# Poop eating



## orestis (Aug 26, 2013)

OK, twice now Mucho has eaten his own poop. Sorry for the gross post!

The first time I caught him in the act - he was nibbling on a fresh piece in the balcony. He got yelled at and removed from the scene, and given a thorough mouth washing.

The second time he finished his snack uninterrupted. He was unsupervised on the balcony where he does his business, and there was no evidence left apart from a stinky tell-tale mouth. He got a mouth washing and a bit of fresh apple to eat to take the bad breath away. It's been ~10 hours since he ate so frankly I was surprised he actually had any poop in him. I never actually watched him a) poop or b) eat it but that kind of stink couldn't come from anywhere else. Unless there was a leftover piece we didn't pick up from the morning jobbie. This is a 4th floor balcony so there's nothing else there.

Apart from obviously being a very gross habit, should we be worried? I've read that poop eating sometimes means a dietary deficiency, but we really the trust the feed we give him. He eats twice a day (morning/evening) and weighs almost 5kg now at 4months + 1 week old.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Unfortunately, it's a very common (if gross!!!) habit in dogs of all breeds. It CAN be from a nutrient deficiency… more often it is just because they like it. Because I knew that was always a possibility, Kodi NEVER was unsupervised when pottying until he was well over a year old. I didn't want to take a chance on him developing a taste for it. 

There are things you can add to their food that supposedly make it taste bad, though I'm not sure how well it works. I've also heard some people will leave poop available, but coat it with very hot hot sauce, so that after one taste, they decide that's not such a good idea. Not sure how well these methods work, because it's problem I haven't had personally. But I know there are several people on the forum who have battled this… Hopefully they will weigh in!


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## RoutineAvocado (Feb 6, 2013)

Zelda is a proud poop eater. It started one random day out of the blue a few weeks after we brought her home. She would rush for it the second it was available... So gross. We had to supervise very closely and worked a lot on "leave it." She eventually got less obsessed. Our vet said we shouldn't worry and said the supplements were ok to try but don't always help much. She still gets into it pretty often but her obsession has died down. I'm hoping her interest phases out completely as she grows up. Gross animal...

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## orestis (Aug 26, 2013)

Mucho isn't that obsessed - he will immediately turn around to sniff his product, but generally leave it alone.


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## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

Tyler was also one of those gross poop eaters. I tried everything on the market and nothing worked. His habit went on for years and years. The only thing that worked was my getting it before he did. A little over a year ago, I changed his kibble and, voila! He has never looked back since. Pun intended.


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## Sumirra (Jun 23, 2013)

I am hopeful with this thread, Mason started a month or more ago, Dixie more recently. It is so hard to get to it quickly enough. UGH. I tell everyone, "dont let them lick you! they eat poop" I brush their teeth and tongues daily. I am disgusted by this habit. They are nearly perfect otherwise  I think they play with it sometimes too, when they use their pee pad at night, sometimes i find little hard pieces  in weird places. HELP! please. Mary, what kibble do you use????


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## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

Sumirra said:


> I am hopeful with this thread, Mason started a month or more ago, Dixie more recently. It is so hard to get to it quickly enough. UGH. I tell everyone, "dont let them lick you! they eat poop" I brush their teeth and tongues daily. I am disgusted by this habit. They are nearly perfect otherwise  I think they play with it sometimes too, when they use their pee pad at night, sometimes i find little hard pieces in weird places. HELP! please. Mary, what kibble do you use????


Natural Balance LID Sweet Potato and Fish broke the habit for him. Recently, I began to add Honest Kitchen Zeal as a topper and so far so good with that one too. It doesn't mean that it will work for you, but it worked wonders here. It only took about 14 years. Lol


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## DebW (Jun 11, 2013)

I've heard that adding a little yogurt to their food can help, but I haven't tried it myself.


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## Sumirra (Jun 23, 2013)

Added yogurt and pumpkin a few weeks ago... nice solid poops now, better for playing with  I plan to try some fishy kibble or treats next. thanks for advice!


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Oooh the shame.... Jack is a poop eater. His, Nessie, rabbit, whatever he can get. I put pumpkin in his and Nessie's food. It helps a little but I still saw him the other day merrily flipping a frozen poopiscle into the air and running happily around the yard with his treasure. 

sigh...


