|
|
Question
Our puppy eats our older dog's poop. We tried "forbid" a powdered product that was supposed to have an awful taste. What else can we do?
Karen in BC
Answer
Your puppy eats dog poop? Yuk. How disgusting…. My dog does that too. Or at least my last Australian Cattle Dog did.
You might think that such a foul habit points to a nutritional deficiency or that it means Fido's not getting enough to eat, but actually poop-eating (a.k.a. copraphagia) is a common pastime among dogs. It's quite normal. But still disgusting. In fact female dogs with litters of pups have to lick their pup's rear end to stimulate pooping and the licking doesn't stop once the pup starts pooping.
Most dogs in all-dog households never show a proclivity for poop. In households where dogs and cats coexist, though, owners should take care to check Fido's breath before letting him say hello, because dogs like cat poop the way kids like candy. Once a dog figures out that indoor sand-filled boxes contain tasty morsels of "used cat food," they frequent these sites in hopes of finding a "kitty roca surprise."
How is it that a waste product could become a delightful dessert for some dogs? It all started thousands of years ago. Originally domestic dogs descended from hunters, but more recently the descendants have been scavengers. This tendency to scavenge can be seen in the present day "wild" model of the domestic dog—the village dog. While many dogs in the U.S. experience the luxury of a cozy home, free meals, and regular veterinary check-ups, three quarters of the world's dogs are feral dogs, most of whom have chosen to live in villages near people. These motley mutts make their living by preying on stolen tidbits, human leftovers, and feces of all kinds. Those tame enough to hang out close to humans and indiscriminate enough to eat anything with nutritive value survive the best.
Among our coddled domestic dogs, many retain a strong desire to scavenge. They raid trashcans and left out lunch bags. A bias for dung depends on access to the morsels, level of other interesting activities, and personal preference. Luckily for most owners, like humans who never develop a taste for escargot, many dogs never develop a taste for poop.
So what can you do if your dog likes to feast on feces? It doesn't hurt to try some of the over-the-counter products that supposedly make poop taste bad. Or to even lace poop with peppers regularly for several weeks—assuming they don't just learn the smell of chili pepper-laced poop. On the other hand, what could possibly taste worse than poop? A more successful solution is to just deny access to the delicacy by cleaning it up ASAP. And don't waste time punishing Fido for exhibiting the horrible habit in front of you. He'll still snack on it behind your back. Rather, just call him to you before or as soon as you see him heading towards the stinky delicacy. Then reward him for coming when called and sticking with you instead of going after the poop.
Why a dog would kill its owner. I t is regarded as bizarre that man’s best friend for at least the last 12,000 years should turn on its owner and kill that person. |
Some realities about relinquishing your dog.
Not an easy decision to make and do read this article before you make the decision. |
Why dogs bite and how they warn us.
Unless Idiopathic aggression (very rare) aggression does not occur with no warning - it may just be that we are missing the warnings. |