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Old April 3rd, 2004, 08:43 PM
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CJPARSONS80 CJPARSONS80 is offline
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AHHH, if it's not one thing it's another

oh my, I was wondering if there was anyone on here who may have had a similar problem. My 1 year old beagle/rotti has always been a poop eater. Ever since she was a little pup we had to follow her around (like you should do anyway when housebreaking) and clean up her poop almost as it was done to stop her from eating it. Gross I know... I consulted a vet because I feared maybe she wasn't getting proper nutrition and that she felt she had to eat it...??...I was told there it is pretty common and has a name to it but I can't remember now and that usually they grow out of it.

Well she is one now and for a little background she wouldn't fully housebreak until she was almost 9 months old (I have been told beagles are horrible to housebreak). She still goes outside and poops and eats it, with two dogs we usually let them go out half a day clean it up, go out the second half of the day and do a second scoop but I can see that there is hardly any of her poop out there so she is still eating it Also she will be outside for a few hours basking in the sun or playing in the snow (don't get uptight, the door is open and she is free to come in and out..she is never barred out there LOL) but she will come in and go to the same corner and poop and eat it. Oh please help, the vet said it won't hurt her but it sure grosses me out.
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Old April 3rd, 2004, 08:55 PM
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Luba Luba is offline
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When you take her outside take her to one part of the yard while on lead. Start giving her a command (with my Sadie I've always used 'paper' from day one as she was paper training) I use the same command outside and it works.

Anyway, take her outside while on lead and make her go in one spot at a time. Pee/poop! (ofcourse you will prob get to know her pooping habits roughly and know when she has to go)

IE early in the morning first thing.

Take treats outside with you (a handfull of dry food)

When she goes pee outside give her praise, same when she has a poop. Then make her sit, while you pick up the poop. Give her a treat then take her off the lead to run and play in the yard. Throw a ball make it really exciting for her and let her know what a good girl she is.

NEVER scold her!

Carry a water pistol or squirt bottle with u and if you see her going for the poop give her a command, (her name +) NO or OFF (whichever you use for getting her to stay away from things now)
Squirt her if she goes to gobble it up!

Eventually they get it, and they stop but it's a positive reinforcement over and over that you need to do. Sadie's 4mons and yeah ofcourse it gets aggrivating....for some of the stuff they do (like kids). But in the long run all your hard work will pay off.
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Old April 3rd, 2004, 08:57 PM
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CJPARSONS80 CJPARSONS80 is offline
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ahh squirt bottle, excellent suggestion thanks
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Old April 4th, 2004, 02:41 AM
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woodbyter woodbyter is offline
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Poop Eaters

Oh this is a problem of long standing and one that is extremely hard to correct.
I have two poop eaters and while I agree it is disgusting (to us) there seems little to do especially if you are not able to be with the dog 24/7 or every minute they are out of the crate-if you are a crate person.
Two of my dogs are poop eaters - both rescues, from puppyhood, and both get excellent diets- attention-exercise etc. However they eat their poop and will from time to time dine on the other's poop.
In nature this is not an extreme abnormality but it does offend our sensibilities and, in our refined state of cultural development, we do not accept the practice.
I guess the water gun approach might work although I am not sure it is positive reinforcement even when accompanied with a treat.....
I spent a lot of time trying everything the Vets and animal psychologists said would work before accepting the fact that nature will over ride even behavior modification.
My two are very happy and living fine lives with no problems of the bowel or anything worse than occasional bad breath which puppy breath mints cure quickly.
I clean the kennels every day but if I am late arriving on the scene of a poop, it might be gone...
Also remember most dogs-even my 13 year old toy poodle who has regular trips to the beauty groomer and sleeps on her pillows in the sun when she is not eating canned food and drinking distilled water-still loves nothing more than to find or capture a basement mouse and bring it to us. I presume we would freak out if one of the grandkids brought us a dead mouse in it's teeth as we do when Dynamyte does - but for the dog it is normal behavior. She is bringing us a prized gift.
It is all in how we perceive it and understand nature.
Just my humble opinion.
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Old April 4th, 2004, 10:38 AM
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CJPARSONS80 CJPARSONS80 is offline
Mocha and Oscar's mommy
 
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thanks, it's nice to know my "kid" is normal, LOL....If that is their way and there really isn't anything harmful about it then I will try my best to catch it but I won't get too upset if I find out she ate some...thanks
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Old April 4th, 2004, 10:58 AM
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Chany Chany is offline
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I know with our other dogs cat poop was like chocolate bars to them.Eeeew!!! But they sure seemed to enjoy it!
I'll keep the squirt bottle in mind in case Abbey takes a likeing.
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Old April 4th, 2004, 04:09 PM
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Quote:
NEVER scold her!
I'm not sure about that. Saying "NO NO NO" in a growly voice and leading her away by the collar might be just the thing she needs. When you do this with her (if you need to) be gentle, kind and relaxed so she knows that your not angry with her - just dissapointed.

Keep her away from the poop. She might forget about it if you keep her away from it long enough. This worked with my dog eating gopher poop. Put some vinegar water on the poop, so she recognizes that its discusting to taste it.
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Old April 4th, 2004, 05:03 PM
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Luba Luba is offline
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Well with my experience, a dog with this behaviour isn't going to listen to a stern voice. In fact the stern voice will upset them and they will run away from you in the opposite direction, instead of come 'to' you!

See the dog thinks you are 'barking' at him/her and it will become a competition as to who is going to win.

But if ya wanna try shouting go ahead
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Old April 4th, 2004, 07:10 PM
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NOT yelling. I hardly ever yell at my dog.

While talking in a deep, quiet, growly voice, lead her away from the poop. Does that make more sense?
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