Here's the scoop on why dogs eat poop

You may want to skip this little story if you haven't eaten yet -- or especially if you have.

Unless, of course, you're a dog -- one of those dogs -- in which case this explanation of a somewhat unnatural phenomenon is going to seem as tantalizing as watching the Food Network.

Because we're talking about poo. And the dogs who eat it.

Although this behavior is disgusting to dog owners, it can be a sign of a more serious nutritional problem, an engrained doggy habit or, for winter-only eaters, a crunchy snack, said Joy Lucas, veterinarian at Upstate Animal Medical Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

"Nobody likes to think of their dog having this behavior, and sometimes it's quite difficult to get some dogs to stop because there's not a black-and-white answer to why every dog does this," she said. "It can be a little embarrassing and frustrating."

Dogs who view poo as part of the winter harvest are typically drawn to excrement eating for the same reason the rest of us snack on potato chips -- the crunch. And while poo might smell gross to us, smells are interesting to dogs, and to them, things that smell interesting are worth a taste test.

Although gross, eating dog droppings, whether their own or that of other dogs, shouldn't pose a huge health threat to your pet, Lucas said, as long as the dog takes a heartworm preventative, which will ward off organisms that could be living in the stool.

Could it be a nutrition issue?

Still, if you notice you don't have to clean up your yard because your dog has taken matters into his own mouth, you should mention the behavior to your vet. It could be a sign of something more serious.

"Every now and then we meet a particular dog that is just hard-core on this, and they will even eat it right directly from the oven, if you know what I mean," Lucas said.

"Diet can be one thing. If they're eating a food that doesn't work with their body, the nutrition isn't being absorbed and [it's] coming out in the stool."

So in order to recoup those nutrients, the dog gobbles up the leftovers, so to speak.

If your dog produces frequent stools -- more than two a day -- that could also be another clue that his dog food isn't meeting his nutritional needs.

But not all poo connoisseurs have nutritional deficiencies.

"The other thing that it can be is a little bit of a behavioral issue," Lucas said. "Especially in female dogs that will clean up after their puppies, and some females that are unspayed may have a potential behavioral desire to clean up."

That's right, they're used to keeping their dens and their puppies poo-free, and some dogs just don't lose that instinct even when the puppies are grown.

Of course, unlike your late-night cravings for ice cream, this is not an indulgence you have to accept.

First, Lucas recommends keeping your yard clean. Walking your dog frequently and cleaning up right away also helps teach your dog that certain things should be left off the old buffet.

There are products -- available over-the-counter and from your veterinarian -- that will also deter your dog's desire for yard snacks, particularly when the cause is behavioral. The products are fed to your dog and any other dogs in the household and will make the doggy doo-doo take on a displeasing flavor (as if it were four-star dining before).