We have a 12 week old Lab/Mix and she has discovered eating her own feces. Can anyone tell me why they do this and what we can do to deter her from doing it?
2007-01-17 02:14:09 · 8 answers · asked by Kelly 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
The technical term for it is copraphagia. You can google it for lots of information.
The easiest way to prevent it is to pick up after your dog. If there is no poo for her to eat, she can't eat poo.
If that's not something you want to do, there are several products available at pet stores and vets offices that you add to the food to make the poo taste bad.
2007-01-17 02:31:30 · answer #1 · answered by GoldenDonut 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dogs and puppies have a tendancy to do this. The best prevention is go to your pet store and get the stuff u can put into the dogs food to make the feces unattractive to them. I have been told meat tenderizer in the food will discourage this behavior but i personally never have tried it.
when the dog heads over to the poop in a harsh voice tell it No and then make sure all the poop is picked up so it will not eat it.
2007-01-17 02:43:31 · answer #2 · answered by badgirl41 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are additives you put in their food that make the poop taste bad and the dogs will usually avoid it. It's available at pet stores, and from your vet. Consider changing food. Low quality foods can cause dogs to do this. Look into Innova, California Natural, Wellness and Canidae. You could clean it up promptly. It can't be snacked on in the trash. You can keep the dog on a leash while she's out going potty. Pull her away before she can get to it.
2016-03-14 07:04:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No clue. I have had 2 labs who did the same thing and not just as puppies. They eat any type of poop they can find - cat, rabbit, their own. I don't think there are any long term dangers but there is a big yuck factor. Check with your dog's vet to see if he/she has any ideas on deterring. I don't know of any off hand.
2007-01-17 02:41:39 · answer #4 · answered by It'sJustMe 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I've bred beagles for seven years. Most dogs eat their poop (copraphagia) for one of two reasons: they watched their mother do it while she cleaned up after them in the "den", or their food is of low quality and they are trying to glean more nutrients from it.
Many of the common dog foods contain high amounts of filler which dogs cannot metabolize and which hasten the excremental process (high fiber or other non-consumable material). Try switching to a quality food, like from a petstore instead of a major retailer.
2007-01-17 02:19:02 · answer #5 · answered by Fergi the Great 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is normal puppy behavior, and from what I've been told by my vet it does not mean a nutrition defecit. Two tablespoons of meat tenderizer on her food (pre-digestion) will stop the problem. Who wants poopy puppy kisses?
2007-01-17 08:53:41 · answer #6 · answered by eringremlin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
from what my vet told me, if a dog is eating his feces that means he/she is lacking nutrition. and is trying to get it by eating his poo.... try switch your dogs diet to something different
2007-01-17 02:37:05 · answer #7 · answered by megan m 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
have no clue my dog did that to
2007-01-17 02:17:42 · answer #8 · answered by alligator 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
go to petstyle.com they have all the answers you need, it worked for me!
2007-01-17 02:18:21 · answer #9 · answered by mare t 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