# My puppy is eating other dogs poo!



## RubyToo

Ruby is just 6 months old and in the last couple of weeks has developed the nasty habit of eating other dogs' poo. She doesn't get very far with it as she's immediately stopped. She also doesn't eat every bit of poo she comes across so she must be selecting it in some way. She never eats her own but I don't know whether she would if we didn't pick it up straightaway. 

I know the habit isn't completely unusual for puppies but I am surprised she's started in the last few weeks. She has a good diet, and we've invested a time in finding the right food as she does have a sensitive tum. What's odd is that we have just started to get to a point where her tummy is settling and she has had some meds from the vets, and now she starts this. I'm puzzled. Any insights others have to share would be gratefully received.


----------



## 2ndhandgal

I have known of a couple of dogs who started to poo eat when switched to what is generally regarded as a decent food - burns I think so there is at least a possibility it is related to her food.


----------



## RubyToo

That's interesting. Ruby's on Fish4dogs.


----------



## dmgalley

Well ozzy is a year and a half. I changed his food three times, trained him on drop it she'd leave it and he still eats Jake and willows poo. Not his own and never other dogs just his brother and sister. It's frustrating and I can't get an answer from anyone. We tried feeding them all pineapple and no go. He loves their poo. You should see me when ozzy and I will both notice Jake pooping in the corner at the same time and it's a mad dash to see who gets it first. Sometimes he stalks then for their poo trying to grab it just as they go!!!


----------



## Tinman

Haha your post made me laugh Donna!!! Ozzy - you mucky pup!! - do you feed yours wet or dry Donna?
I have a theory - so this may help ruby too... That if a dog is fed wet food (ie canned meaty) it comes out the other end, still a bit meaty - therefore, still meaty & tasty for other dogs??


----------



## whatsuppup

Total stab in the dark here... so feel free to shut this idea down.. but could Ruby be doing it out of some sort of maternal instinct? Apparently moms eat their pups poo when young. Any chance she is experiencing something maternal due to hormones, or first heat pending or something? Lol.. like I said, I really have no idea... just throwing it out there.

Second guess is along the lines of what is said above... maybe there is something she smells in certain poop that she feels is lacking in her diet.


----------



## Marzi

dmgalley said:


> Well ozzy is a year and a half. I changed his food three times, trained him on drop it she'd leave it and he still eats Jake and willows poo. Not his own and never other dogs just his brother and sister. It's frustrating and I can't get an answer from anyone. We tried feeding them all pineapple and no go. He loves their poo. You should see me when ozzy and I will both notice Jake pooping in the corner at the same time and it's a mad dash to see who gets it first. Sometimes he stalks then for their poo trying to grab it just as they go!!!


Most excellent! A Donna and Poop story - I have so missed your poop adventures! You paint such wonderful pictures with your words - I can absolutely see the sprint for the poop 

I agree with whatsuppup that sometimes there can be a hormonal element.... and also that some things are not broken down completely when digested so remain attractive. Kiki used to be partial to those bright orange poos which I suspect are the end product of really highly processed food with plenty of additional additives and flavourings. Fortunately she has got over this obsession.... partly because I would keep her leaded around areas where people are not good at picking up (the same people who feed their dogs rubbish food?) so she did not have the opportunity.
If everyone picked up (quickly ) this problem would not exist except for Ozzy as he probably runs faster than Donna!!!!


----------



## RubyToo

dmgalley said:


> Well ozzy is a year and a half. I changed his food three times, trained him on drop it she'd leave it and he still eats Jake and willows poo. Not his own and never other dogs just his brother and sister. It's frustrating and I can't get an answer from anyone. We tried feeding them all pineapple and no go. He loves their poo. You should see me when ozzy and I will both notice Jake pooping in the corner at the same time and it's a mad dash to see who gets it first. Sometimes he stalks then for their poo trying to grab it just as they go!!!


That made me smile Donna and it helps to know I'm not on my own. Thanks.


----------



## RubyToo

Tinman said:


> Haha your post made me laugh Donna!!! Ozzy - you mucky pup!! - do you feed yours wet or dry Donna?
> I have a theory - so this may help ruby too... That if a dog is fed wet food (ie canned meaty) it comes out the other end, still a bit meaty - therefore, still meaty & tasty for other dogs??


Thanks whatsuppup. That might explain why Ruby appears selective in the poos she eats!


----------



## RubyToo

whatsuppup said:


> Total stab in the dark here... so feel free to shut this idea down.. but could Ruby be doing it out of some sort of maternal instinct? Apparently moms eat their pups poo when young. Any chance she is experiencing something maternal due to hormones, or first heat pending or something? Lol.. like I said, I really have no idea... just throwing it out there.
> 
> Second guess is along the lines of what is said above... maybe there is something she smells in certain poop that she feels is lacking in her diet.


Yes, the maternal thought crossed my mind as well, and as its only just started in the last couple of weeks there might be something in that.


----------



## RubyToo

Marzi said:


> Most excellent! A Donna and Poop story - I have so missed your poop adventures! You paint such wonderful pictures with your words - I can absolutely see the sprint for the poop
> 
> I agree with whatsuppup that sometimes there can be a hormonal element.... and also that some things are not broken down completely when digested so remain attractive. Kiki used to be partial to those bright orange poos which I suspect are the end product of really highly processed food with plenty of additional additives and flavourings. Fortunately she has got over this obsession.... partly because I would keep her leaded around areas where people are not good at picking up (the same people who feed their dogs rubbish food?) so she did not have the opportunity.
> If everyone picked up (quickly ) this problem would not exist except for Ozzy as he probably runs faster than Donna!!!!


That's so interesting. Thank you. My hubby and I were remarking that the poo she makes a beeline for is orangey in colour.


----------



## RubyToo

Thanks so much to everyone for replies on this. It's so helpful.


----------



## dmgalley

Tinman said:


> Haha your post made me laugh Donna!!! Ozzy - you mucky pup!! - do you feed yours wet or dry Donna?
> I have a theory - so this may help ruby too... That if a dog is fed wet food (ie canned meaty) it comes out the other end, still a bit meaty - therefore, still meaty & tasty for other dogs??


We feed dry orijen. He is such a pest. No one wants to kiss him any more and willow tries to walk with her bum on the ground. We have had a few accidents in the house and we always know it's his because he never eats his own! 
The snow had been the worst because well poo is warm so sometimes they would go and it would sink way down our they would have to go on top of a five foot snow bank. Now that we have melting ozzy is finding all kinds of hidden treasure! Good Lord this dog. Good thing he is so cute.


----------



## caz3

Ahh coprophagia !!!(proper name for eating poo) did'nt know much about this until a few years ago when I started puppy walking for guide dogs ,my first pup done this .....it is rife among pups in training so if a big organisation like them can't control it it must be hard ! Only advice I can give is what they told me when he was going to poop I was to be ready with a good treat (something he didn't get all the time ) and get them to come to you for the treat plenty praise etc, if possible leave the poo out and put clove oil or Tabasco sauce on it let the pup back out and don't make an issue of it obviously this was all done in my garden and it did work for me but my pup was young when I got him out of it .i have heard various opinions on this like it can be their diet or they may be hungry but I honestly don't know I have heard of pups who only do it after having a certain treat so their could be some truth in this !my friend has a withdrawn guide dog he can go for long enough and not do it and he is very choosy in certain types of poo so she is stumped as to why he does it there is no pattern in it ....hope this helps


----------

