# 7 month old eating poop



## katierust (Dec 27, 2014)

My 7 month old solid black shepherd has picked up the nasty habit of eating poop. I never noticed this behavior in him before, (besides goose poop but what dog DOESN'T eat goose poop). We recently moved to a house with a fenced in yard so in the past month or so I haven't been supervising him during his potty breaks. However, I do take him many places with me and we go on hikes where I have never seen this behavior. Recently he has been coming up to our back door with poop hanging out of his mouth. I'm wondering if it is only recently because they are frozen in the snow or what the deal is. Does anyone know a surefire way of stopping this? I have been watching him when he goes outside now but eventually I want him to be able to relax and run around in the yard alone without me yelling him to "leave it" every few seconds. Here are some pictures of my (not so little anymore) boy. Laugh at the ears all you want

oh, and he is not fixed if that makes a difference.


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## Rangers_mom (May 16, 2013)

Ranger is a poop eater too. He is 2.5 y.o. And the behavior has not subsided. I just make sure I go out with him everytime even if he is going in the fenced in backyard. I watch him like a hawk and pick up his poop immediately. I will be curious to find out if anyone has suggestions because i would love to let him out on his own when it is really cold or really raining.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Nothing quite like a poo-sicle.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

It drives me nuts..between the poop, the sticks and the mulch. I find no enjoyment in having a yard and I long for the days when I had to walk them. 

Misty...she just started eating poop recently, she will forever dig for grubs and eat bugs.

Robyn probably is the best. Every now and then she will grab a stick, but a drop it works.

Tannor is always looking for something to eat, anything, but leave its work well for him.

Midnite is my first poop eater. He will go clear across he yard to go again if I'm picking it up somewhere. If all poop is picked up he is pretty good. Maybe a stick every now and then. 

Brennan lives mulch and sticks. He doesn't bother with poop. He does listen to drop it.

Batman just started with frozen poop. He has tried bringing it in the house. Leave its and drop it's are worthless for him.

Apollo will go to all ends to find rubber mulch. He attempted to eat poop a couple times but I stopped that. He has not gotten the chance to actually eat the mulch but hd seems to like chewing it. 

I put stuff in the fire pit and they take it out I'm to the point that I want nothing loose in the yard and I'm looking at using a concrete mix to harden whatever stone I have and I'm looking into heated compacted rubber mulch. Then all I have to worry about is poop. I might go as far as putting a dog door in and allowing them in a 10x20 run attached to the house only. I'll fix all their butts, I swear I will.


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## The Packman (Jan 31, 2011)

Rangers_mom said:


> Ranger is a poop eater too. He is 2.5 y.o. And the behavior has not subsided. I just make sure I go out with him everytime even if he is going in the fenced in backyard. I watch him like a hawk and pick up his poop immediately. I will be curious to find out if anyone has suggestions because i would love to let him out on his own when it is really cold or really raining.


 There are other things you can do but cleaning it up ASAP is the best solution. My 'Ranger' does the same thing and my Vet / Breeder told that it is not harmful and natural behavior. I asked her if it can carry worms and she said NO !

One other thing you can do, is not let him kiss you when he first comes in !


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

Both of my dogs resurrect this habit every year when it drops below zero. I guess no dog can resist a poopsicle. Unfortunately the only sure-fire way to curb it is to pick it up immediately.


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## counter (Feb 20, 2009)

Nara used to do this, but once we switched to a 100% raw diet, she stopped and has never done it again. I've read about dogs not getting enough of what their body needs when eating kibble, so they'll "recycle" their meal to try and get whatever it is they're lacking. I can now leave Nara out in the yard for hours with poo piles everywhere like a minefield and she won't eat a single piece. Of course, I still go out there to pick up all the poo daily, so that was an exaggerated example to prove a point. Ha! But other than picking it up immediately, switching to raw was the only thing that worked for us.


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## katierust (Dec 27, 2014)

It's interesting you say that, because I just recently switched him from Taste of the Wild, to Fromm large breed puppy. He had parvo as a baby (despite being fully vaccinated, he got a rare mutated form of it) and his digestive system is a little slow in maturing so Taste of the Wild was a little too harsh on his belly. I wonder if the new food is what is causing this. It did seem to start around the same time. At the time i started him on the new food i also started sprinkling a probiotic on his food in the morning to help digest his food easier.


