Question

[AMLisak]

I have a 10 month old German Shorthaired Pointer. He has taken to eating other dog's poop, again. Does that mean he's missing something in his diet? If so, is there anything I can get to help him?

Thanks!

[Dax]

Speak to your vet. It could be a behavioral problem as well. There are supplements & deterants available.

[AMLisak]

thanks....I just want him to stop!

[Dax]

I know people who apply a soft muzzle so the dog can't eat stuff at dog parks or on walks. If you catch him - you can stop him - scold him and muzzle him for the rest of the walk. He will learn that you will not tolerate the behavior.

[Meisti]

If I remember correctly, there are products available that will help with the problem - but I seem to remember that it was a dietary supllement to stop a dog from eating its own feces. Other than that, a friend of mine was very successful purposely "preparing" poop by scouting an area for poop first without the dog, sprinkling cayenne pepper on it, and then walking past the "prepared" poop with his dog on leash. That stopped the behavior rather quickly.

[Moo]

Oh, wow... Prepared poop traps, how sneaky.

Usually if it was dietary,they would go for their own first. I would just go to call off at extreme interest... Shake of the keys every time would do it for mine.

[Trace]

I had a chronic poop eater - used the powder from the vet - she didn;t eat the poop while I used the powder - then as soon as I stopped - you don;t use it forever - she started eating the poop again. Finally had to give up and resign myself to the fact that she liked eating poop.

Had a long chinwag with the vet about it - she has a poop eater too - nothing was wrong with her diet - not missing anything etc etc.

The main cons were - it is a digusting habit - and you donlt really want your dog to kiss you anymore.

[goombaya]

This should go without saying but hadnt heard it mentioned yet.
You might try to clean up the poo before he eats it.

[Trace]

Originally Posted by goombaya

This should go without saying but hadnt heard it mentioned yet.
You might try to clean up the poo before he eats it.

That one worked for us when we had a small yard - but now we have acreage - surrounded my woods. Ellie would go off for her little poo hunt - picnic in the woods really - when you think about it.

[Meisti]

Sounded to me like the original question was how to stop the dog from eating other dogs' poop - in which case the powders don't work since they don't affect the poop being eaten, and cleaning up doesn't cut it either. At any rate, cleaning up would only get rid of the sympton but not of the cause. There needs to be a behavioral modification (i.e., a negative association for dog poop) that the dog can learn.