Fecal eating problem at extreme - on brink of breakdown!

I've posted before about my new puppy eating his own fecal and it has continued. I've tried the pineapples. I went to the store to get the drug deter off the counter.

NOTHING works.

I'm utterly fed up!

It's not that he's just eating it so there's no trace of it left.

He spreads it over my floors - litterally SMUDGED all over my floor. If i'm lucky, then there will be no smears but there will still be bits of it all over the place.

Can't deal with it. ANY other tips??????????????

He's 7-8 months now. I would have thought he'd outgrow it. I can't deal with this everyday.

He's crate trained but I can't lock him up the entire time I'm gone because its too long.

So he plays with it while I'm gone and I come home to a NASTY surprise.

:x

I NEVER catch him doing it when I'm around. I don't know why he doesn't touch it when I'm around. How I can tell him it's wrong then?!? He's very good when I'm around, but he's very bad when I'm not around! GRRRRRRRRR....

I'm thinking of switching his diet but he's on the most expensive diet already! so switching to anything else would be down-grading. Could it truly be a nutrition thing?

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

There really aren't any good answers to why dogs eat their own feces. A nutritional deficiency is almost never the problem. But what you're describing sounds like boredom.

Try rotating toys, rather than leaving the same ones around every day. A Kong toy with biscuits tucked inside might help. He'll have to work at it to get the treats out, and it'll keep him occupied for a while.

And if at all possible, concider a pet sitter who can come and take him out at least once a day while you're gone. A chance to do his business outside, and a good romp, may solve the problem.

 

How long are you gone during the day? Is there a neighbor or someone you can hire to come over halfway through the day and let him out of his crate? I agree that it sounds like boredom, which is a really hard issue to deal with. Part of the reason we got a second dog was to keep Nala from being so bored and destructive and it has worked for the most part. She still has her days, though.

 

Hi. I'm gone quite a bit. Sometimes for 10hrs. Although most days 5-6 hrs (I'm a law student, I have to study). But you misunderstand. He's NOT in his crate. He's roaming around my apartment with the other dog. He is crate trained but not put in it b/c of the long duration.

Anyway, I do I have a second dog. I actually bought this second dog (casper) to entertain my first dog (bishop).

They do play together but I still come home to a mess most days.

I have some toys lying around but maybe it's not enough. The thing is, I don't really want my house littered with toys either. Where's the balance?

Should I set up a trap somehow? I think I read somewhere putting tabasco sauce on his fecal...

 

My dogs LOVE tobasco sauce. It won't work.

I still think you're dog is bored. Poo is a great toy, you can do such interesting artwork with it.

Possible solutions:

Get a wider variety of toys, and change them every day. Don't just dump a bunch of toys out and expect him to get excited about the sameold sameold. If you have a dozen toys, give him three one day, three different ones the next, etc.

But wait! The best solution yet! House train him! If he's not pooing in the house, there won't be any poo to play with!

Get a pet sitter to take him out during the day or take him to doggy daycare.

 

Hi poop eating is called Coprophagia.
From what i been told from vets and breeders and what i learnt when i was training as a veterinary nurse about it is to try the following steps.
Some dogs supplement there food intake by eating there own faeces so the following can reduce and usually stop it.


1. Try feeding several meals per day of a high fibre to reduce the sensation of being hungry which initiates the faeces eating.

2. Train him to defacate on command and reward for doing so the faeces should be removed immediatly.

3. The more exercise, playtime he gets the less likely he will eat his own faeces due to his mind being occupied with something else.

4. You can reduce the attractivness that the faeces has to the dog by implementing iron supplements the sort recommended for pregnant woman alternativly sulpher containing amnio acids to the diet making the faeces taste less pleasant to him.

Dietry managment is the key to controlling this problem meals that are low fibred, High in protien will worsen the problem.
Complete dry foods are higher in fibre than canned food so there for can be offered on a regular basis.
i.e when you go ut leave a bowl of dry food out so that he has that to eat rather than his faeces see how this helps.

Also if he is not getting outside or not getting enough excitement in his life boredom will take over and he will continue to eat faeces..

Hope this helps most of the information given is from my veterinary handbook..

Mike

 

Hi,
Ok, there's a few things to think about here from what I can see...

About the toys littering up the place - Surely if toys worked as a pacifier it'd be much more pleasent to come home to them rather than poop everywhere? It's a 2 second job to collect them up and keep them away in a box somewhere when they're not in use. Having said this, I find that Floob (my lil boy) doesn't play with ANY toys when I leave him. He has a stuffed Kong (something different every time, if you don't have time to prepare an artistic one then just some left over mashed potato or rice/pasta mixed with cheese spread is always great, or crush some of his dried food in with the cheese spread), and this other toy that I found that I spread cheese over too. He goes straight to them when I put them down and polishes them off... never playing with anything else.

