LABRADORNET - Coprophagy (stool-eating)

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Coprophagy, AKA stool-eating, feces-eating, poop-eating

Coprophagy, AKA "stool-eating', "feces-eating" or "poop-eating", is the eating of excrement and can involve the dog's own, another dog's, or another species of animal's stools. Some only eat their own, others eat only other animals, some don't discriminate. It is not unusual, and is seen more frequently in young dogs; nor is it unnatural, after all the brood bitch does this routinely to clean up after her very young pups; hence they are exposed to this activity right from the onset. This does NOT mean that you should stop a brood bitch from this normal, healthy, and necessary activity with her pups.

As for the causes which aren't particularly well understood..., there is a lot of speculation and theories abound, but most do not have scientific ratification. Amongst these reasons are hunger, lack of certain nutrients, boredom, food allergy creating mal-absorption, "great" taste, distress, attention-getting. Certainly it is one of the most disgusting habits of dogs, and especially house dogs. I get more letters on this subject than on practically any other, and so have researched high and wide to provide some answers. Aside from being an unpleasant habit affecting the dog's breath and its desirability as a "very close" patting friend, it's best to prevent this activity especially if it involves other animals stools because there is the real possibility of your dog acquiring internal parasites and infections. If the dog is an adult, and suddenly starts this behavior, your first stop is at the vet's for a check-up.

It is much easier to put a stop to this habit while the dog is still young; it can be nearly impossible to stop older dogs who have been "indulging" in this activity for a long time. With a young dog, the trick is all timing; the instant you see him sniffing or going for any stool, give a strong "No" command and pull him away; the instant he looks at you, praise him well and give him a treat. Take him away from the spot and distract him for a while. It should be obvious that the dog cannot be left unattended where there are stools present; if he gets the chance to indulge, you are back to square 1. There is absolutely no point in scolding a dog with poop-breath after the fact, he won't relate it to his favorite activity. Putting his nose in it (remember, he likes it) and getting cross will have no effect either.

There are other things you can try as well. If you know that your dog is on a nutritious diet and that there is no underlying illness (your vet can confirm this), you may want to try switching brands of dog food, but make sure that it is a well-balanced dog food. If the food is low in protein, try adding cottage cheese, or cooked eggs. Canned food alone usually is insufficient; kibble along with the canned food may help. Make sure your dog doesn't get too hungry; give it at least 2 meals a day, or have food available at all times so the dog can eat when he feels like it. If your dog is too fat, try using one of the dog diet foods; this way the dog gets the bulk without the calories.

There are also things that you can add to the food to make the resulting stools taste unpleasant. Some of these additives may work, some dog people swear by them, and so you'll have to do a little experimenting. Try adding MSG (found in Accent), or pineapple juice, or meat tenderizer (the kind that contains papain) in small quantities, or specific drugs your vet can supply (such as 4-BID); the effect of these additives is to make the stools' taste unpleasant to the dog. Be sure to check with your vet before you do this to make sure that you are using the correct amount for the dog's age and size.

Another method is to make the stool foul tasting by sprinkling stuff onto them, such as Bitter Apple or pepper. But the catch here is that dogs have great noses; so if you miss a couple, he'll know which ones are OK. Plus you'll have to keep a vigilant watch to see when and where he goes. If you are going to spend that much time watching, it's easiest to just clean up after him immediately so there is no temptation present.

If you suspect that the cause is psychological, then you must deal with that aspect. In a multiple dog family, the dog showing this behavior may need individual time away from the other dog(s). If the dog is alone all day, he may be craving attention and be behaving this way as an outlet. In either case, take him out on a regular basis by himself for a good 30 minutes of play and activity.

Bottom line: if your dog doesn't have access to stools, he won't eat them. So discipline yourself to do a clean-up when he goes. Best if he doesn't see you doing it as he may want to join in the fun of playing with or "handling" the poop as well.

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