Gundog Training Forum

hi all, was just wondering why my cocker pup has sometimes started to eat his own poo, and how can i make him stop.. thanks all.

1. Envoirenment
2.Learned behaviour
3.Deficiency
4.Protein
5.Handler
6.Age
7.Get there quicker

My bitch eats her poo (and others!) if she's fed on dried food for more than a couple of days. As long as she's on raw she doesn't. Same applied to a friend's Collie. Megan even copes OK on Nature Diet for a couple of weeks.
I'm told that of you put pineapple in the food it stops them eating their own, but I've never tried it myself - not tried it with the dog either!

Out of interest has he always done it or has he just started? Was he bought from a home or kenneled enviroment. I have found that the majority of poo eaters ive cared for have lived in kennels. All 3 of my cockers all from different kenneled homes have all done it. NOTHING will make them stop it and the pineapple doesnt work. Its a case of breaking the habit by lifting it and telling them to leave it that breaks the habit! why do they do it?? because they can and they obviously like it

what's he being fed and have you changed his diet recently?

I'm no expert on this sort of thing but here is a couple of things I've noticed. It is more prevalent among kennel dogs ........... they are in a run with the poo for long periods of time and boredom sets in.
Secondly, I believe dried all in one dog foods often start it off because the manufacturers put chemical "enticers" into the foods to try to make them more interesting to dogs. After passing through the dogs system those "enticers" may still smell enticing.

Many years ago I worked for The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. When I began working there the 50 + dogs were all fed on raw whalemeat and plain biscuit. Only 2 or 3 dogs were poo eaters. A change was made to feeding an all in one dog food and almost at once an increase in the number of poo eaters occurred.

Wullie

Interesting about the dry food, we noticed that last winter when our dog was a young pup he never touched poo until the cold weather set in and then around the time he was teething 5 months ish he started to eat the frozen poo! Hopefully even though we feed dry, it was pretty much a temporary thing and neither rarely eat it now.

Eating poo is in a dogs nature....he is a scavenger first and a hunter second and poo played a big part in his acceptance into human society (oh look these animals eat our poop and turn it into meat! fantastic!). It must taste good, and some food probably taste better the second time around to others. But most dogs which are mentally and physically satisfied won't eat poo after a puppyish experiment. Kennel poop eaters would probably benefit from bones, stuffed kongs etc to occupy their day as well as from regular cleaning out to limit temptation.

True Vicky, I saw a wildlife film once in which the babies in an African village were deliberately held out by their mothers in order for the village dogs to lick the babies bums clean ! It was speculated by the film makers that a mild antiseptic in the dogs saliva may have helped reduce inflamation or infection of the babies bottoms.

Wullie

trekmoor wrote:True Vicky, I saw a wildlife film once in which the babies in an African village were deliberately held out by their mothers in order for the village dogs to lick the babies bums clean ! It was speculated by the film makers that a mild antiseptic in the dogs saliva may have helped reduce inflamation or infection of the babies bottoms.

Wullie

Dont think the better half would be to happy if next time the little uns nappy needs doing i take it off, hold him up and call the dogs over to give him a good clean up It would be worth it to see her face though and might save money on baby wipes.

Mike