We bought a 3 month old miniature bull terrier yesterday who still hasn't been housetrained. He's had a couple of poos and wees on the floor which isn't a problem, the problem is that whenever he has a poo you have to move fast to stop him eating it. Is this normal behaviour and will it make him ill?
2007-05-10 14:07:48 · 31 answers · asked by maitreyauk 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Coprophagia (the eating of faeces) is one behaviour problem that people find very hard to understand. The plain truth is that your dog thinks that faeces taste nice.
It is a good idea to get him checked by your vet, as some medical conditions can increase appetite, so making coprophagia more likely. Nutritional deficiencies can also lead to coprophagia.
The problem is easier to tackle. First look at his diet. The richer the diet, the less is taken out as it passes through the digestive system and the tastier the faeces! Try changing to a dry diet with a lower protein level.
Alternative methods reported to work include feeding pineapple or an iron tablet in the meal which can render the faeces less palatable or clean up the faeces immediately before they can be eaten.
If your dog is eating his own 'accidents' when you are not home, crate trainning should help.
Dogs also roll around in their faeces.... this goes back to their hunting instincts.....they roll around in poo to disguise their scent among prey.
Welcome to puppyhood...dogs can be pretty gross. Their farts get wild after eating poo too!!!!
2007-05-10 14:22:33 · answer #1 · answered by L. Fernando G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, some dogs do eat their own feces. I have had two Shitzu's and they were both guilty of this. From what I understand the Vet said that they can smell undigested food...yum! and they eat it. I was also told, that it was a bad habit they developed as puppies. There is something you can sprinkle on their food that is tasteless. After that, they will not eat their feces. You can ask your vet for the name of it. Just remember this the next time a dog tries to lick you in the face!!
2016-05-20 01:09:34 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, my mom and dad had a dog that did this his whole life. He was a German Shepherd and lived to be 13 years old. We tried to stop him whenever we could and also tried to pick it up before he could get to it. We tried something our vet suggested, but did not work on him, but it may work for someone else out there. After he goes, sprinkle some cayenne pepper on it and when he tries to eat it, he wll get a taste of the "hot" cayenne pepper. This has supposedly worked for some dogs, but every dog is different. Good luck.
2007-05-10 14:32:18 · answer #3 · answered by gfwiggles 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hear this one alot at work (veterinary assistant) . The reason they eat their poo is that is has alot of nutrients in it from the get go and some dogs desire it again ( I know yuck!). Call a local vet or pet store and see if they have something called FORBID it is a product u put in his food ( won't harm him) it makes the poo taste very very nasty. A couple of dose of FORBID and he should drop the habit.
2007-05-10 14:19:23 · answer #4 · answered by hrb4hm 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it won't make him ill. a lot of pups do it but it should stop by the time they are 1yrs old. There is a reason to it and we were just talking about this the other day but i can't remember.
Unfortunatly i'm having the same problem, except for the fact that my dog is 3 years old. We don't know how to make her stop and i can't stand it anymore. I hate it when she comes around me. eeww.
2007-05-10 14:11:15 · answer #5 · answered by Proud mommy of 2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe not normal but more common than you think. Once the habit starts it's so hard to break. Sometimes adding an enzyme like Prozyme to the dog food will help. You can get a free sample, I think you pay shipping. Link below.
2007-05-10 14:16:03 · answer #6 · answered by healthypets 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it can be. I believe its called PICA...I think they eat poo because they are lacking a vitamin. I would ask your vet to make sure.
EDIT - Pica is the persistent, deliberate eating of non-nutritive items. It occurs in humans, particularly children, as well as animals and may be a result of zinc or iron deficiency, some underlying disease or be a psychological problem.
2007-05-10 14:11:02 · answer #7 · answered by Moo Moo Mair 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi I have a bull terrier and they are very curious but not that much he could be sick and at the same time he could just be being silly I think he might need to go to the vet good luck
2007-05-10 14:17:02 · answer #8 · answered by bx_babygurl24 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is normal for dogs to eat their own poop and, depending on what you are feeding him, the only thing that will make eating that sick are the people that go to your home. If you show who is boss and show the dog that it is a bad thing, the dog will eventually stop.
2007-05-10 14:13:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem is that if they eat poo with parasites in it they will end up full of them.
2007-05-10 14:12:38 · answer #10 · answered by redd headd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