Eating poo!!!!

[Lana]

Hi I have two dogs, one is a 2 years old Dogue de Bordeaux who is very well behaved and the other is an 8 month old Dalmatian who I already have issues with chewing things!!!

The dalmatian has started to eat the Bordeaux's poo - which I think is totally disgusting!!! She did it as a puppy and I thought I'd tackled it but the past few weeks I've had to muzzle her because she's been destroying everything in her sit (see previous link on the chewing issue - too long to go into). But when I've come home from work the end of her muzzle is covered in the bordeaux's poo!!!! Yuk! She rubs her nose against it to try and eat it but because the muzzle is a Baskerville type (plastic mess type rather than nylon) it gets stuck in between and I have to hose it down each night.

Anyone know why she's acting this way and what I can do to stop her from eating his poo??

Ta

Lana

[melody]

I won't think that your dog is too hungry to be able to do that but it's one thing you can check too, I mean, you may not notice that your dog's appetite maybe had increased and it's a natural instinct to find something where he can get her needed nutrients... Or maybe check if your dog feels any bit of anxiety problems, this is one way they release their stress.

[AaronJ80]

I would call your vet. The reasons range from a vitamin deficiency to boredom or anxiety. Even though it's very common, there are health risks for stool-eating dogs. They can infect themselves with parasites, such as giardia, Filaroides, or coccidian.

Also, pet stores carry products made for this. ( Its called Coprophagia) The most common products are powder-like substances that are sprinkled on the dog’s food. The powders are tasteless when eaten, but tastes very unsavory when they leave a dog’s body. The product should be sprinkled on the food of all dogs in a household, so as not to encourage any additional consumption.

Hope that helps.

[Mark_stimpo]

Hi my dog used to eat horse and cat poo, its horible spesh when they trying to lick you after, you can get stuff out there to stop this behavour, ive seen an item called deter.

[craigclemins]

Hey,

At your local pet shop you should be able to find some additives that you can add to yoru dogs food. After you dog passes the stool it will have a taste/smell that will not be appealing to you dog at all. This should help solve the problem.

[BogusiaReca]

I used to have a dog like that. A vet gave me a solution to the problem. Dog digestive system is different from human, i.e. shorter. Dogs need slightly decomposed food, but some of them need it more than others. The best way to stop a dog eating poo is to meet that need. You need to buy a raw bone (a real bone from the butcher, not the imitation from a pet shop) a keep it out of the fridge for one or two days until it gets that "wonderful" smell of rotting and then you give it to the dog. For the sake of the house, it's better to keep the bone and give it to the dog somewhere outside. If the dog gets this two, three times a week he should stop having interest in poo. I think that at the beginning I would give the bone to the dog every day and gradually limit it to fewer times a week. It worked with my dog. Notice that after some days the bone losses the smell and then you need to use a new bone. Although it may not sound nice, I think it's better than eating poo.
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