copraphagia

[sandysfarm]

I dont know if Im putting this in the correct section and frankly I'm too horrified to care. My collie has suddenly

started to eat frozen poopsicles that she's enthusiastically DIGGING through the snow to score. She's 5

or so, she gets plenty of daily exercise, she's raw

fed, she's healthy, she lives happily as one of 3 and they're all about the same age - I've had a

couple of greyhounds do it in the past and

I've dealt with it by baiting my backyard and then using a citronella collar. I'm a trainer. In both those cases I used a surprise positive punishment to condition away from putting one's mouth on frozen poop and I was careful to use a remote control and to stay behind the closed door, eagle-eyeing the offending dog so that my timing would be perfect. And it was. Problem solved. Two well-timed squirts. Both dogs would notice but not lower their heads from there forward...greyhounds are verrry suggestible.

But that's not an aversive I would even vaguely consider for my collie. Which leaves me asking if anyone else's collies do it? Clearly the solution is to pick up the yard every single time but I am very not happy with the thought of a dog swallowing poop offlead either. So far I haven't reacted at all,...unless she's read the look of horror and revulsion on my face as I deal witn it...so she probably guesses. Sorry, long, I know...thanks.

[GentleLake]

Have you tried adding Adolph's meat tenderizer to her food?

 

It's an old remedy for poop eating, and since I've never had to try it I have no idea if it works or not. Probably wouldn't hurt to at least try it.

 

It's supposed to make the stool taste bad, so you'd have to add it to all of the dogs' food.

 

There are some other products on the market now specifically made for dogs. They might be worth looking into as well.

 

Sorry, but that's all I've got.

[Shetlander]

I would wonder about something medical if this a sudden change in behavior. I know you say she is healthy but there could be an underlying issue you are unaware of right now. My very old Sheltie has a couple known problems (chronic pancreatitis and a hinky gallbladder) and in the past year began this habit. The vet said she is seeking additional protein and/or other nutrients.

 

Anyway, I usually want to rule out a medical issue before assuming something is completely behavioral. If you don't want to use aversives, then you can try adding one of the remedies out there to all the dogs' food to see if that turns her off or else become compulsive about cleaning up, which is the route I have chosen. I was already fairly compulsive about picking up right away since with three dogs and a small yard, things can get ugly fast. The poop eating is just added incentive.

 

Good luck!!

[sandysfarm]

 

thanks! I'll try the tenderizer as long as there's no msg in it. I have to say Im just quietly appalled - she's the sweetest, most sensible, independent little

spirit that I've ever had in my house - plus I found her running alone on a reserve, having been used as a bait bitch and losing her eyeball to a tormented male in the process. She's been right with me one hundred percent learning to live in a house, walk with a weird leash-thing on, not be completely dog-hot and be a pet for the past two years - the thought of scaring her is just out.

[sandysfarm]

I would wonder about something medical if this a sudden change in behavior. I know you say she is healthy but there could be an underlying issue you are unaware of right now. My very old Sheltie has a couple known problems (chronic pancreatitis and a hinky gallbladder) and in the past year began this habit. The vet said she is seeking additional protein and/or other nutrients.

 

Anyway, I usually want to rule out a medical issue before assuming something is completely behavioral. If you don't want to use aversives, then you can try adding one of the remedies out there to all the dogs' food to see if that turns her off or else become compulsive about cleaning up, which is the route I have chosen. I was already fairly compulsive about picking up right away since with three dogs and a small yard, things can get ugly fast. The poop eating is just added incentive.

 

Good luck!!

I hear you, thank you - I'll book us some bloods in the morning.

[sandysfarm]

but Id still like to know how odd it is among the BC owners' population that a dog would eat frozen poop?

[Sue R]

I think every one of my youngsters has gone through a puppy-loves-to-eat-poop (dog poop) stage, and every one of them has outgrown that stage (with a lot of observation and judicious intervention on our part). But I haven't had an adult that was interested at all in eating dog poop, frozen or not. As others have mentioned, I'd wonder why the change in habits.

 

Also, do you provide her with plenty of chewing opportunities? We use raw beef bones primarily since we raise cattle and have bones when we butcher one. I know this is a wild guess but maybe?

[sandysfarm]

well, maybe. No, I don't give her any recreational chewing - I have an elk antler for the other two - not that it's theirs, but they're the only ones interested. I have beef shank in the freezer intended for the humans but I'm thawing it as I type to see if she'd just chew. I really thought she had more, umm, class? lol, than this.

