Sorry to have to raise this but my dog (a rescue lab/mut) has started a bad habit of going into the garden and eating his own poo

I'm sure he's not the only dog to do this but does anyone know why he's doing it. I do my best to clear it all up but you know what it's like sometimes you are just too busy and it gets a bit out of hand.

My vet advised me that some dogs have the manky habit and others dont....mine does!

It wont hurt them though...

I try to get to the poop before she can turn around and scoff it....

I've a friend that feeds her pooch garlic capsules in a bid to stop him eating his own poop

Maybe it tastes nice? Why don't you try a bit and see? You don't know what you're missing!

Oh my goodness, not_orange, I could have written this post myself and have every sympathy with you. My 6 month pup is doing exactly the same (and other dogs' poo!) at any given opportunity, despite being fed a very good diet. He's a gorgeous, lovely-natured dog, but he's almost obsessive about it and it's the one thing he's pretty defiant over!

So, in support of the OP, can anyone help?

Ooooh, hadn't thought of that, Biff. Being an expert on all matters, um, colonic, you should be an authority in this department!


I'd have to try it on toast or something, first, though!

More seriously, my main concern relates to three things:
1) The daft little git catching something nasty, even though he's wormed and vaccinated
2) Passing on something nasty
3) The Satan's Brew stinky breath it gives him

Be careful of coprogastroenteritis

It's my understanding that, as gross as it is, dogs will do this without there being much negative effect upon them. Their digestive system is built to be pretty tough; look how some wild dogs will eat carrion and such like.

Is your dog a Lab? I've heard that Labs are totally obsessed with food of any sort.

This is why i would never have a pet

that is NASTY!

I do it all the time.

My lab tends to do that - never his own though, just other dogs, cats or cows.

Best advice is lift any dog poo in your garden immediately.
If it's outdoors and belongs to another dog then maybe try a harmless aversion such as zapping with a water pistol.
My friend did this with her dog - a lab btw and it soon stopped her continuing with the habit.

I believe its fairly common and as someone else said clearing any pooh away asap is a good move. Theres further info on these links.

[url="http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/information/atozofdogs/c/coprophagia/"]


[url="http://www.1fleacontrol.co.uk/acatalog/dogs-and-coprophagia.html"]

It is a common problem. I have 2 dogs, and one of mine does it. She doesnt eat her own though - only her brothers.

When i first got her she was a pup on puppy food. She was eating her brothers poo even then. I chatted with the vet, who said she might be lacking the vitamins that adult dog food gives a dog. So, before i should of done, i put her on adult food. But she still does it.

In the summer, when we are in the garden - we pick up the poo instantly so she cant do it. But in the night if he goes she eats it, or when we are at work etc .... You cant always get to it in time.

The result is that Bella's breath is vile. There are some nights that you cant have her near you. She radiates the stench of stale poo. Other times she is better.

I have heard that putting pinapple in their food helps. The enzymes in pineapple make the poo taste revolting. I keep meaning to try it - and havent.

As in the case of some dogs do it,some humans do it too!

Now i don't have dogs, but have been an avid watcher of "It's me or the dog". I don't ever remember seeing this habit, but other habits that have been on the show that Victoria has tried to cure, she used the clicker, which is either invisible to our ears and only a dog can hear, or we can hear it too. I'm sure that it distracts the dog immediately from what it is doing and you can then remove the poo or remove the dog from the garden. Really not sure if this will work, but just going on what i have seen on the tele. Sounds horrid though!

Aw, not_orange, labs are gorgeous!
Ollie is a Welsh Springer Spaniel...apparently his brother, Billy has exactly the same habit. He's looking at me now with huge brown eyes as if to say "What?". I think he is the canine version of a chav!


Thanks for the tips so far, folks.

One of my dogs used to do this....i think it was mainly habit but i am sure it was to do with her diet aswell. Since I changed her food to Natures Prize Choice (raw mince) she has stopped.

Here's another link which may help you.

http://www.ttlntl.co.uk/3/BehAdv/coprophagia.htm

Feed him pineapple to change the taste or spray it

I have little to add but ...... ewwwwww!

Mind you, if one of my cats spews up it's breakfast (which will be dry food) and it's only very slightly digested, the other one has been known to tuck into that.

Yum!

Our Westie used to do this, he has only just turned 2 and has now stopped, we tried everything, got leaflets from the vet, but nothing worked, tried added various stuff to his food, but it didn't make a difference, used to get really wound up by it as he wouldn't eat his food if he was hungry, he would just go out and eat his poop!
One of the things that did work for us (most of the time) was to watch him and as soon as he pooped, we woulc call him a good boy and give him a treat straight away, then clean it up. We did notice as well that he would only eat it straight away, whilst it was still warm, if we distracted him, he wouldn't go back and eat it!
So I don't think there is a lot you can do, you just have to wait for them to grow out of it, it doesn't do any harm as they are only eating what has already been inside them (as gross as it sounds).
Hope that helps

We also tried changing his food as well, but that didn't work!

My dog's never eaten his own, but he will raid the cat litter tray if I don't clean it out quick enough after the cat's been and I'm forever pulling him away from fox/rabbit/deer poo when I walk him.

He'll either eat it, or roll in it. He rolled in fox poo a few weeks ago and the smell was horrendous. I could still smell it on him after I'd bathed him

My dog likes to loiter on walks licking other dog's wee, and he has been known to eat my cat's poo (twice)

There was also that time my son got caught short in the middle of nowwhere so I sent him off to the bushes. he came back, the dog went missing, returned with - and I am not joking - brown teeth.

I know all about disgusting dogs

My dog will eat my cat's poo in the garden if I am not quick enough to pick it up and he has occasionally eaten poo if he finds any when I am walking him but he is not interested in eating his own poo. It seems quite a common problem though and I think the advice I have seen most frequently given by experts is the water spray diversion tactic.

Cheers for that.......my chicken fried rice is about to resurface...lol !