Help! My dog shih tzu eats her poop. What will I do?

Answer 1

She is not doing anything that she believes is wrong. She was taught this by her mother, when the mom kept the nest clean. When mom became too overwhelmed to keep clean after all the litter, the pups were good little helpers and did it themselves....They didn't have gloves and bags, so just did it the way they could. She is just being fastidious. Please DON'T rub her nose in it. That will only confuse her. She will not get the point, and you will have a messy and traumatized dog.

Dog's ancesters have done this for eons, to keep their area clean and to not let predators know where they live. It is as natural for them as hand washing is for people.

The only solution is to consistantly beat her to it. Hopefully she will learn that you can be trused to clean it up so she doesn't have to.... Meanwhille, there is an additive available at all pet supplies that will make the stuff very bitter. This may help some.

Answer 2

1. Consult a veterinarian specializing in animal behavior about this complex problem, called coprophagia. Although veterinarians and animal behaviorists are unsure what causes the disorder, it can often be controlled with behavioral modification or drug therapy when it's properly diagnosed.

2. Buy a food additive - such as Deter or Forbid - or dry kibble that makes feces unappetizing to dogs, and add it to your dog's food if he's into eating his own. These products contain a chemical, monosodium glutamate, that is made bitter tasting during the digestive process.

3. Train your dog to defecate on demand, so that you're present and can pick up the feces immediately. If your dog defecates when you're not present, pick up the feces as soon as you can.

4. Take your dog out on a leash. Jerk the leash when he heads toward feces, and reward him when he doesn't approach it. Use this method until your dog learns not to approach feces.

5. Be sure to hide the litter box, or deny access to your dog when visiting a home with a cat.

Tips:
The best way to stop this behavior is to keep your dog away from feces. This may require extra diligence on your part.




hope i helped (: good luck!

Answer 3

I learned this trick, and it stopped my dog from doing the same thing...sprinkle the dog food with some adobe meat tenderizer (not much...very little). For some reason, it makes the poop taste bad to the dog. (yeah i know, you would think it already tastes bad, but hey...)

Answer 4

Your dog is eatting is fecal matter because he is lacking some nutrients in his diet. What are you feeding him? Makre sure it is a quality food that does not use fillers. (Fillers are things like corn meal) Make sure there is meat in the food. Not meat byproducts. Try a Nutro brand food.
If that does not work, take your dog to the vet.

Answer 5

Dogs do this. it sounds gross, but my dog likes to eat out of the cat litter box too. They do it for the same reason dogs roll around in other dead animals. I suggest not letting the dog lick your face.

Answer 6

Clean it before your dog eats it or do some jogging while walking your dog out, so it has no extra time.

Answer 7

Dogs do that, thats why i hate it when i see someone letting their animal lick them all in the face or eat after them. and then they have the nerve to say "his mouth is clean".To make matters worse they eat OTHER DOGS POO. You wouldnt kiss me if i was your boyfriend and i ate poo, and i brush my teeth everyday DOGS DONT.

Answer 8

Change her diet, she needs more fiber, try diving her some breakfast cereal, especially all bran and maybe some vegetables and rice with her food

Answer 9

Talk to your Vet there is an additive that you can put in your dogs food that will fix that problem quick no problem. :o)

Answer 10

I think you already received a very good answer from one of the other people! good luck.