Dog Community

Puppy eating/playing with his own poop

Posted : 1/3/2007 1:42:56 PM

We have a 5 month old Scottie and he has been eating or at least playing with his own poop (BAD breath!). We have tried "Forbid" powder we received from the vet, but this did not seem to change his behaviour. He gets a premium dog food, so I don't think it is vitamin deficiency. When we are with him, we promptly clean up after him (without making a big fuss), but there are times when he is alone or we don't see him potty (trained to piddle pads when indoors). Any thoughts on why he is doing this and how we can get him to change this behaviour? Thanks.

Liz

Posted : 1/3/2007 3:06:53 PM

Where does the dog potty?

What food are you feeding him?

Is he on leasdh when you take him to potty?

espencer

Posted : 1/3/2007 3:17:33 PM

He might not process entirely some of the food he ate and because their sensitive sense of smell he might even smell some of that yummy unprocessed food still in the feces, try to change his diet, i have never seen dogs doing the same when they had normal dog food from the bag, also if he has the chance to do it is because you give him time to do it (sometimes you do and some other you dont), you should not make him go indoors unless there is a blizzard outside (which means you would be home anyways) not only to avoid the accident but also for hygiene inside the house (too many bacterias that can fly around)

J.A. Fuller

Posted : 1/3/2007 3:47:13 PM

He is trained to potty on piddle pads when he is indoors - we also take him outdoors and he does do it there, but we have found he is "shy" about doing it in front of us, prefers his privacy.

We feed him Eukanuba - (Iams product).

He is on the leash when we take him outdoors to potty. He is just five months old and starts formal training classes this month. We have done informal training, but he is not totally reliable when he is off the leash to come back to us - he loves to run and play "chase". Thus, for his own safety, since we do not have a confined area or fenced yard, we keep him on leash at all times when outdoors.

Xerxes

Posted : 1/3/2007 3:50:15 PM

Try adding a teaspoon or so of yogurt (plain, unflavored with active cultures) into his kibble. Dogs often do this from the instinctual need for the bacteria in their excrement. The bacteria is what helps break down food matter in the gut or intestinal tract.

There is also the chance that your dog is bored. Bored dogs will find a way to play, even if it's with their own excrement. Is the dog crated when unsupervised? How old was the dog when he left his litter? How ofen and how long are his walks, his playtimes?

This can be both a behavioral and a nutritionally based activity, and though it's gross, it is a natural thing that wild dogs will do to protect the location of the den from other predators.

Liz

Posted : 1/3/2007 4:03:04 PM

I would seriously consider switching foods.

Did you call Eukanuba "high quality"? It is not.

I would assume that is why because there IS a vitamin deficiency going on in his diet.

I would switch.