My dog's gross habit

[stephlee]

Hi, everyone. I'm new to this board, and I need some advice. My fiancee and I have two pitbulls. I hope people on this board aren't wary of my breed because they are extremely gentle dogs. Anyway, my problem is with what my oldest dog does when we take her outside. She LOVES to eat dog poop!! It's so hard to keep her away from it, especially when we take her outside at night. The other dog does it sometimes, too, but what's really gross about her is if we have them at a park and they are off the leash, sometimes she'll find some poop and roll in it! Both of their habits are so disgusting and annoying, as I'm sure you can tell. I've heard that sometimes dogs eat poop because they are lacking some nutrients in their diet. Does anyone have any advice for what I can do to make her stop wanting to eat poop? I hope I haven't grossed you all out too badly, but I'd really appreciate some help!

[judymomrn]

They sell some liquid or pills I noticed in some of the dog catalogs for dogs that eat stool. It's suppose to make them stop doing it. My daughter was visiting with her cat and my puppy 10 months old ate cat poop. I know how you feel, it was really gross. Catalogs: UPCO, Fosters and Smith. Pet Smart might even sell it or a local pet shop. Hope this was of some help and good luck.

[blenheimbeau]

Originally posted by stephlee
Does anyone have any advice for what I can do to make her stop wanting to eat poop?

Misery likes company; why is it comforting to hear that someone else has the same problem? I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but it helps somehow;) .

Is it something metabolic? My pup has been fed Science Diet from the start of his kibble-eating. What is better?

[originalfatc]

IF you look around at posts, there's alot of this going on right now! No you are not alone, lots of suggestions on board already.

[blenheimbeau]

Thank you, I didn't realize there was a search option, or that it was such a common thing.

[originalfatc]

lol, that was not a cut of any kind, just suddenly it seems to be happening to so often!

[macassie]

This is a common thing. It's called coprophagia. (spelling?) Alot of dogs (mine included) love cat turds!

I've heard that the liquid you can buy sometimes works and sometimes does nothing. Also, if the dog is eating other dogs or cats stools, the liquid doesn't work. It is used to make the stool of the dog that takes the liquid taste bad. But if they like the taste of poop.....how could it get much worse? lol!

Really, the best way to break the habit is to simply not allow the dog access to feces. Make sure to pick up the stool as soon as possible. If you can keep access away for a few weeks, this may be enough to break the habit.

Good luck!

[blenheimbeau]

Thanks for replies...I will look for the drops.

I read in another thread about meat tenderizer making their feces unpalatable...any truth to that? (It certainly sounds cheaper!)

[bobbie cox]

I have tried a lot of different things to stop this behaviour - unfortunately, none of them worked. I am 69 and have had a lot of dogs in my lifetime. I'm afraid this is just something dogs do and you have to try to discourage the behaviour. Sometimes it works to get them away from the stuff and give them something different to eat. Almost all of my dogs have loved digging for "stuff" in the cat litter box - also disgusting. Good luck

[stephlee]

It's been awhile since I first posted, but my vet also mentioned meat tenderizer to me. The trouble is, they don't only eat their own poop. So that won't help other dog's poop taste bad. We're going to try some training to stop the problem, but who knows if it will ever stop.


<Sigh>. My name is Stephanie, and I'm the owner of two fecofeliacs!!! Ha!

[blenheimbeau]

Hi Stephanie!

Thanks for reply! Love your vocabulary!:D

[FrankieSmama]

it is very common! my dog ate poop for the longest time....just his own poop and yes he does lay on it.
The best you can do is just catch them in the act and tell them no....over and over and over again...until they get it? lol

[whitestar505]

Folks,

I agree that most dog do this, but only had one in my life. If not mistaking it is due to a lack of something in the diet. There are medications to give for this but have found not all work the same.

[blenheimbeau]

Anyone know about what meds may work?

It does seem that he likes IT frozen, and now that it's thawed a bit, he doesn't seem as interested.

He is fed Science diet, so I can't imagine what would be missing from his diet, but perhaps I should try switching to something else reputedly good. Iams?

[whitestar505]

All,


Found this info on the web...

Coprohagia is the technical term for eating feces. This has been studied in dogs by several people with no definitive answer for "why" being found.

Nutritional deficiencies may be present in some dogs, but not very many. This may be boredom related in many dogs. It has some "natural" roots in the fact that dams often eat their pup's stools, apparently as a method of hiding their presence from predators. Dogs will eat the stools of other species, especially cats and rabbits, too. Dogs obviously do not find the taste of feces objectionable or the behavior would be self correcting. So I think of this as a natural behavior that upsets people. Since dogs have to live with people, it is becomes an issue. There is a product sold that is supposed to help with this habit -- Forbid. It doesn't work in all cases (it might not even work in most cases). Another alternative is putting meat tenderizer in the dog's food. This works for some dogs. Walking a dog on a leash and working hard to keep it from turning and eating its stool is helpful. It is sometimes possible to distract the dog by running a short distance after the dog has a bowel movement or by taking a couple of rapid steps then telling the dog to "sit" and giving it a treat. These behaviors may stay on as substitutes to eating the stool. If you can keep the dog from eating stool for a month or so it is sometimes long enough to break the habit. Picking up stool to prevent its ingestion works in dogs that don't quickly eat their own stool but do so when put in the yard alone. "Booby trapping" a sample of stool by cutting it in half lengthwise, and putting some Tabasco type sauce on the inside of the stool, then putting it back together so that the dog is not aware of the hot sauce until it eats the stool can help in some cases. This can be a hard habit to break.