[sandysfarm]

I know to be careful of her, since any inflection in my voice affects her right away and I'm a very soft-spoken trainer in the first place. I went outside with her and picked up a piece of offending poop that she was heading for and she immediately slunk away looking at me out of the corner of her eye. In the house she was suddenly wary and stiff - it took 3 or 4 gentle scritches and a nose kiss for her to relax a bit. I don't know her history at all but I'd say she's been physically kicked around by someone who had control of her, beautiful, soft, drop-eared, double-coated black and white girl that she is....I don't spend a lot of time brooding over bad people and what they've done to the dogs I often work with - largely because it's misplaced energy, but this dog makes me want to throttle someone.

[Alchemist]

Haven't experienced this issue directly myself (my dogs prefer to eat sheep poop or cat poop, rather than dog poop), but for what it's worth: http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_PoopEating.php

[GentleLake]

Thinking about the nutritional aspect . . . you say she's raw fed. I wonder if she could be missing some micronutrients.

 

One thing I'd try to be sure of is that she's getting as much protein variety as possible, and enough organ. Minimum 5% liver and 5% other organ, like kidney, spleen or pancreas. Heart is not organ for nutritional purposes. Some sources say they should have a minimum of 15% organ. And at least 10-15% edible bone.

 

Duck eggs have a lot more of most vitamins than chicken eggs, especially B vitamins, so I try to feed them often.

 

My vet, who's supportive of raw feeding, is still always worried that they might be missing micronutrients (even though there's no evidence health wise that they are. ). Anyway, he recommended giving them a daily human Centrum (regular Centrum, not Silver or the ones formulated for men or women). I have to admit I don't do it all the time, but I keep some on hand in case I get lazy about organs or run out.

 

Not sure this has anything to do with your situation, but it might be something to consider . . .

[B Point]

My 7 month old pup eats a strangers poop once in a while and robbed the kitty litter box of an errant hershey's kiss pooplet the other day. It's gross.... but I think it's just part of what dogs do being the scavengers that they are.. although I certainly try to avoid giving him the chance. He also likes to take a break between ball and frisbee sessions to graze on grass. It doesn't seem to hurt him at all but damn,,,,it sure is a distraction and I hope he outgrows it soon.

[sandysfarm]

Thinking about the nutritional aspect . . . you say she's raw fed. I wonder if she could be missing some micronutrients.

 

One thing I'd try to be sure of is that she's getting as much protein variety as possible, and enough organ. Minimum 5% liver and 5% other organ, like kidney, spleen or pancreas. Heart is not organ for nutritional purposes. Some sources say they should have a minimum of 15% organ. And at least 10-15% edible bone.

 

Duck eggs have a lot more of most vitamins than chicken eggs, especially B vitamins, so I try to feed them often.

 

My vet, who's supportive of raw feeding, is still always worried that they might be missing micronutrients (even though there's no evidence health wise that they are. ). Anyway, he recommended giving them a daily human Centrum (regular Centrum, not Silver or the ones formulated for men or women). I have to admit I don't do it all the time, but I keep some on hand in case I get lazy about organs or run out.

 

Not sure this has anything to do with your situation, but it might be something to consider . . .

 

 

 

thank you, yes, I will sit down and relate that back to what they're getting. I bought duck eggs over christmas and fed them, wishing that they weren't sold at such a premium In the city. I'll find an asian market source. My vet isn't onside quite yet but she's long since stopped making faces and blathering about "the salmonella problem", at least. I do bring my feeding practices into the general discussion every time she sees my dogs, which, touch wood, isn't often so that she can make the connection between that and their overall appearance. I appreciate your time...

[emilyfalk]

Some dogs just like it! My dogs are a combination of raw and premium kibble-fed and several of them still eat poop. Young and old, all normal, healthy dogs who get things to chew, get work, and exercise. One only eats it frozen. The oldest eats dirt, too, but like I said, she gets raw as well as kibble, so I feel comfortable about her nutrient requirements being met. Just did bloodwork on her yesterday and everything was within normal limits. Of course a trip to the vet is never a bad idea, just saying that I wouldn't stress yourself out too much over this. It's gross, but not really a big deal unless your dog has other symptoms.

