Ideas Please!

[Sambuca]

Did this start when you switched his food? If so it's because his poop smells better now (to him at least). Definitely try the pineapple. Also try to pick up every day. Does he usually throw up after eating poop? If it's not common, use the regular kennel muzzle and let him eat it. The kennel muzzle won't collect poop like the other muzzle. Have you tried teaching him to ring a bell when he needs to go out?

[Busderpuddle]

I have no advice for you at all but just want to say that I don't blame you a bit for being angry. I would HATE to come home to a mess day after day. In fact, unless my dog was sick, don't think I could do it. Hope the crate gives you a break until you find a solution.

[GeorgeofNE]

He's not "trying to destroy" your house. He's not trying to punish you. He is not capable of understanding that because, hours before, he tried to eat poop you're withholding a treat from him. If he were my dog, I'd probably just close the dog door.

 

If he can't get outside when you're not there, he can't try to eat poop while you're not there, and he won't be bringing a dirty muzzle inside with him.

 

I had a dog who ate poop at one point. I used For-Bid in his food a few times, and he tried to eat one of those poops, was repulsed by it, never did it again.

[kolarik1]

I started giving fresh pineapple to all 3 dogs tonight...Zelda wouldn't eat it, but I *think* Pop is going after the foster's poop anyway. I'm hoping by the time the foster goes to his new home on Friday their poop will be so yucky that Pop won't want it...plus I'm going to pick up daily.

 

Zelda and my foster were chasing each other while I was out mowing tonight, so of course I felt bad that Pop was inside crated...but at least he wasn't digging around in dog crap while I was mowing in the front yard.

 

No he doesn't vomit every time, but I still don't want him eating it...and while mowing, I thought back to the past...

 

My ex b/f had approx. 1/2 acre of land, most of it was fenced in...we literally only picked up maybe once/month, never in the winter (we were lazy). Pop never ate dog crap back then, just grass and occasionally it looked like bunny poop but not 100% sure on that one. So I'm thinking there is some reason he is going after his and Zane's poop...I know it's not Zelda's because I've caught him in an area of the yard that Zelda doesn't go to unless she's running through it....her highness can't be bothered to potty in the back half of the yard, and that's where I either catch Pop or always find the smeared crap when I'm picking it up.

 

So until my foster goes to his new home and the pineapple kicks in, Pop will be crated...his eating obsession really started to kick in within the last couple of weeks (I've had the foster for approx. 5 weeks now)...I switched his food back in March, so I really don't think it's the food.

[kamsmom]

How big is your yard? Some dogs will eat it to "clean up". How often are you cleaning the yard? I

 

Another thought. How old is Pop? Could it be he is a bit stressed with the move and that is the cause of the accidents? Or maybe his way of dealing with the stress is pop eating? Just trying to think of anything.

 

I have one that if there is any major change to routine she will forget that she is house trained : lol. At which point if I know there is nothing medically wrong, we go back to potty training 101.

[Guest verthib]

Oh wow, sorry you are going through this. It sounds like a terrible situation. Have you tried any of those supplements that make the poop taste really bad? If you close off access to the dog door, would he poop in the house? Have you always muzzled him or did you just start doing it when you got the new foster? I would be going nuts too.

 

Always muzzled while gone and he would occasionally do the poop in the muzzle, but now it's gotten much worse. I have not tried those supplements...but it's a thought. And I don't dare close off the dog door because if a thunderstorm comes through he has no issue with peeing in the house...if the door is open, he's fine.

 

I'm making him stay in the dog room right now, I don't even want to see him...sounds bad, but I'm not happy with him at all. Pop has no issues with going in the house if he really has to go but he doesn't go just to go, whereas Zelda will absolutely hold it as long as she can (she's my good little girl).

 

He has no clue why you are punishing him. We watch our dogs go to the bathroom, and then pick it right up. We don't give them access to the outdoors without us there as anything could happen while we are gone and we wouldn't be there to see them climb the fence, get stolen, see another animal in the yard, help them if they get hurt, etc.

[TheFullHouse]

I have two that have been major poop eaters. A regular kennel muzzle with a stool guard in it worked for Saint. He tried a couple of times and when he couldn't get anything through the stool guard he stopped rooting through the poop. Now he will lay in the grass and roll around until he gets his muzzle off to try and go and snack but I catch him most of the time. To be honest, since I started adding a probiotic to their food, neither him nor Jilly Bean want to eat poop as much as they used to. I don't know if they are digesting more of their food or if the probiotic is making the poop taste bad but they've both been really good lately.