This is probably on the wrong board but I just need to vent my frustration somewhere! Where I live, which is pretty rural, most of the fields are grazed by cows and sheep. The dogs spend the whole walk eating poo - rabbit (not too bad), sheep (OK in small amounts) and cows (yuk!). If I keep them on the lead they don't get the free running I think they need, and if I let them off they spend the whole time eating s**t, and again don't get the free run! I wouldn't mind if they kept the stuff down, but invariably it comes out as it went in, from one end or the other! Sorry for the rant, but the pleasure of dog walking is beginning to turn into a real pain and I am getting more and more frustrated with each walk!

I spose maybe you could put a muzzle on them?

not a good idea with poo. they just eat it through it and then because they hate the muzzle they rub your legs with their noses and then ...  well you guessed it :D

do your dogs like or hate water? a water pistol could work or (a bit dreading putting this on hear) a pet corrector type thing that could either be an air spray or pebbles in a can. Your  dogs can't be too sensitive for the latter method and it would totally depend on your dogs.

I tend to find looking the other way and pretending it's not happening helps a bit.  It's when they run up to you tail wagging and brown tongue hanging out that you're dragged back to reality.

I can only sympathise.  I have previously had Labs who were like this - don't know what breed yours is - though fortunately they were usually able to digest whatever they scoffed before being moved on.  Aversives just teach intelligent dogs to be devious about it - to check whether you are looking first.  Very clever dogs chow down behind your back when the other dog is being told off for it.

Is there no arable land with footpaths through it near you?  Or set-aside land?  Tracks or relatively enclosed bridlepaths?  I used to change my routes according to the seasons - walking the Labs off-lead where calves had previously been made me feel exactly as you describe.

Surely rabbit poo doesn't count - it's so small :-D

Welcome to my life! :D

Dogs will eat rabbit, cow and horse poo because it is undigested vegetable matter. It'll pose no health threat to them at all and in fact it is something that they might possibly be likely to do in the wild to add fibre to their diet. But it can just sometimes become a habit. You could try adding naturezyme (made by Naturediet) to  meals,the naturezyme tops up the bacteria in the gut that helps to digest the protein. ( to help with the vomitting back of the poop) Just a thought???
    But the smellier, more revolting the habit..the more delighful it is to our dear little 4 legged 'angels', bless 'em :rolleyes: :D

Being a city dog we don't run into all that much in the way of recycled delicacies other than the odd pile of horse muck - which although interesting as a young puppy is now left with a simple leave it command. However, this weekend Milo was a little behind us and when I turned to check on him I saw him eating something out of a tree. It looked like it was in a forked part of the branch. Well after giving the drop command, (his eyes said "yeah right mom, and you'd spit out a truffle wouldn't you") I bravely reached in to pull it out. Ugh, it was poo of unknown origin. It looked like tan clay, very slimey and very smelly. He doesn't eat dog poo. I have to convince myself it was of kitty or foxy origin because the alternative is too disgusting to think about (just in that area were obvious droppings of youths, bottles, fire pits etc.) I think I introduced my hand to every leaf in the forest and all of the moss.

Ah the helpful advice. Can you spot when they're on the trail of another helping? If so, a good strong leave is good to use. If you can't tell when they're homing in that's of no use.

Happens all the time to you - I feel your pain.

Thanks for the replies. They are all fed on naturediet and naturesmenu (due to the difficulty in getting ND) and I do add naturezyme. The odd mouthful wouldn't worry me, it is the amount they consume, I'm sure a whole muck heap would go given the chance. Then there is the worry of exercising on a full stomach! I have tried spray collars (which does work for one of the Dobe's, but only if she is within it's range) and they all love water (especially the Goldies and Spaniel). Maybe I will just have to drive them into the middle of nowhere, free from livestock, if I am to keep my rapidly disappearing sanity!

ROFL  :D :D

Sorry I shouldn't laugh, I do sympathise, my pair are trained to a really strong 'Leave it' command ( They'll even leave a nice new juicy bone if I tell them ;) but I'm not normally that cruel ) as there's plenty of animal poos (and worse :( ) everywhere we walk :(

It's just the thought that you're paying out for Nature Diet and Nature's menu (not cheap dogfoods and no doubt you want to give them a good diet) and they are scavenging any old cr*p they can get hold of      Typical dogs :rolleyes: you just gotta love 'em don't you?

When we still had the cat, I had a devil of a job stopping the dogs eating the 'Chocolate Rolls' from the litter tray ('leave it' only works if you get there first)  I needed eyes in the back of my head :rolleyes: so I doctored a litter tray with Shaws Chew deterrent.  It took a few times but they did learn to leave the litter tray alone ;)   don't know how many bottles of the stuff you'd need to doctor a whole field of the stuff tho ?

Perhaps I should put Naturediet in the fields and cow s**t in their bowls - it would be less expensive at least!

Pedlee,

One of my dogs is a poop-eater.  I've now starting walking her in a common area that has a bridle path - yuch. 
I always carrry treats with me and when if she picks it up I immediately tell her "drop it" and give her a treat.  It works most of the time. 

My other dog Rudi only eats his own poop once in a while, but I do recall he once threw up nine times within an hour on my light tan carpet.  Nine brown puddles of regurgated poop.  I felt like rehoming him!

Stacey

what a lovely subject to read at teatime!  Mine rolls in it as well as eating it.  She comes home smelling more of horse than dog.  She has a really nice natural smell too - not like our last dog (Do females always smell less that is why they feel the need to anoint themselves with other animals scent?  I have not used the advice of a long lead because a) it drags in the mud and poo b) she is slowed down by it anyway and it inhibits her.
As for water jets I wouldn't get near enough.  I just act like an idiot and run off calling her in a jolly type of voice.  Works sometimes.

The spaniel is the only one that rolls in it, so I suppose I should be grateful for that, if all five did it I think I'd be in the lunatic asylum by now! The problem, like you say, is getting near enough to chastise, I don't stand a chance!

Perhaps I should put Naturediet in the fields and cow s**t in their bowls - it would be less expensive at least!

LOL

I bet they'd then prefer the Naturediet !! :D :D :D