[juliepoudrier]

What everyone else has said. Yes, it's gross and appalling from a human standpoint, but she's a dog and dogs eat stuff we find gross and appalling. The fact that she suddenly started it might be concerning, but the act itself isn't something totally weird for a dog, FWIW.

 

Lately, my dogs have been eating my oldest (16.5 years) dog's poop whenever they can get it. I suspect she's losing something in her stool (protein maybe?) that the other dogs find appealing. I do try to prevent them eating it when I see them going for it, but I am not in control of what they're doing every second out in the yard, so I'm sure they're getting some whether I like it or not.

 

So to your question about whether other people's dogs do it, the answer is yes. Mine also like cat poop, and as youngsters will go for chicken and sheep poop as well. I imagine if there were cattle around here, they'd go for that too, though that seems to be more appealing for rolling in rather than eating....

 

J.

[sandysfarm]

haha thanks, yes It IS the gross factor; I guess everybody's got their breaking point and poopsicles just make me gacky. Watching a greyhound do it, so delicately, with their long necks, and huge teeth, is so disgusting I practically need therapy. I'll just manage it since I can't control it...

[Bordercentrics]

We have 4 Border Collies, and two of them are so inclined. One just in winter, one year round! Years ago we had terriers who loved to do it as well. We have tried Adolph's and the stuff the vet sells. They work for some dogs and not others, so try it. I think it is not so uncommon as people wish. Our terriers did it, one of our 4 Bouviers did it, and now 2 of the 4 BCs. One of ours now seems most interested in the results of the dog who is on a special diet. She would also like it if she were fed THAT food, so it may be that some feces just are attractive to certain dogs! There's no accounting for taste, eh?

 

Kathy Robbins

[gcv-border]

As said by others ^^^ It's gross, but it is a dog behavior that may not be abnormal.

 

Just don't let your dog kiss you immediately after a 'snack'.

[GentleLake]

My 7 month old pup eats a strangers poop once in a while and robbed the kitty litter box of an errant hershey's kiss pooplet the other day.

 

Cat poop is like doggy crack! LOL

[Gideon's girl]

I had a dedicated poop eater, but he quit when I started adding digestive enzymes to everyones food. He still will eat poop if we have a dog over that doesn't get the enzymes or is on cheap garbage food, actually it isn't really cheap, it's Diamond. He'll also still eat chicken, goat, steer, whatever poop.

[GentleLake]

He still will eat poop if we have a dog over that doesn't get the enzymes or is on cheap garbage food, actually it isn't really cheap, it's Diamond. He'll also still eat chicken, goat, steer, whatever poop.

 

I think herbivore's poop often has semi-digested plant material in it that's at least somewhat nutritious. Foals will often eat their mothers' droppings before they're weaned. And dogs have long been known to love rabbit and deer and other herbivore's droppings. (Tansy spent quite a while in the yard this morning scavenging for rabbit poop now that it's warm enough to spend more than 2 seconds outside.)

 

It might make sense, then, that there's also somewhat nutritious plant material in kibble fed dogs' stools, too. I know there's much more eliminated in kibble fed dogs' stool by volume compared to raw fed dogs, who I assume digest more of their food.

[Gideon's girl]

Foals that don't eat their mothers dropping often have a failure to thrive issue. It is considered medically necessary to seed their gut with the proper probiotics in the proper ratio. And rabbit poop is know to have a good dose of diggestive enzymes in it. So in some instances, poop eating can be healthy, kind of in the same way that brussel sprouts are healthy, YUCK!! Yes, eating herbivore poop would provide some predigested vegetable benefits, I'd just rather he get them in a less yuck fashion. He never was much of one for licking faces... except when he's eaten someone elses poop.

[GentleLake]

As if eating real dog poop isn't bad enough, there's a turd toy for dogs available!

 

 

The only review I read says it's a piece of crap (pun intended) and that the person's Yorki tore the small size to shreds in a matter of minutes.

 

What people will come up with.

[sandysfarm]

As if eating real dog poop isn't bad enough, there's a turd toy for dogs available!

 

 

The only review I read says it's a piece of crap (pun intended) and that the person's Yorki tore the small size to shreds in a matter of minutes.

 

What people will come up with.

 

 

 

 

I'm the OP and I feel faint.

[GentleLake]

I'm the OP and I feel faint.

 

ROTFL!!!!!!

 

I kinda thought you'd appreciate it.