I have a 12 week old puppy that I cant keep out of my cats litters box. Its really disgusting ...but she will eat the cat poop and everything. I dont know why she is doing this and i dont know how to break it... Any suggestions???
2006-09-26 12:04:32 · 20 answers · asked by Lyndsey 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
For the safety of your puppy, it's important that you follow some of the suggestions that have been given to stop the puppy.
Be more concerned about the potential for serious illness or injury from the puppy eating whatever is in the litter itself or the potential for intestinal blockage for the puppy if it eats clumping litter. I had a dog a few years back who became very ill from cat litter (not from the cat poop).
Additional suggestions: place a cat "door" in an inside room door or door to the basement if you have one -- and keep the litter box in that room so only the cat can go in and out. Almost any pet store or online pet supply company sells them.
A couple who I am friends with, just bought a cheap inside door from one of the big building supply stores and cut a cat size hole in the door and used that so their cats could go to the basement and use the litter box down there. They put a piece of fabric hanging down over the opening to partially cover the opening instead of buying a cat door.
The baby gates were the solution in my household. They have very convenient ones with handles which swing open and lock closed after you enter or exit. The cats can jump over them without a problem unless they are elderly. The litter box was placed in a bathroom behind the baby gate. No problem closing the regular bathroom door when anyone used it. End of problem with my puppy eating cat poop. Plus - the cat loved sitting on the other side of the gate and looking at the puppy knowing that she had a break from him trying to chase her!
The only problem with turning a covered litterbox and placing it close to a wall is that most medium or larger dogs can be very determined and just nose or push it around or turn it until they can get their noses and mouths in it.
Also, if your cat is an outdoor cat or catches mice be sure to have the cat and the puppy checked for parasites since the puppy could have ingested them along with the feces.
One book that I read last November when I got my puppy referred to puppies interest in cat poop as "cat poop-sicles!" That's how common it is.
I wouldn't expect to be able to break the puppy of the habit if you don't build a safeguard in and prevent any access to the box location. Otherwise, the puppy will just learn to be smarter about not getting caught! And... who wants surprise cat poop breath doggie kisses! Yelccchhhh! Yuk!
2006-09-26 12:30:28 · answer #1 · answered by Friend 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah dogs do that no matter what. I had that with a dog that I had and if they do it indoors they also do it outdoors they eat everything. Not sure how harmful it is as they seem to survive all this. But I guess try to keep the puppy away from the box and if possible, remove poop as soon as the cat goes. Which can be tough as you can't always know. Good luck!
2006-09-26 12:16:58 · answer #2 · answered by J. A. M. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hopefully you've learned that spanking your dog doesn't work. All you've done is abuse her. Remove temptation. Put the litter box where your puppy can't get to it. We keep ours in the basement and put a cat flap in the door. The cat comes and goes as he pleases and we don't have any snacking disasters. End of problem. Another thing to do is when you cannot watch your puppy, crate her. If you're watching her she can't possibly get into the litter. You need to learn to calm down when dealing with your puppy. You'll make her way more excitable if you don't. If you are negative with her; yell, physically hit her, etc. then that's what you'll get out of her. A good boss doesn't lose their mind when something doesn't go as planned. You're supposed to be the puppy's boss. It means you need to be in control and calm.
2016-03-27 12:04:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Puppies eat poop because they need more protein in their diet. Its not that they actually like the taste, their body tells them they need it when they smell it. Some people actually put tobassco on the cat poop but then the dogs just start to like tobassco sauce. And if you were going to go to all that trouble, you could just take the time to pick up the poops.
All you really have to do if feed your pup more protein. Give your pup some meat. They should have a diet of half meat half vegetables anyways. Cooked meat is ok, but RAW MEAT is the best. FISH is great. I give my beagle pups chicken gizzards and sliced beef. just about 5-10 bites a day is fine (dempending on a puppy's size) . Once they get a steady diet of meat and enough protein in their system, they stop doing that gross stuff.
2006-09-26 12:22:44 · answer #4 · answered by nickkap1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
put the litter box in a closet that the puppy can't get to, that is what I had to do. Try using a baby gate, that may work. Using a closed cat box helps alittle bit. Good Luck
2006-09-26 12:14:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We call them "cat snacks". We have a covered litter box, and we turn it towards the corner so that the cats can reach it but the dogs can't. Works well and we have 2 chihuahuas and 2 labs. Good luck!
2006-09-26 12:22:15 · answer #6 · answered by Mrs. Strain 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to either need to move the box where the pup can't get it, but the kitty can, or get a litter box that has the opening on top, kitty can get in, but the pup can't get to the stuff in the bottom.
If the pup is loose, you need to keep an eye on her, get a squirt gun, when you see her in the box squirt her (this will startle her and she'll stop what she is doing) or a tin can filled with rice (you shake it and it will also startle her) and loudly yell NO.
2006-09-26 12:09:48 · answer #7 · answered by Nikki T 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have tryed for years and years to brake a dog from eatting from a cat littel .. it's not uncommon any dog will eat can poop.. I sugest putting the cat litter in a room that your cat can get to and the dog can't.. or use one room for your cat and put up a doggy gate... the cat will jump over and the dog can't get to the litter.. believe me it's im possible to brake the dog from eating the poop... it's like a treat to them ... good luck
2006-09-26 12:10:36 · answer #8 · answered by country_mystyle 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Dogs eat cat poop. I have heard it all and tried it all and nothing works. It's just a fact of life for the dog. you could always try placing it someplace where the dog can't go. Good Luck!
2006-09-26 12:15:40 · answer #9 · answered by heidischu2002 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when my dog was a pup and we had our cat, she did the same thing. we put a cover on it and made the box face the wall because the cat was so small she could squeeze through but the dog couldn't
2006-09-26 15:01:43 · answer #10 · answered by silver_wolf77 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