About the length of time they're left - I feel it really is too long for all of you. I know it's the way it has to be for now, but I seriously think you should do as someone else has suggested and find a doggy sitter/walker. I'm sure after the long day you've had the last thing you can be bothered to do is spend an hour or so of quality play time with your pups and then give them the decent walk/run they deserve after being locked up inside for 10 hours. I'd recommend getting to know people who walk their dogs where you take yours. One of the feilds I goto has some great people who share walking their pooches. Sometimes Michelle walks 8, it's great when they all come bounding over at once :lol: . Once you get chatting to people who care enough about their animals to dredge through a muddy feild in the depths of winter, you'll find they'll propbably be happy to help you out... like maybe taking yours along for an afternoon run. Of course this means trusting someone with your babies and the keys to your home, but that's something you'll build up whilst getting to know them.

About them already having the best "most expensive" food - I think it's a fact that expense doesn't automatically mean quallity. The food I feed Floob now is £5 less for a 15k sack than some of the "better, more expensive" foods... however, the quallity is 10 times better. So I'd rethink that idea. Also, I was told by my vet that some foods come out tasting exactly as they went in, so as far as a dog's concerned, why not eat it?

Lastly, a 7/8 month old pup really does crave your attention, and he deserves it. It's so awful that he's missing out and might well not look forward to mummy coming home as she's gonna be pissed at him for making a mess... when there was nothing else to do.

I hope this didn't come across nasty, I really don't mean it to.

Keep us posted and good luck.

 

I've posted before for help with Zoey my 9 year old weenie that eats poop. At this point for her it is a very bad and nasty habit. But everything I've read sounds like a puppy can be broken. I just constantly try to clean it up ASAP. I even follow them around the yard. Like this morning--in the freezing rain...

I've tried the "traps" too. Tabasco sauce didn't work. Chili pepper didn't work either. They can smell it and just won't touch it until it wears off. I also tried a mouse trap turned upside down on the poop. It snapped when she moved it. She jumped back a little and then just chowed down.

What about those balls that roll around and drop kibble? That might entertain him??

Also, I know all about the messes and my heart goes out to you. The skid marks on the floor is a give away! Zoey has eaten so much that she started throwing up. Now THAT'S NASTY! Good Luck to you! :wink:

 

Thanks all. I appreciate your advice. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to do most of it.

With regards to training him to go outside - I tried doing so but once the snow came, Casper can't stsand the cold. So I HAD to resort to house training him. Bishop, my first dog, is Husky x Lab x Chow and can spend hours outside. So I was fully intending to train Capser, a shih-poo, to be like Bishop. Poor Casper though. Once the snow came and the temperature dropped below -5 C, Casper can't walk and just lies down. Tried jackets and boots but he still shakes and lies down. So I have to hold him when I walk Bishop now. Tedious. But I don't mind so much b/c I like carrying him.

So that's why I can't train him to go outside b/c he can't stand the winter.

As for the advice about a dog-sitter. I study away from home. I know two ppl in the city but they're not w/in walking distance. So that would mean asking a stranger to come into my apartment. I think most of you will agree that, as a female, that's a bad idea for my own saftey.

So it leaves the toys and walking him. As I indicated, he can't be walked b/c it's tooo cold for him. lol (It's curious to wonder how he'd survive on his own)

I surely hope he'll break the habit soon. I heard they outgrow it. Hearing about the 9 yr old dog still eating his own poo freaks me out. (sorry!)

 

LOL--Didn't mean to freak you out! Zoey ate her poo as a puppy and then stopped for several years. Then she picked the habit up a few years ago. She also eats her sister's and "kitty crispies" are a favorite of hers! :-& I have to baby gate off the litter box.

Do you use a doggie litter box with him?? Wonder if that would help?

 

No, do tell! I didn't know there was such a thing. I knew there was one for cats. Never even thought to look for dogs. How does it work?

I've trained Casper to go in one part of my landry room - just normal newspaper.

 

I'm on the 6th floor of an apt building for another three months, so we taught our puppy to go in a litter box. We used an under the bed rubbermaid container with the top off and 2 puppy pads in it. Our puppy trainer does the same thing with her italian greyhound because it hates the cold. Here's a link that might help you get started, or some ideas at least. http://www.kturby.com/litter/litter.htm

 

you could always look into a professional dog sitter, they would have many references and stuff, so then it wouldn't be too bad. I think that is your best solution and make your dog either get used to being cold or make it wear a sweater, it will eventually get used to wearing one, you are spoiling it, which is necessarily a bad thing, unless you want to always clean up poo. Ten hours is a really long time to leave dogs alone, can you imagine being left alone for ten hours and not being allowed to use the bathroom, wouldn't you be bored? and your bladder and stuff hurt? Why did you get these dogs if you know you can't be at home? and can't trust anyone to come and watch? I think this dog is incredibly bored.
But anyway besides all that, because i really do get angry thinking about these poor dogs being locked up all day not allowed to play with toys because they clutter up the place..
Ok but what type food are you feeding them? Because certain foods do make them go to the bathroom more. I use Raw diet for Luther and his poop comes out very dry and dries up and goes away very quickly, so maybe for less of a messy poo try something like that??
I hope things get better for you, sorry if I sound so mean, I really am a nice person

 

I don't know who makes it, but there IS a doggie litter box. And doggie litter too--it has a bigger texture than kitty litter. I've seen it at Panhandle Pets and other pet stores. Drs Foster and Smith has a Puppy-Go-Potty system too. Their web site is drsfostersmith.com. Maybe he wouldn't take it out of there. Good Luck!

