Poop Eating...ugh

[Guest HopeSLP]

So Petey recently began eating his poop in the backyard. I took him to the vet because he was doing some other behavioral things that made me think something want right. She checked his feces, no parasites, but put him on a dose of panacur just in case. We have also been trying For-Bid for the poop eating, but no luck. He only does it at night as well.

 

The reviews for For-Bid aren't great for stopping dogs from reading their poop. I pick up the yard twice a week, as I don't have time to do so each time he poops. Any body have suggestions for home remedies or do I just let him continue?

[PattyHasThree]

A muzzle with a stool cup will do the trick.

 

Patty

Maverick - I'm not a poop eater.

Jesse - I'm not a poop eater.

Shilo - quit looking at me!

[TheFullHouse]

Muzzle with a stool guard is the only thing that worked for me.

[greyhead]

What other kinds of behavioral things is he doing? Chewing strange things, for instance?

[Batmom]

We pick up every time they go. Even with two, it doesn't take long -- couple minutes a couple times a day. That plus stool cup keeps everybody (except the poop eater ) happy and clean.

 

Didn't change food recently, by any chance?

[Guest DragonflyDM]

"A dog's senses of taste and smell are closely linked and it is possible that dogs gain more imformation about food from its smell than from its taste. Most of a dog's taste buds are clustered around the tip of the tongue. Dogs can detect bitter, sweet, salty, and sour tastes, but their sense of taste is relatively poor and they have only one-sixth the number of taste buds that humans have."

 

Dogs don’t eat poop for psychological reasons. Often, very often, dogs start coprophagy (the eating of poop) because of poor diets. They eat feces to get nutrition (they aren’t so picky like people). When a dog eats feces as a behavioral issue, it is usually boredom.

Edited May 20, 2012 by DragonflyDM

[Batmom]

Actually, dogs very seldom eat poop due to poor diets. They start eating it because it's there and it smells interesting, and they keep eating it because ... it's there and it smells interesting, and/or they have nothing better to do.

[Guest BrianRke]

I have had some success with pineapple juice. Just add a couple tablespoons of pure pineapple juice to their food.

[Guest HHHounds]

Vanilla is a poop eater so she has a muzzle with poop guard on everytime she goes out. Zorro would rather not eat poop. Go figure....

[GreyTzu]

Actually, dogs very seldom eat poop due to poor diets. They start eating it because it's there and it smells interesting, and they keep eating it because ... it's there and it smells interesting, and/or they have nothing better to do.

 

 

Muzzle with a stool guard is the only thing that worked for me.

 

[Guest Jacks_Human]

Another dog of mine (a Staffy/GSD cross) was an incorrigable poop eater for most of her life (although according to my mum, she's recently improved). The only thing that worked was picking up right away. (Ironically Jack, who has scarfed up-- or made a go at scarfing up-- everything from rubber bands to beer vomit, has no interest in nibbling poo *knocks on wood*)

[Guest HopeSLP]

Thank you guys for the suggestions and replies. To answer some questions: I have not changed foods(I feed him nutros); as for other behavioral things... he has not been eating the best, in that he will graze on the meals. It sometimes takes him 2 hours to finish a meal, and he doesn't ask for meals like he did before.

I think I'll try the pineapple juice and picking up more often. If this doesn't work, I'm buying a stool guard for his muzzle.

[greyhead]

Dogs don't necessarily eat poop just because it's there. In our family it was due to intestinal malabsorption and consequent anemia. You should probably discuss this with your vet and maybe do some testing. Here's an article that lists the possibilities. http://www.petmd.com...CFQF7hwodqGn6oA Your dog's lack of enthusiasm for eating his food may mean something medical.

Edited May 20, 2012 by greyhead

[Guest avadogner]

We have been dealing with truffle shuffling at our home too. We feed Taste of the Wildnerness Salmon Grain Free which is a high quality food. We have used pineapple juice, potty mouth deterent tabs and scoop the yard every couple days. Before installing a dog door, we were able to control it with muzzle with a poop cup in it. The back yard they have access to through the dog door is pretty large so Augie can sometimes find some yard truffles if he looks hard enough. He is in perfect health, ideal weight, parasite free and happy. I don't see the appeal but he will eat poo even while having a full bowl of kibble. We try to brush his teeth every day but in all honesty we probably only do it every other day. He hates tooth brushing but came to us with bad teeth so we are trying to keep those toofers clean. Hang in there!