Many apologies for starting such a disgusting thread !!!! My 16 wk old lab, Dylan eats his poo - in fact the little horror is lying next to me snoring now absolutely stinking of the poo he just ate!!! - wouldn't be without him though :) :). I did a quick search on here but didn't find that much. My question is - Will it harm him? One doggy person I spoke to actually said that he will be getting goodness from it - is this true and if so is there anything I can give him to 'put in' this goodness in a more attractive way - 1 previous post here mentioned lime???? Secondly - I am not that bothered about him doing it - as long as it isn't harming him - so I'm not really bothered about feeding pineapple (I think) etc as a deterrent BUT will he be a poo-eater all his life or is it just a pup thing?? Reassurance for 1st time neurotic dog owner required :D :D :D

HI

This is very common in young puppies - it can become a habit but most do grow out of it. My youngest boy did it and at the time it was truly awful. Try to catch him in the act and tell him no and move him away - another must is to clean up straight away. Myboy stopped of his own accord but also because I removed as much as poss.

It is true recycling in the way that rabbits eat their poo first time around and the way cows regurgitate the cud to re-chew it. Still rather disgusting though - you have my sympathy coz it's always the time they come to give you a big sloppy yummy lick:D

Pam n the now clean boys;)

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but, given half a chance my gsd, who is 12 now, will still eat her poo, if she gets chance. I usally watch her, and pick it up as soon as she has done it, so that she can't get to it.
there is a lot of deterants, which i'm sure people will advise you, but ive found none that worked for my dog.:(
Except be quicker than she is :D

Jane :)

I read soemwhere that GSD are the worst for this but can't remember where r why it would be true. As far as I am aware it does them no harn what so ever..

Pam

Hi leagh I have sent you a link re this subject but it failed
put coprophagia in the canine into the google and it will come up for you , Mari

thnaks every one for their replies. Mari, the link was great, thankyou - it has put my mind at rest. Dylan usually eats the late night poo - the one I think "Oh I'm not going out in the dark - I'll leave it till morning..." only its never there :D. As long as I know it won't harm him and he MAY grow out of it (said hopefully). He's been so good with every other aspect of being with us - whats a bit of poo between us :D :D :D

While looking in the pet shop the other day, I saw something on the shelf that you put in the dogs food which makes the poo taste bitter to the dog and apparently stops them. I can't remember what it was called but I saw it in Pet World and they probably sell it in other pet stores too. No idea if it works, but in principle it sounds a good idea. Thank goodness my puppy looks at her poo as if its disgusting and leads me to it to remove it quickly.

My advice is to put a stop to it now. Sure it doesn't do them any harm, but don't let it become a habit, as they are hard to break. Quite often, if they eat their own, they also eat others, then it becomes the best game in the world for them, and they spend all their walks out looking for more.

Obviously it helps to remove it straight away, but as soon as you see him going for it, that's the time to act. Short and sharp, let him know it isn't acceptable. You wouldn't let your kids do it, so don't let him. Hoping he grows out of it, is like hoping a pup will grow out of pulling, biting, running off, and messing in the house. He might do, but there's every chance he won't.

you must love that dog!!! :D , i cant believe you dont mind as long as its not harming him---i could vommit odd times ive seen dogs doing it----not pei of course :rolleyes: they look shocked if theyre sniffing about outside and bump into a poo!! they jump back snorting as if to say---yak, theres a stinking poo down there and i bumped into it :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

LOL@Dizzy's Pei :D

Our 15 week old Boxer pup discovered Cows today...and eating Cow pats. Needless to say I am disgusted. I know it's organic, but can she get ill? I will not be walking her in the cow pasture any time soon.
Yuuck. It's time to brush her teeth.
Best,
Megbel

Megbel, have a look at the link Mari posted above - one thing it talks about is when dogs may get ill from eating other animals poo. The reason I'm not worried about Dylan is because the little horror only eats his own. Dave - I agree completely about training him - and the funny thing is - he never even sniffs the ones he does whilst I am outside with him - but you can guarantee that when I can't be outside - (in middle of seeing to kids or something) in he comes, licking his lips, looking really pleased with himself and stinking to high heaven!!!!! :) :) :)

Hi Dave,
As I said earlier, My gsd will still eat hers given chance,The one thing she wont do is eat others though, will only eat her own.
the only way is to get to it before her! :(

Jane :)

Zara, who is 10 today, starting eating dog poo after having her one litter
of pup's in '95. I now 'hover' holding shovel when my bitches are in the back garden ! However sometimes she has her mouth under her daughter's backside and the poo doesn't touch the ground !!
I find it a disgusting habit - but it's quite common with dogs.

Pam

Hi, I have heard good reports of a couple of chopped up pineapple chunks in the food each day will stop them eating their poo. Worth a try, and you can have the rest on your pizza!!

Hi there,

Yes it's true pineapple is a good thing to try. Apparently there is an enzime which makes the poo less palatable, and I have never had trouble with my lot sampling their own waste.

My four malamutes absolutely adore their pineapple every night after we have eaten our dinner (in fact we get no peace until they have had their's), we usually raid Morrison's shelves for it when shopping. They must think we have a thing about it!

Good luck,

Jenny & The Wintersperre Gang.

Aren't poo eating dogs fab!!!!

My 7 month old springer not only eats his poo, but given half a chance will also eat the poo of any other animal. He's especially fond of my 18 month old springer/collie X's poo. He's even been known to munch that up as it comes out - truly vile to witness!

I've heard of a herbal thing you pop in their food, which makes the poo taste bitter, but is undetectable in the food. Maybe made by Mark & Chappell. Not sure though!

Its called Deter and I'm trying it out on my youngest who seems to like her own poo once its cooled down!

Hi all, one by one all of my dogs started doing this & I tried pineapple & also p/juice & this stopped them for quite a few months. Then slowly they started again.
I have found since they have been on the raw diet they have all stopped, also no flies go near it & nor do the dung beetles!!
Christine2

Hi leahloo,
Could be that the diet you are feeding your puppy is to rich for him, most of the proteins and other good stuff is going through him, and as already mentioned similiar to a rabbit he is re digesting the food a second time by eating his poo.

Hi Leahloo,

Just to say that the pineapple worked on both my poo eating GSDs, courgette also has the same effect

Mine were truly evil and would eat poo and then come in and try to lick me UUUrrrrggghhhh

Theresa