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Oh my, such a common problem.. My boy is a poop scooper too! If I am not on top of it, he is! When the weather is bad, and he poops out back, until I get to it, he is only allowed out front, tied up! I bet if he was allowed near the cat litter, it would be like a buffet..

Llombardo, you had me in stitches!!


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

It must be the color... My bi color pup reverted to eating crap when her excercise was restricted for a bit over a week. More black = eats more poop....  I know that's not it but they usually do out grow the habit.... (yes, I have had more than one dog that thought this was a good idea...)


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Ahhhh yes…….POOP-sicle’s! LOL 

One of our previous dogs loved them! 

Here are some comments from vets and some suggestions for *Coprophagia*:

Per PetMD: "For some dogs, eating feces is a behavior learned from the litter-mates and/or mother. But, dogs that are fed a low-quality food (or an insufficient amount of food) may also resort to eating feces in an instinctual attempt to balance out a dietary deficiency. This may be further exacerbated if your dog has a digestive enzyme deficiency, because it prevents any of the food’s nutrients to be properly absorbed by the body."

Dr. Karen Becker: "Dogs on entirely processed, dry food diets, who eat no living foods at all, will intentionally seek out other sources of digestive enzymes to make up for their own lifelong enzyme deficiency. Feeding your pet a diet containing human-grade protein, probiotics and supplemental digestive enzymes can sometimes curb the urge to find gross sources of free enzymes around the yard or in the cats litter box."

Coprophagia can also be caused by a Vitamin-B1 (Thiamine) deficiency. “B-1 deficiency can be caused by feeding your dog a low-quality or a nutritionally incomplete diet (Dogspire).” 
Here is a whole food product that could help: *Vitamin Code Raw B Complex*: RAW ORGANIC FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BLEND(ORGANIC:STRAWBERRY,CHERRY,BLACKBERRY, RASPBERRY,BEET JUICE,BROCCOLI,CUCUMBER,TOMATO,KALE,SPINACH,CABBAG E,CAULIFLOWER,CELERY,PARSLEY,ASPARAGUS,GINGER) Amazon.com: Garden of Life Vitamin Code Vitamin B Complex, 120 Capsules: Health & Personal Care 


The dog may need some Vitamin K-1. You can supply this naturally to his/her diet by adding 1 Tablespoon of chopped parsley every other day (never use synthetic Vitamin K-3, also called Menadione Sodium Bisulfate, as prolonged use can possibly damage organs and have a carcinogenic effect). Additionally, “the flavonoids in parsley—especially luteolin—have been shown to function as antioxidants that combine with highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules (called oxygen radicals) and help prevent oxygen-based damage to cells. In addition, extracts from parsley have been used in animal studies to help increase the antioxidant capacity of the blood.”

Adding animal based Digestive Enzymes, or a Digestive/Pro-Biotic and fresh foods that contain Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine) could curb this habit. I believe that enzymes/probiotics should be added to all dog’s food, even raw fed dogs, as they are not getting them naturally from a “fresh kill”. Since 75% of diseases begin in the gut, it’s a good thing to keep it healthy!

BileX is an animal based digestive enzyme and very cost effective. It contains Pancreatin, Ox Bile Extract and Papin (Papaya). Crush 1 or 1 ½ tablets between 2 spoons and mix into the dogs food. Bilex 90 Tablets by Douglas Laboratories

Another Digestive Enzyme/ProBiotic choice is called Sunday Sundae: http://ineedthat.corecommerce.com/Sunday-Sundae.html(From Canada) Or from the USA at: http://animalnature.net/animal-nature-product-listing.html
phone: 412 723 2194 Jason @ Animal Nature


Here are some fresh foods that you can add to your dogs’ diet. 
-Pork is high in B-1. 1/3rd cup served raw, (or VERY slightly cooked to preserve its integrity), several times per week may help. Pork must be frozen for at least one week before it is given to your dog. Choose very lean pork such as diced “taco meat” *without any seasonings *added or purchase pork chops on sale, take off most of the fat and cut in smaller pieces before freezing. Introduce slowly in small amounts at first.
-Liver from Beef, Pork(frozen for one week), and Chicken contain Thiamine. 
-Fresh Asparagus (pureed), blanched green peas (pureed), ground flax seed and tuna (cooked) also have high quantities of B-1 that can be added to the diet. Some have even mentioned Chia Seeds for the B vitamins and Omega’s they contain.

