# Puppy eating Feces.



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

Okay. So i don't really know where to post this one. so i am posting it here.

My lil puppy, Deuce. Has started eating his and other's feces. I was told by my boss ( i work with dogs ) that he eats feces because he is malnourished. That he was not fed enough when he was with the breeder and that he was forced to eat his own feces. 

Does anyone know why a puppy at such a young age would eat its own feces?


----------



## BedlamBully (Jun 6, 2008)

I've heard its a deficancy (sp) in their diet, they try to get the nutrients from what they ahve already eaten OR if you feed a high protien diet sometimes their poo can still be tasty to them, Or its attention seeking. Here's a good site
http://why-dogs-eat-poop.com/


----------



## NesOne (Feb 7, 2008)

Here's something I found about your situation: Coprophagy: Preventing Stool Eating in Dogs & Puppies

_*Q.* What are the causes and cures of stool eating?

*A. Coprophagy *(pronounced kä - präf' - je) comes from the Greek copro which means feces and phagy which means eat. And that is what it is - eating feces. A habit of dogs we all find disgusting, but as we say, dogs will be dogs. Some dogs especially like feces from herbivores like rabbits, deer, and horses. Others love to raid the cat's litter box. Still others only eat dog feces if it is frozen.

*Why do dogs eat feces?*

A lot of theories have been suggested as to why dogs eat feces. Are they missing something in their diet? *Generally not*.

Dogs who eat their feces usually do not have a dietary deficiency. Some medical problems, however, can contribute to coprophagy including severe disorders of the pancreas (pancreatic insufficiency) or intestine, severe malnutrition from massive parasitic infestations, or starvation. These cases are rare.

Some dogs, especially those in kennel situations, may eat feces because they are anxious or stressed. One researcher suggests that dogs who have been punished by their owners for defecating inappropriately start to think any defecation is wrong, so they try to eliminate the evidence.

Another theory is that coprophagy is a trait passed down through the ages. Dogs' cousins, the wolves and coyotes, may often eat feces if food is in short supply. Feces from herbivores (animals that eat plants for food) contain many of the B vitamins. Some researchers suggest that wolves (and some dogs) may eat feces to replenish their vitamin supply.

In some instances, coprophagy may be a behavior learned from watching other animals. It may also become a habit in the course of play and puppies having to try out the taste of everything.

There is a stage of life in which coprophagy is common and expected. Can you think of what it is? Bitches and queens normally eat the feces of their offspring. This is presumed to occur in an attempt to hide the presence of the litter from predators.

Finally, some dogs may eat feces just because it tastes good (to them)._

The solution to your problem... clean up the feces right away.


----------



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

We do clean up his and my other puppies feces right away. Its when we go take him outside and he is out wondering about to go to the bathroom that he eats it. 

Another time he does it is if we are sleeping and he goes to the bathroom he will eat it. As well as my other dog and she is 8mths old. 

I know there are some tablets/powder/treats that are meant for this. Do you know if this works?


----------



## BedlamBully (Jun 6, 2008)

Do you let him run loose when you are sleeping? I would suggest crate training. And if you don't already scheduled feedings and scheduled bathroom time, then clean all the dogs poo up right away. I don't know about the tablets I've never really had this problem.


----------



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

At night we do. He sleeps on the bed with us. But lately he has learned how to jump off the bed. Normally we do put him in the crate but he just constantly cries and cries. and my bf has one of the most stressful jobs ( Air Traffic Controller) and he needs his sleep. So we take him out because hell be quiet. 

We take him out about every half hour. he drinks a lot of water and if we don't he is constantly peeing everywhere.


----------



## BedlamBully (Jun 6, 2008)

you are teaching him that being loud and throwing a fit is the way to get what he wants and it will create a big problem as he gets older.
Crate him in another room if its too much of a problem. The best way to crate train a dog that I have found is when you are home, put him in his crate four about 20-30mins at a time, let him cry let him throw his fit..buy ear plugs if you need to. Then after about 5minutes of him being quiet go let him out and praise him. wait a couple hours and do it again (if you have the ability to be home during the day if not try this on the weekends) also you can give him a toy that he ONLY gets in the crate something he really really likes. You just gotta suffer through it for the first few days, completely ignore him when he throws a fit in there.

About the poo eating thing if you find nothing is working well, ask your vet what they recommend you do.


----------



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

Ive put him in the crate a few times. and after about 10-15 minutes he stops then he will hear little movements of us and starts crying again. 

We're never home during the day. I work at a dog daycare and he comes with me everyday. He is always in a run and is never mouthy. I will put him in a crate at work and he doesn't whine at all.


----------



## BedlamBully (Jun 6, 2008)

I wanna work at doggy day care 

Yeah at home just...gotta ignore it. I know its a pain in the bum, when I got my last pup you could hear him throwing a fit from the street lol


----------



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

haha. i have a video of him going nuts at me. Barking, growling and even howling. He is weird. 

i love working at the doggie day care. One thing that pisses me off is that they don't allow pits. UGH. they told me last week that i couldn't bring Deuce. i was not happy. But then they changed their minds and said I could.


