ash&elar Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 I was wondering this last night, I cant remember why I thought of it but I remember as a kid seeing my grandads dog doing it and she wasn't a puppy puppy, maybe 12mths or so, I knew of a lab pup that hadn't been fed well by its breeder and would do it im not sure whether it kept doing it into adult hood or if it stopped, and there was another dog I never met but got told about that did it I think it also came from a bad start, so do you think its from lack of nutrition or is it just a bad habit individual dogs pick up or whats your thoughts???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest belgian.blue Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Both my two did it until the age of eight months and until they were desexed .. strange but this is what I have noticed. My two are fed a well balanced diet and are never hungry. Cat poo is another tasty question :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 (edited) I think the reasons for it would be many and varied. No doubt puppies raised in poor conditions could get the habit either through boredom or because they don't have enough to eat. In some dogs it's related to some digestive disorder either in themselves or a companion dog I remember reading about a dog which lived with a GSD with panreatic (sp!) issues, the non GSD would eat the GSD's poop until the owner got the GSD's medical condition sorted then it stopped, obviously the GSD wasn't digesting it's food properly so the other dog just thought, yah more food! Some dogs learn it from another dog and it just becomes a habit. Some dogs are just naturally greedy and if they can fit it in their mouths they'll eat it. The quality of the food probably has a fair amount to do with it in some cases, indigestible rubbish in would come out pretty much the same as it went in so would just be viewed as food. I know someone who had a large number of dogs and never had this problem until they changed to a certain cheap brand of food, then a lot of the dogs started it. The remaining food went to the pigs and the original food was brought back in to use, no more problems Hows that for an unequivocal answer :D Edited cause I'm trying to type in the dark! Edited October 8, 2010 by Sandra777 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 My Whippet was the first poo eater I've owned. He only did it as a pup. Never his own poo, just other dogs. He grew out of the habit. No idea why he did it or stopped. :D It does seem to be more common in pups than adults though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tapferhund Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 As disgusting as it is to us.....its a normal behaviour in dogs. I agree with Sandra777, in some dogs its a learned habit from watching other dogs do it..then it becomes a habit and with some its the type of food they eat. Some foods are so strong in smell...when the dog poops it still smells like food..so they eat it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 (edited) My neighbour's older desexed bitch eats the poo from the younger desexed bitch. The older one doesn't eat any other dog's poo - including the poo of my desexed bitch and she's had the opportunity. My best guess - it's a deluded motherhood habit ie the older dog sees itself as the younger dog's mum, and eats the poo accordingly. Nevermind the younger one is way beyond puppy age or stage. The older one has always done this. I have suggested feeding older dog cooked pumpkin (provides enzymes that might be otherwise missing in the older dog's diet), and feeding younger dog some pineapple (makes poo taste bad), but neighbour hasn't bothered. He figures - half as much crap to clean up - yay. Edited October 8, 2010 by Mrs Rusty Bucket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 My Zeddy eats poo - but only ones in our back yard. She won't eat stranger dog poo... lol! I have no idea who she learned it from, but when my old Rotti girl was alive, Zeddy would actually stand behind her and eat it as it was coming out... and THAT is the definition of gross my friends! The good thing is she only eats healthy dog poo, and only when it's still relatively fresh - apparently day old poo isn't as delicious or something... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 I'll never forget the horror of watching my adorable new puppy munching down on her own poo :D ;) She is one of those greedy dogs who will eat anything she can fit into her mouth, always has been. Just so happens poo fits in her mouth ;) She doesn't do it as much now as she used to when she was younger. I've only ever seen her eat her own. I've only witnessed my older dog eating it once and it wasn't his own, it was from my brother's dog but in my yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Last Christmas I rescued a dog from the pound that must have been from a back yard breeder. Not only was she in a horrific state, but for several months (until I got her out of the habit with kindness and encouragement) she would spin around and immediately eat her poo. Apparently if they are used for breeding constantly (as my vet thought she had), and if they are not let out of their cage etc, they learn to keep it clean for the puppies by constantly eating poo. She took many months to get out of the habit, the RSPCA euthanase these dogs because it's so hard to retrain but she's a very happy girl now. She will return to poo eating if she gets very stressed though. A few of my other dogs over