Poop eating deterrents: Here are a few natural products that could possibly help. One product may work for some dogs and not for others. Deterrents may take a few days or a week to kick in and if not you may want to consider upping the dosage.
Nasty Habit Chewables - Nutri-Vet 
Only Natural Pet Stool Eating Deterrent Dog Supplement (FYI this contains Brewer’s Yeast if dogs have a yeast problem)
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/NaturVet-Coprophagia-Deterrent-Soft-Chews/dp/B003FVK47A[/ame] (This contains Brewer’s Yeast and grains)

If you look for other commercially prepared “stool deterrent” PLEASE read the label and make sure that it doesn't contain MSG (Mono-sodium Glutamate) which can be toxic. Please research MSG (Accent) before purchasing as it is VERY suspect of being a dangerous toxin: 
Per Wiki: *MSG is classified by the FDA as an excitotoxin, a dangerous neurotoxin* that shrivels and kills brain cells and has been linked to causing seizures, migraines, heart palpitations and even cancer, amongst it's many symptoms.... in people! Never mind your dog, YOU should be avoiding MSG! It's definitely one of those things you should not feed a dog.
http://evidenceofmsgtoxicity.blogspot.com/: All processed free glutamic acid (MSG) – no matter how produced -- is neurotoxic (kills brain cells) and is endocrine disrupting (damages the endocrine system) (7-8). In addition, all processed free glutamic acid (MSG) will cause adverse reactions ranging from feelings of mild discomfort or simple skin rash to such things as irritable bowel, asthma, migraine headache, mood swings, heart irregularities, asthma, seizures, and depression when the amount of MSG ingested exceeds a person's MSG-tolerance level(9).
http://thehydrantblog.com/2012/07/31/dog-food-and-the-hidden-msg/ MSG or glutamate is a suspected addictive neurotoxin that has been associated with chest pain, headaches, numbness, asthmatic reactions, brain damage (in rats, rabbits, chicks and monkeys), depression, irritability, and mood changes, reproductive dysfunction in males and females, nervous symptoms (decreased sensibility in neck, arms and back) and irregular heartbeat. *It’s also on the FDA’s list for further study for possible mutagenic teratogenic, subacute and reproductive effects.*


If considering changing foods: In my personal opinion raw is the best but I understand that this is not possible for everyone. Some people have had success with foods such as The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Food www.thehonestkitchen.com , Where to Buy Honest Kitchen - Honest Kitchen Stores | The Honest Kitchen or Acana Grain Free www.acana.comStore Locator | Acana or Fromm's Four Star Grain Free http://frommfamily.com/products/four-star/dogInternet Retailers - Fromm Family Foods 

Here is some training info: 
Per Whole Dog Journal: The four R’s of dog training, can be used to address almost any training issue: 

1.REDUCE ENERGY
2.REDIRECT THE NEGATIVE
3.REINFORCE THE POSITIVE
4.REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT

Applying the four 4 R’s *to address Coprophagia. *

*REDUCE ENERGY*: “While debate continues as to whether coprophagia is a behavioral problem, there’s no doubt that dogs who are bored, receive little aerobic exercise or interesting play, and have unlimited access to their own or other 
animals’ droppings will be difficult to discourage. Increasing the dog’s active exercise, giving him a larger assortment of interesting toys to play with, keeping the dog’s exercise area clean and free from 
excrement, keeping cat litter boxes out of reach, and giving the dog several small meals per day rather than only one large meal can all help reduce his interest in coprophagia or at least reduce his opportunity to indulge”.

*REDIRECT THE NEGATIVE*: You need to first get your dog’s attention OFF the stool and to you. You may be able stop the behavior using a no reward marker (NO!) or duck noise (AAAAACCCKKKKK!) If this doesn’t work, you may need to try something stronger – perhaps an alarm, loud horn or whistle –any obnoxious noise to temporarily get the dog’s attention back to you. If this doesn’t work, try tossing a shake can (a small metal can filled with pebbles or coins) near your dog to get his attention. Some trainers have used a remotely operated citronella spray collar – when your dog turns around to eat the feces, immediately push the button on the remote to spray the dog in the face with the citronella spray to get his attention away from the feces. You may need to have your dog on a lead that you can step on, to prevent him from getting to the feces before you can redirect him. NEXT – let your dog know what you WANT him to do by redirecting his behavior. For some dogs, yelling DO YOU WANT A COOKIE and waving a treat bag in the air will get your dog running towards you! You might have to bring out your dogs favorite toy (A squeak toy? A tennis ball?) and entice him with that. You might engage your dog in a game of chase by running in the opposite direction! Do whatever it takes to get 
your dog to come to you! The name of the game is “do your business, then come running to me for a reward”. 