----------



## bahamutt99 (May 14, 2008)

Put a scoop of pineapple in his meals. That helped when one of mine took a liking to fresh poop. I've heard that canned pumpkin will do the same, but didn't try it myself.


----------



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

hmm..thanks. i will have to look into that one.


----------



## lil bit pit karma (May 10, 2008)

Pineapple works it will give it a bitter taste, so they say not like I have tasted it...poop I mean not pineapple,.


----------



## Hennessy (Jun 27, 2008)

my white male used to do that for years, then we changed his food, and he hasnt done it since, i am feeding him core by wellness, and it seemed to have stopped him.


----------



## MetalGirl30 (Apr 15, 2008)

BedlamBully said:


> I wanna work at doggy day care
> 
> Yeah at home just...gotta ignore it. I know its a pain in the bum, when I got my last pup you could hear him throwing a fit from the street lol


Rain threw such a fit when we put her in her crate. People on the street probably though we were beating the crap out of her...lol!! Now she loves her crate and plays in it all the time.

Put the dog in the crate...you know she is not hungry, had water, not bleeding, or dying, been took out to potty....so you know there is nothing wrong with her so just let her cry.
She will be alright.

Good Advice Bedlam!!


----------



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

when im at work. Deuce doesn't cry one bit. its odd. but the second i get home and put him in the crate. he is going nuts. 

im feeding deuce Nutro right now. the breeders had him on Pedigree. We were told that pedigree can cause the dogs to eat their feces because it still taste like it did before he pooped it out. Is that possible?


----------



## MSK (Aug 13, 2008)

Yes That is possible plus honestly Pedigree is IMO some of the worst dog food you can buy. All of my dogs keep the runs and get sick on it. Pedigree's main ingredient is Ground Whole Corn which is not good.


----------



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

gotcha.

we switched him ASAP to Nutro. He has been good lately about not eating the poop. Everytime he goes over to another dogs poop i get to him first so he knows better. Hes slowly learning.


----------



## Roxy_Nie (Oct 10, 2008)

One of friends had a dog that ate any poo he found. He started giving the pup coprophagia and he said it worked. They sell it at petco. Thankfully I have not had that problem so far. Good luck.


----------



## Deucek2 (Aug 18, 2008)

Yea thats what we give him now. When i remember to give it to him he doesn't eat poop. But when i forget he runs to the poop grabs it. and runs with it. Lil PITA


----------



## smokey_joe (Oct 14, 2005)

MJ ate 4 turds (for lack of a better word) today while I was walking her. She's getting sneaky about it. I had to pull her away from two other piles. And she doesn't eat her own poo or poo in the yard that belongs to her or Sadies, she only eats the poo we encounter on walks. I know she's not lacking anything in her diet, because both dogs eat the same thing and only one does it. And she's 8 years old!!

She also eats (or tries) to eat other things on our walks. She's grabbed fish bones, half of a dead deer leg, food scraps people have left, and will pull really hard to get at road kill. 

Of course, I don't let her do it, but sometimes she grabs it quicker than I realize what she's doing. I'm worried she'll catch something one day...


----------



## Salt9 (Oct 10, 2008)

my 5 month old has recently started eatin goose poo while we are @ the park playing? any ideas why?


----------



## colby1 (Oct 11, 2008)

Mother dogs eat their puppies poo to keep them clean. The puppies learn this from the dam because they see her do it and they usually grow out of it, but if they are older and still doing it...they do it cause of boredem.


----------



## Connell (Sep 17, 2014)

I will advice you to give Deuce high quality nutritive food and fresh clean water, and engage Deuce in daily exercises as high quality food play important role in making your dog healthy.


----------



## The13th Man (Nov 3, 2014)

Hi There Guys,

Totally new to this but would appreciate some help. Would like to know how to assist my puppy she has pavo. This is the second day and she is still sick. I will even try some home remedies.


----------



## Jen A (Jul 13, 2014)

Has she been to the vet?
That would be my absolute first stop. Emergency vet if nobody else is open.


----------



## BCdogs (May 30, 2014)

The13th Man said:


> Hi There Guys,
> 
> Totally new to this but would appreciate some help. Would like to know how to assist my puppy she has pavo. This is the second day and she is still sick. I will even try some home remedies.


Definitely go to a vet ASAP. Parvo is no joke. Hydration is absolutely essential with this illness and an IV is the best way to keep your pup hydrated.


----------



## The13th Man (Nov 3, 2014)

BCdogs said:


> Definitely go to a vet ASAP. Parvo is no joke. Hydration is absolutely essential with this illness and an IV is the best way to keep your pup hydrated.


Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.


----------



## The13th Man (Nov 3, 2014)

Jen A said:


> Has she been to the vet?
> That would be my absolute first stop. Emergency vet if nobody else is open.


Thanks, Much appreciated.


----------

