I posted a question a while ago regarding Decoy, Springer, eating his own and everybody else's poo, that is to include foxes, horses, cats and even my other dogs. This has been a problem on and off ever since we had him as a pup, I have tried pineapple and courgettes in his food. sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't - I have spoken to my vet who says a lot of dogs do it and not to worry, but yesterday I had had enough! He was pooing and immediately eating it, (I can't stop him - he is that quick) and then went on to wait ,nose under cookie's bottom whilst he was pooing and then ate that too - its so disgusting. I have tried only letting him out on his own to toilet, he just eats his own - if i stay out with him on lead he won't poo, even on a long long line, and its not always possible to be waiting by the door to catch him as he really is too fast now! yuk!!! Yesterday was so bad, he had terrible diahorrea (sp) by the end of the day and even lapped that up!! major problem!!! I can't see how it can be harmless, surely he is eating toxins elimated by his body?? The only solution I can now think of is a muzzle, I think it was suggested before. I have bought a basket type muzzle today and have put it on him and let him out, He tried to eat the poo but obviously couldn't, so I had to hose the muzzle out. do you think it will break the habit, as I now feel it is habitual, and therefore break the cycle!!! any ideas???? julie:)

iI think the muzzle is a good idea to break the cycle ( poor you ,you have been through it lately ;))
I must admit it brought tears to my eyes the thought of Decoy waiting for cookie to poo :D
is Decoy regular ? I mean if you know when he's going to go ,then whilst he's wearing the muzzle and can't eat it maybe call him to you for a treat straight after pooing ( does that make sense ?) I know you'd have to cope with a pooey muzzle for a bit ,but it might change the routine ( if you see what I mean ) --sorry didn't mean that to rhyme :D
Murphs does a lap of honour around the living room whenever he's 'been'
other than that -sorry can't be of any help ......but you have my sympathy ;)
Liz

Lots of dogs do this. You are NOT alone. It won't hurt him. At least it hasn't hurt anyone else's dogs that I know have done it. Savannah was one of the worst offenders - she finally outgrew it (mostly). The times when it didn't agree wtih her she just brought it back up (now THAT is a major YUCK!!)

If your dog has an aversion to water try standing at the door with a water pistol and squirting him AS SOON AS he goes for it. OR you could borrow one of the citronella remote training collars and trigger it when he goes for it.

Hope this helps.

Wendy

Julie,
It does sound like he's just got into the habit of it. One of our Goldens did it. Not all the time but she'd have phases when she'd do it. We never did manage to break the habit completely. She'd stop for months or even a couple of years and then start again for a while. It never seemed to do her any harm but it was just disgusting. I used to tell her I was refusing to give her a kiss because she had a smelly mouth but even that didn't stop her ;) :)

I think the muzzle, water pistol and citronella collar are all good ideas. Anything to try and put him off. Meantime, tell him he's not getting kisses :p: :) :D
Dot

Julie

I do feel for you. It is disgusting to us humans. I was going to suggest the basket muzzle too. For the citronella collar - you'd need to get the remote control one and squirt it as soon as you see him making a move towards poo.

Poor you:(

Pam n the boys

Hi Julie
I had this prob with Bayley as a pup and then Six (again as a pup). :(
It is horrible and it is just a habit, I'm certain!
I bought and used a muzzle for Bayley. It was a nylon one with the nose bit open to allow panting and drinking, but NOT poo eating as she couldn't open her mouth wide enough! ;) I prefered it to the basket muzzle as she wouldn't have been able to drink with that on.
Everytime she went out I put the muzzle on and it certainly worked for her. :)
With Six I bought some tablets from the Pet Shop, called Deter. I think it is 1 tab per 10kg body weight, and as she is so small it wasn't too expensive. I kept her on them for about 2 -3 weeks and it stopped her doing it, broke the habit and now it is v.rare she will eat poo, but if she does it's usually not her own!
Best of luck! :D
Nicky

thanks all! Nicky, this basket one allows for panting and drinking, its a baskerville,he has drunk with it on , they have a big bowl of water outside as well. I had a look at the nylon ones,as that was the kind I had in my mind, but the ones in the store near me, kept the mouth completely shut, I did consider it as he never eats his own poo when we are out, just horses, cats, foxes etc, so I will only use it at home in the garden, but am actually glad I didn't, as I have already had to hose the basket one out, and I thought he would have a try with a muzzle on - so I guess the nylon one would have to be dried out etc. I have been hoping he would grow out of it, but I think it is such a ingrained habit now , I can't leave it to age any longer :D does Deter work the same as pineapple/courgette as in it makes it taste horrible?? the problem I have is that I would have to give it to all the dogs, as he eats theirs as well. So I wonder how much it would costs to dose everyone? although probably worth every penny if it stops him:D thanks all for your input julie:)

Hi Julie
Deter works by making the poo unpalatable I suppose.
Although I got it in the Pet Shop it was recommended by my Vet, she said they don't carry anything to make poo unattractive in surgery.
It comes in packs of 60 tabs which were £4.98. 1 tab per 10lbs body weight, so as you say could be v.expensive to dose your whole gang up but possibly, used along with the muzzle, worth a try. ;)
Certainly sounds like the muzzle is working, so I'd stick with it. :)
Like you I've not experienced them eating their own away from home, but definately sheep, fox etc, so Bayley only had a muzzle on at home. Didn't think about her being able to stick her head right into the water bucket with a basket muzzle on! :rolleyes:
HTH
Nicky :D

Has the vet done a thourough check up on this dog? We had two Golden Retreiver pups who constantly act poo - and they were both quite poorly with a bacterial overgrowth, which nature was telling them to eat the poo to correct.

what tests did you have done? Was it a stool sample they needed? He went to the vets a week ago as he had hurt his paw, and I asked about it again then. The vet said not to worry about it , but didn't suggest any specific tests - do you think its worth taking him again then? thanks for your reply julie:)

Never mind feeding him courgettes, give him a clip round the ear with one.

:D LOL at Dave :D julie:)

Without a doubt . Roflol Mari