[barbara hatc]

Hi I am new to this site, Just registered so I can reply to you. I have the same problem with my 6 months old Brussel Griffon (like the dog in movie AS GOOD AS IT GETS) I bought product Deter coprophagia treatment. It really works! My dog is just 3.3 lbs. so i give him 1/2 a pill mashed in peanut butter each day when i do my dog training with him. you will probably have to give to both dogs if he eats both poops. i bought it at pet goods but you could probably get it at any pet store just call your pet store first. good luck!! barbarahatch22

[whitestar505]

Barbara hatc,

I am finding out, now that the snow has melted, that by just picking up after them as fast as they deliver the used dog food helps a lot. I have noticed that they don't even look anymore for the deposits. Hopefully that will keep them away long enough to learn not to do it any longer.

[DiegoDog]

My dog has, luckly not latley

[mudpuppy]

dogs do this. They like to eat poop-- deer poop, horse poop, cat poop, even some dog poop. They like to roll in things that smell bad to us, like long-dead mice.
It's not really a problem except in your head. Just don't watch and you and your dog will be fine. I sure wouldn't be medicating a dog for performing these natural behaviors.

[bisquik]

OK, this isn't advice, but misery loves company, so know you're not alone!!! I took my German shorthair camping this weekend in North Carolina. Well, it's getting warm enough that the black bears are waking up...so aside from all hte tuna and pieces of our dinner(we spoil him rotten when we are camping--he's going 100mph the whole time, so we make sure to give him extra shots of protein) he was enjoying bear poop. Gross. His whole face smelled like it, and it still got down into the 30s at night, so he and his stinky bear dung face were crawling into the sleeping bags with my boyfriend and me....yuck!! But....as dog body temps are 102-103, even as stinky as he was, I had to enjoy my little space heater!!! He got a good bath yesterday, didn't really enjoy me scrubbing his face so much, but boy did he need it!!

[ILuvMyTyson]

Meat tenderizer seems to work.. put a Lil in there food..and then it will make there Poop not taste good,and it may help. I work at a Doggie Daycare,and it happens often! :D And I have a AmStaff...and I LOVE THE BREED!

[Fonzie]

Hi Stephlee, Fonzie likes eating and mostly playing with his poop and sometimes cat poop. There are some products out there that are supposed to keep them from eating their own poop. I bought "Deter" tables at PetsMart. I "trick" Fonzie into eating them by making him sit or lay down and giving it to him like its a treat. He loves them and if I leave them somewhere he can get to him, he tries to tear them open and get some more. I also just recently bought Solid Gold's "Stop Eating Poop" (SEP) powder which I mix with a little water and his food and he seems to love it, as well.

I've, also, put him on some vitamins in case the poop eating is because of some lack of nutrients. He's on the VitaGravy, which he loves, and the One Click Dose vitamins, which he isn't very fond of, but I mix it with the VitaGravy and he'll eat it up anyways. I've also just purchased some supplements from Solid Gold. I have a friend who began selling Solid Gold after doing some research on the best food to give his dog (mastiffs) and found Solid Gold. He began feeding his dogs Solid Gold and after using it for years and loving what it did for his dogs, he began to sell it. Currently Fonzie is taking the Seameal supplement, Bonemeal supplement (for the calcium) and the SEP. They are all powders, so I mix it with a little warm water and then mix it with his food and my picky little Fonzie scarfs it down. He LOVES that stuff and he eats less food, because he's getting filled up on his supplements.

He can be a picky eater, but is loving the Solid Gold I've put him on. He was on Science Diet when I got him from the breeder and currently I mix Science Diet, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, and Solid Gold to give him some variety. I've actually heard that Science Diet is one of the worse foods that you can feed a dog because of all the preservatives. I did some research, because I was curious why it was that all the vets recommend it and found out that Hill's (the company that makes Science Diet) actually trains vets and certifies them. When I went to my vet (who is wonderful!) this past week, I did notice a Hill's book there.

I've began to transition Fonzie from Science Diet to a mixture of Royal Canin and Solid Gold, because both of human-grade food, which is what you "should" be feeding your dog. I'm waiting to see if Solid Gold does for Fonzie what I've heard it does for other dogs, but for now all I can say is that he LOVES it. Hope that helps.

[Fonzie]

Oh yeah, I also read meat tenderizer works I used it for a little, but not long. Although, its said that its meant to make the poop taste bad, and lots of people (including Fonzie's daddy) will say "Well, they eat poop, how much worse can they taste?" Poop, especially cat poop and duck poop are a delicacy to dog's which is why they absolutely love it. Mostly you just need to try to keep them away from it and pick it up as soon as possible after they go.

[swayzeeboo]

I love pits! They are my favorite breed and if they are raised by loving dog owners, they are a great family pet!
My uncles dog eats his own, but I don't think they ever did anything about it.
My pit likes to graze like a cow on grass, but she has acid refluz really bad (she was poisoned when she was six months)
I hope you figure out what to do! Good luck!

[Mybella]

Hi,
I'm new also and I have had this problem. It is a vitamin B deficiency and you can get supplements from pet stores or the vet. Also if you would try putting some accent the food additive on the dog food before they eat it will help stop this habit due to the bad oder it causes in the feces. Hope this helps.

Mybella