Poop-eating Dog

[aries27]

this is embarassing but i am desperate.

we have two dogs, bunny (female) who just recovered from parvo and bugs (brother) who also got infected but now fully recovered from the same.

my problem is that they eat their poop! i have done some research on the net and it says there this could be hereditary (they have seen their mother eat their poop when they were puppies) and they are just imitating but they will soon outgrow it. they are now almost 9 months or so (not sure, rescued from streets) and that is no longer puppy stage right?

i got a tip that adding pineapple into their diet could make the poop unpalatable (as if it is not unpalatable enough?) but i dont think it worked. i also read they could be hungry but they are the most glutton dogs we have had. and of course, we try to clean up as soon as we see it. but we cant always be around.

its gross when i would catch them do it. i like touching and hugging our dogs but when i think of what they do, i just dont want to do that anymore.

thanks in advance!

[zorro1]

this is embarassing but i am desperate.

we have two dogs, bunny (female) who just recovered from parvo and bugs (brother) who also got infected but now fully recovered from the same.

my problem is that they eat their poop! i have done some research on the net and it says there this could be hereditary (they have seen their mother eat their poop when they were puppies) and they are just imitating but they will soon outgrow it. they are now almost 9 months or so (not sure, rescued from streets) and that is no longer puppy stage right?

i got a tip that adding pineapple into their diet could make the poop unpalatable (as if it is not unpalatable enough?) but i dont think it worked. i also read they could be hungry but they are the most glutton dogs we have had. and of course, we try to clean up as soon as we see it. but we cant always be around.

its gross when i would catch them do it. i like touching and hugging our dogs but when i think of what they do, i just dont want to do that anymore.

thanks in advance!

Kick him in the ribs with all your might. It worked for me as a kid and Im even Human (not for poo eating but just about everything else) just to prove myself right I will surely get kicked in the ribs for this post

[Nienke]

Did the pups eat their own poop already before they got parvo?

If not, then it can be that as a result of the parvo the pups have a digestive problem, making that they lack certain nutrients and try to make it up with eating their poop. Or, there is nothing wrong with their digestive system, but the food you give is not sufficient in all nutrients, leading to a lack and then the poop-eating.

Poop eating can also be a side-effect of vaccinations.

If the pups showed this habit already before the parvo it can be that before you bought them they were confined in a small area where they slept ate and pooped. Very often breeders and sellers give only twice a day food (if lucky 3 meals a day), which is not enough for these young puppies. Then, they tend to over-eat when food is given and in between meals they are hungry, resulting in poop eating.

It can also they copied it from the mother dog, as you already mentioned.

Nienke

[hanibal7]

If you are there most of the time when they shiiiiiiit(i assume they do it on your property) just buy a couple of muzzles and stick them on after food.If you let them out to shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit everywhere then i think the neighbours will cure your dogs in the not to distant future.

I had a poodle that used to eat anybodies shiiiit he could get his lips on and we had to get rid because it was upsetting the baby.It started when i had a newborn baby so maybe that was the smell of baby poo,but he got a habit for it.

[aries27]

nienke, they were eating poop even before the parvo which only happened about two weeks ago? i dont think they were confined at all when they were pups. they were abandoned dogs living on the streets. dont think we are not feeding them enough or nutritious enough. that's the irony of it, they eat too much for their size and yet, they have to do this?

hanibal7, one is tied up but gets released once a day for some exercise. the other one goes around freely in the open garage. they shit on our property. a muzzel? all the time?

btw, they eat their own, not other dogs'...

zorro, thanks for the laugh...

[elfe]

give them vitamin and calcium pills for a while.

if you like/can feed them raw meat and bones (chicken carcasses are cheap and good for start)

should do the trick

[aries27]

k, will try that elke . chicken carcass like the breast bones? safe right? the leg bones etc are supposed to be harmful -- puncture their intestines -- so we dont really give them that.

[aries27]

zorro, i think your suggestion is also worth considering. i mean "hurt" them just enough to condition them that it is wrong to do that kind of thing!

[Cuban]

I would agree with the above that they are missing something from their diet.

What is their normal foods and in what amount?

[aries27]

we have six dogs (including a personal favorite). my father cooks special food for them everyday fresh. rice, cornbits, meat, veggies. he doesnt like them fed with raw meat as he thinks it will make the dogs chase chickens, birds etc?

i give my special dog dog food and anything he begs for (with those puppy dog eyes of a shihtzu, how can you not spoil him? he would scratch your leg eer so softly and wait... he gets raw liver, etc. once in a while.

the three other dogs dont have this problem.

Edited April 24, 2008 by aries27

[Tammi]

k, will try that elke . chicken carcass like the breast bones? safe right? the leg bones etc are supposed to be harmful -- puncture their intestines -- so we dont really give them that.

My friend feeds raw chicken to her dog - says that it is cooked chicken bones that are not safe.

My dog was eating soil and leaves but stopped that when she was spayed and found to have a large ovarian cyst that was causing her to be on heat all the time. Since the operation has stopped eating garden. I think now that she was eating garden in an effort to increase iron intake or whatever.