 

I know I would MUCH rather come home to a house full of toys than poo smeared everywhere. Just gather them up and put them in a box when you get home. Or better yet, make a game out of it and teach the DOGS to gather them up and put them away when you get home. Fun for the whole family and a clean house to boot.

The litter box might help. If it doesn't, how about confining the dogs to a room with linoleum? Better than poo on carpet.

If you can't find someone to come over and walk your dogs, how about finding a doggie daycare? That can be an expensive alternative for a student, but you commited to these animals and are unable to provide for their needs. I was going to suggest setting up a safe, confined space outdoors or putting in a doggie door, but since the dog can't stand the winter that probably isn't feasible.

Do you HAVE to study away from home? If it's a study group sort of thing, could you convince them to come to your place instead?

Otherwise, I would seriously think you might look into rehoming these dogs - either permanently or just for a few years until you are out of school. Like maybe a relative could take them for a couple years and you would still visit with them in the meantime? Or do you expect as a lawyer to be out of the house for 10 hours a day as well? In which case, a couple cats or maybe some fish might be more suited to your lifestyle.

As everyone else said, I am not trying to be mean. I know you love your dogs. But if you can't provide for their needs, then some hard decisions might have to be made.

 

I need to vent to those of you who are critizing me.

You make it sound like I'm killing my dogs.

First off, there's TWO of them. So I don't consider them bored to death. They do play with each other and there's toys around.

Secondly, MOST days I'm gone 5-6 hrs and a FEW days I'm gone 10 hrs. And for those of you who consider 5-6 hrs long, don't you work? Sorry I'm not lucky enough to stay at home all day.

Thirdly, professional dog sitter? Kidding me? Do you know how much that would cost. Sorry I'm not a millionaire.

Fourth - they're NOT in their crate. They're roaming in my apartment. They're both less then half my size (in weight) - one is 70lbs and one is 10lbs. So if it's big enough for ME, why do you think it's not big enough for my dogs!? Curious. Sometimes, I don't even go outside. If it doesn't kill me, why would it kill them!?

Fifth - holding it in. The little guy doesn't - that's why I've got a problem. He's trained to go indoors. about my bigger dog, I do feel bad when I'm gone that long - so I try not to but every so often it does occur.

Finally, sorry that I'm single and working towards getting a law degree. Sheesh. What a horrible thing for me to do. And to buy a dog three yrs ago BEFORE i knew I was going to law school and training him and playing with him. What a bad thing. Then feeling bad that I got into law school and ignoring him now so I buy him a friend - who's been not as trainable. Horrible of me to do.

Horrible of me to follow my vet's advice and buy him the most expensive brand of food. etc etc.

I think many of you pre-judge a situation too much. It's not like they're DYING.

I walk them. I feed them. They're up to date on their shots. They've got a few toys lying around (going to get more) and EACH other. They're neutered! And now I'm being condemned b/c I chose to go to school and study.

Have you not heard of a single person buying a dog to have companionship?! Do you not think that most of those single people would work full time? So they're probably gone longer then me. Lucky for them, they're smart enough to not ask for help.

 

I've heard meat tenderizer can be effective as a deterent... tastes fine going in, but not after it has come out. My puppy is entertained by a stuffed kong, and one of those balls that you put kibble in and requires rolling it around to make the food come out. She only gets those two toys when I go to school, so it keeps them as special, and she almost is pushing me out the door because she wants them so badly. Just a thought.

 

Thank-you, I'll look into that.

I can't use a kong while I'm away b/c if I do, my bigger dog (bishop) will take it away from my smaller dog (casper). so I'm going to have to buy toys as they're not as possessive of toys.

I do use Kongs when I'm home. it works well but i try not to do it too often b/c I'm worried they'll get fat (I put peanut butter into it - they love it).

 

My dog stays in her crate while I am at work (8 hours). Then when I get home I let her out of the crate and she plays and follows me around and whatever and she also stays in her crate at night, when I am sleeping.

Did you ask your vet what you could do about the problem?

 

Ok, the whole thing about the dogs needing to go outside, that is so that they can use the bathroom, yeas everyone has days where they want to stay inside, but people have books tv, computers anything to keep themselves occupied, but dogs don't and most importantly why people can stay inside all day, but dogs shouldn't is because people have toilets and they use them (I hope hahah). If you had a baby you wouldn't make it sit in a dirty diaper all day? And eventually you teach your baby to use the toilet also, because it gets gross after a while.
As for the dog sitting, that can rum between 5-50dollars a walk, maybe you wouldn't have to do it everyday, but once or twice a week.
It isn't so bad to leave your dog in a crate or confined to the kitchen or bathroom, they are less likely to hurt themselves in a safe confined area.
On a side note, I think it is ridiculous that you buy second dog to befriend the first, maybe you should just play with them, and your dogs most likely won't get fat if you exercise them enough.
And also the vet says buy the expensive stuff, but that isn't always what is really best.
I am sure you love your dogs but you should not have gottn a second one when you obviously(as you have stated) don't have enough time for the first.