frenchie eats poop for various different reasons. It could be bored, not getting enough nutrients, or has a medical issue. This habit is more common in puppies as they are more curious and also have seen their mother eat poop to remove it from the nest. With consistent training, you can get your Frenchie to stop.