*REINFORCE THE POSITIVE*: When your dog comes running to you, enthusiastically reward the behavior with a verbal marker (YES, GOOD BOY) and an incredibly tasty high value food treat – dry biscuits aren’t going to cut it here!

*REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT*: When teaching any type of new behavior, you must repeat, repeat, repeat! Practice makes perfect. Consistency is critical. Behaviorists estimate that it will take at least a month – and possibly as long as six months –to break this habit, but with practice (and the use of very high value treats), your dog will learn that running back to you after doing his business results in good things happening to him – high value treats! Yum!


Moms


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

we have poop eaters. rambo likes snacking from the cats box. julie has gotten over that but will try to scarf down accidentil poop from her or rambo in a hurry 'cause she wants to hide evidence and keep the humans happy. both will eat a goose turd if givin the chance.


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

I can't help with the poop eating, but had to say I love the giant ears in the last photo. Must be the biggest I have seen. You have a very handsome boy.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

omg. Just reading your post wore me out! I have enough trouble chasing Summer around...don't know how you do it!


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## duke2015 (Jan 15, 2015)

I guess this is a very common issue. Nasty! Is it possible that my pup can reinfect himself with parvo if he scarfs down his poop?


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## Ellimaybel (Mar 16, 2014)

I'm leaning towards the more black=eating poop. I totally have to be on top of cleaning the yard. I know it has to be behavioral in Gunther's case. Sometimes he'll hesitate over it and check to see if I'm watching. Not that it matters because he'll pick it up anyway. As soon as I take that step towards him to get him he grabs as much as he can and runs off knowing full well if I'm in slippers or it's muddy or something.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Ellimaybel said:


> I'm leaning towards the more black=eating poop. I totally have to be on top of cleaning the yard. I know it has to be behavioral in Gunther's case. Sometimes he'll hesitate over it and check to see if I'm watching. Not that it matters because he'll pick it up anyway. As soon as I take that step towards him to get him he grabs as much as he can and runs off knowing full well if I'm in slippers or it's muddy or something.


Interesting concept, because all of my poop eaters are indeed mostly black.


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

llombardo said:


> Interesting concept, because all of my poop eaters are indeed mostly black.


OMG, Fritz is my first poop eater, first mainly black dog too..


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Debanneball said:


> OMG, Fritz is my first poop eater, first mainly black dog too..


We can now add Apollo to the list and he is fast. Chasing him on a sheet of ice I call my yard is not fun I know we shouldn't chase them but that is not a first reaction. 

I had a flexi leash by the door so I would have better control and that disappeared. I'm sure Apollo was playing with it and knocked it under something, I just haven't found it yet.


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

llombardo said:


> We can now add Apollo to the list and he is fast. Chasing him on a sheet of ice I call my yard is not fun I know we shouldn't chase them but that is not a first reaction.


At first I was totally disgusted, I yelled 'CACA' as loud as I could! He stopped.. I got the poop, or what was left.. He won't poop near me, I can watch from a distance (25+ feet), he does his thing, I walk towards him.. You can see him walk away from the poop, but his eyes are just staring at it... However, if I was not there, betcha there would be no evidence..


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## Bebe56 (Dec 8, 2014)

Debanneball said:


> OMG, Fritz is my first poop eater, first mainly black dog too..


lol, my Fritz is mostly black too... he used to grab the poop too if i wasn't paying attn, i see he stopped now.
I started adding steamed green beans to his food - i'm not sure if that's why he stopped. He eats like there is no tomorrow, anything anytime anywhere, i was worried he's gaining weight..
I heard cider vinegar, like Bragg, one tspoon in the morning, helps. Never tried but it can't hurt.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I was just going to pour a half bottle of hot sauce on it


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

llombardo said:


> I was just going to pour a half bottle of hot sauce on it


When Stella was a puppy, she ate two chairs and a couch! I used to sprinkle cayenne pepper on the couch before I went to work...didn't help....


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

llombardo said:


> I was just going to pour a half bottle of hot sauce on it


 Hmmm special flavored poop! Besides if you can get close enough to do that, you can get close enough to scoop it up... I've just figured it's a recycling process - I have larger but fewer piles to pick up....


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