the years have enjoyed dried up old poop at the park from time to time - gross but nowhere near as ghastly as the rescue dog above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jed Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Sometimes due to an imbalance in the system, which is why pups tend to do it more. People have had success with stopping this by feeding paw paw - no idea how much, a couple of chunks I guess. Can't hurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 My Boy eats poo, not usually his own but sometimes his own. What does it mean....no idea, but he's not a healthy dog so might have something to do with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanabanana Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 My friend fostered an ex pigdog for a while and she always ate her own poop. Never the other two dogs, just her own. I have no idea why they do it but I am glad I have never had a poo eater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottychick Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 My Zeddy eats poo - but only ones in our back yard. She won't eat stranger dog poo... lol! I have no idea who she learned it from, but when my old Rotti girl was alive, Zeddy would actually stand behind her and eat it as it was coming out... and THAT is the definition of gross my friends!The good thing is she only eats healthy dog poo, and only when it's still relatively fresh - apparently day old poo isn't as delicious or something... T. :D Thanks for that image td!! No poo eaters here. Well not dog poo anyway. Tango is very partial to wallaby poo tho. ;) Gets quite excited about it and pulls on his lead to get to it when we walk in wallaby areas! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Lewis will occasionally eat Rommi's, not always but sometimes he will zone in on it and needs to be growled at. I pick up all poo seen as soon as possible to try and avoid him having the opportunity. He does not eat his own or the old dogs just Rommi's... He had a brilliant start in life and has never wanted for anything to eat, so why he does it I am not sure. I have read about MANY WHippets that eat their, their friends or any other dogs and to me as a breed they do seem a little over represented. Not sure why though. Rommi is not at all inclinded to do it in any way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanabanana Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Lewis will occasionally eat Rommi's, not always but sometimes he will zone in on it and needs to be growled at. I pick up all poo seen as soon as possible to try and avoid him having the opportunity. He does not eat his own or the old dogs just Rommi's... He had a brilliant start in life and has never wanted for anything to eat, so why he does it I am not sure. I have read about MANY WHippets that eat their, their friends or any other dogs and to me as a breed they do seem a little over represented. Not sure why though. Rommi is not at all inclinded to do it in any way. Maybe because they are such slim dogs, they dont like what they see in the mirror and they think if they eat a lot of crap they might gain weight God that is a bad joke LMAO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Lewis will occasionally eat Rommi's, not always but sometimes he will zone in on it and needs to be growled at. I pick up all poo seen as soon as possible to try and avoid him having the opportunity. He does not eat his own or the old dogs just Rommi's... He had a brilliant start in life and has never wanted for anything to eat, so why he does it I am not sure. I have read about MANY WHippets that eat their, their friends or any other dogs and to me as a breed they do seem a little over represented. Not sure why though. Rommi is not at all inclinded to do it in any way. Maybe because they are such slim dogs, they dont like what they see in the mirror and they think if they eat a lot of crap they might gain weight God that is a bad joke LMAO Bad but funny! :D ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanabanana Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 LOL I am glad someone laughed and I wasnt the only one cackling away at my bad joke Do you want to come live with me? Noone in my house ever laughs at my jokes LMAO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmurps Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 I watched Dr.Billinghurst DVD and he said that it was perfectly normal. It has heaps of bacteria which is high in quality protein, B vitamins, enzymes, probiotics and fibre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaJ Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Sometimes due to an imbalance in the system, which is why pups tend to do it more. People have had success with stopping this by feeding paw paw - no idea how much, a couple of chunks I guess. Can't hurt Something I read a while ago agrees with Jed - it's an enzyme deficiency - there is an enzyme pups are not born with and some will get it from eating poo others get it another way - from then on it's habit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sllebasi Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 my dog started it for no apparant reason (she did have pancreatitis though so that is an interesting post before) i was told to add pineapple or pineapple juice to make it more acidic. it worked pretty much instantly if you want to stop it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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