[bina]

its called coprophagia

its a bad habit, punishing them for it will not work; raw chicken bones are good, cooked are bad; muzzling is not the answer.. papaya enzyme (msg) put in the food is supposed to work; also, keep the yard or poop area clean so they dont have the temptation, and keeping them busy with other games... a tied dog is a bored dog, even our cable dogs had access to chew toys, a long run/walk a day, and some play time... i found the clean yard suggestion the most compliable to do and prevent the problem; they poop, u scoop... prevents dirt, parasites, diseases, flies and your yard is clean for kids to run around on. if u feed your dogs at specific times, they should poop at specific times which also makes it easier to keep a yard clean; also, if u feed properly, they shouldnt be pooping too too much as they will be utilizing the food properly with less 'waste'.

relegating the pooping to one area of the yard is also a possibility. my dogs like to eat fox shit, since foxes eat fruit also, i assume the poop is sweeter... so i divert them, when i see them starting to sniff and get interested, i throw a ball/pine cone in a different direction so they run to fetch it... it works...

By Theresa A. Fuess, Ph.D.

Information Specialist

University of Illinois

College of Veterinary Medicine

Some dogs can't resist a tasty morsel of feces. These dogs will eat their own excrement or that of another dog. Some prefer horse feces, others cat feces. Frozen feces are popular in the winter time. Why do dogs do this?

In the past it was believed that feces eating, also known as coprophagia, was caused by either poor diet or poor health. However, this theory is not supported by current research. "Behavioral research has discounted the idea that it is a dietary deficiency or a pancreatic enzyme deficiency," says Dr. Jo Ann Eurell, a veterinarian and animal behavior specialist retired from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. "Dogs are historically scavengers, and this is believed to be a scavenger behavior.

"It is important for dog owners to know that this behavior is normal for a mother dog with pups," adds Dr. Eurell. Newborn pups must learn to urinate and defecate. The mother teaches the pups by licking their bottoms. The pups respond to this "tickle" by urinating and defecating. The mother then consumes the pups' excrement, which serves two protective purposes: it keeps the den area clean and it removes smells that could attract a predator. Some pups learn this behavior from their mothers and will stimulate themselves and consume their own feces. Most pups stop by the time they are weaned.

It is more difficult to understand why adult dogs eat feces. Some dogs will learn this behavior from other dogs. In some cases, eating feces may be an attention-seeking behavior. For some dogs it is possibly due to anxiety or boredom. Most often the motivation for eating feces is just not known.

Owners find this habit in their pet disgusting -- particularly when the consumed feces are thrown up all over the new carpet. In addition to being socially unacceptable, eating feces exposes the dog to parasites and diseases. So, what is a dog owner to do?

"Eating feces is a problem that is easier to prevent than to cure," says Dr. Eurell. "Don't allow the opportunity to arise. Keep the dog's yard clean by disposing of feces promptly. Move the cat box out of the dog's reach. If cleaning the outdoor area is not feasible, then keep the dog on a leash or use a muzzle when outside."

There are some "cures" that have been used with limited success. Punishment generally only works in the early stages, before the behavior becomes habitual. Feeding the dog MSG or pumpkin is believed to give feces a bad taste, making it less attractive to the dog. Other products can be applied to the feces directly; however, dogs are very perceptive and can probably distinguish between tainted and untainted feces.

The best solution is to supervise the dog and not let it develop the habit. If you would like further information about this behavior, contact your local veterinarian.

which are the answers we suggest to people with pups with this problem. too bad u waited so long to 'fix' the problem, its always harder to 'undo' a problem ....

bina

[hanibal7]

Sorry i meant muzzle them after food,when you let them out to poo,then they couldnt eat it.Other than the dogs licking your face,there shouldnt be a problem,health wise with eating poo,unless they have worms.

[aries27]

thanks again bina...

ok, have to retract the instructions i gave to give the dogs a gently whacking when caught doing that.

raw chicken bones then... no problem. will try that and update you.

havent seen this behavior for some time now. in fact, i havent caught the male doing this since maybe 3 months ago . i was just told he was. but maybe not frequently as i do have some regular clean-ups to do. it is the female one that has been caught lately doing this 2 or 3 times this week. could it be that she is still trying to regain the weight she lost when she had parvo? the brother recovered quite fast so he didnt get that thin. i hope it is temporary though.

ok thanks all. they're very lovable in their own way so its really a pity they cant be petted (?) anymore because of this.

[sibeymai]

Wow....don't have to clean up after them and save on dog food too. Impressive.

[elfe]

why they can't be petted anymore?

you can watch them while poopoo and clean up or if they were faster than you then rinse their mouth with toothpaste

[LucMee]

What are you feeding them?... They're trying to find some nutrient they're missing.... Mix some boiled chicken livers or other meat scraps along with a few leftover veggies (no onions!!!) into their food for meal # 1 of the day... Then give em plain food for #2 meal... Should break em in a week or so.

[bina]

u can pet them, just dont let them lick up your nose; my male small lhasa enjoys oral activities on my old boxer, especially when she pees; he does a nice fleishing reaction after (lifting and curling upper lip etc)...

we wash his face every day since he has long facial hair

take care

bina

[aries27]

why they can't be petted anymore?

you can watch them while poopoo and clean up or if they were faster than you then rinse their mouth with toothpaste

and you forgot the mouthwash!

thanks all. will update you...

i still pet them btw. they like pats on the head.