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## Sumirra (Jun 23, 2013)

morriscsps said:


> Oooh the shame.... Jack is a poop eater. His, Nessie, rabbit, whatever he can get. I put pumpkin in his and Nessie's food. It helps a little but I still saw him the other day merrily flipping a frozen poopiscle into the air and running happily around the yard with his treasure.
> 
> sigh...


OMG Pam, this is probably what my guys are doing when I am not watching, I find little bits of poo all over the pen. Soooo gross.
Adding something to their food to make it taste bad???? doesn't it already taste bad??? The fish idea is next on my list.


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## Anna6 (Oct 21, 2012)

Yuck! I already get grossed out when she cleans her own bottom even though I think that is a good habit. Nina is either in the house or on the leash. She did try and eat her own poo once or twice right after we got her but I made sure she could not. She still likes to give it a good sniff if she runs into it but even that I do not let her indulge. She always goes on a 12x12 ft section of lawn we put in the yard for her. We scoop and mow the lawn once a week or more.


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## Anna6 (Oct 21, 2012)

The way you describe it you make it sound like something fun. No wonder they are into it. I am in stitches.



morriscsps said:


> Oooh the shame.... Jack is a poop eater. His, Nessie, rabbit, whatever he can get. I put pumpkin in his and Nessie's food. It helps a little but I still saw him the other day merrily flipping a frozen poopiscle into the air and running happily around the yard with his treasure.
> 
> sigh...


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## Colbie (Feb 9, 2013)

Colbie prefers rabbit poop when she can get it. I try to make sure she can't and usually fail.


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## BFrancs (May 17, 2012)

morriscsps said:


> I still saw him the other day merrily flipping a frozen poopiscle into the air and running happily around the yard with his treasure.


Too Funny!!! you had me laughing but the sad part is I can see my boy Vino doing something like this too i just haven't caught him


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

I'm so glad someone else brought this up. Charley eats deer poop!!! It's all over lately and for him he pops them like chocolate chips. It is so gross I just don't get it. 
I have tried to pour hot sauce on the deer poop but haven't gotten it all worked out yet. 
By the way, how do you brush your dog's tongue? Charley's doesn't stay still when I try and of course it's impossible to hold.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

I wet down a paper towel to get the poop out of Jack's cheek pockets. He stores poop like a chipmunk. So disgusting. There are dental wipe sheets. I have seen them at the groomer's but we would go through instantly. LOL!

I use a 3-sided toothbrush to minimize the time I spend brushing. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...483&catargetid=1570178395&cadevice=c&cagpspn=


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## Sumirra (Jun 23, 2013)

I use the finger tip toothbrush.


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## Ruth4Havs (May 13, 2013)

Sumirra said:


> I use the finger tip toothbrush.


Me too. Chester likes it because it is chewy.(sometimes he bites my finger too hard)I hate when Chester eats poop, because he usually brings it in the house. Then he lays it down on the carpet like it is fragile and then we realize its in the house because of the awful stench.:faint: Rabbit poop for him is a delicacy uke:


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## Laci'sMom (Oct 16, 2012)

My Hav likes cat poop. Became really noticeable after our snow fall lately! We can't see it but she can sniff it out and digs it up. So so disgusting!! EWE!

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## Sumirra (Jun 23, 2013)

I am comforted in a weird way that so many others struggle with the poopsicle eating. It is no longer my "dirty little secret"


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## Clara (Dec 14, 2013)

I read somewhere that the eating their own poo can sometimes be because the food isn't being digested completely. Some dogs eat it because it still smells like their food. The suggestion was to change their food. I dunno Buddha is too busy wanting to be praised for going that he runs away from it to me. I also try to distract him when I'm picking it up. I guess some dogs think you're collecting it for a reason and they don't want to be left out.


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## Lalla (Jul 30, 2013)

Gosh, isn't it delightful owning a dog!!! It's reassuring, though, that something so gross should at least make one laugh so much!! Cuba is a poogourmet, too, although it seems to have stopped since I've been feeding about 50% raw. The poo is much harder and there's less of it and she seems to be less interested, thank goodness. I think we just have to remember that they are dogs, not humans. They probably think some of our culinary predilections are pretty strange, too, I daresay. If I had a small child with a poo fetish I'd be seriously upset by it, but dogs just do things differently so I try to keep that in mind. With difficulty sometimes!


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