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Permalink Reply by Susan and Merlin on July 15, 2009 at 9:59am

Usually when dogs eat their own poop, it's because there is something lacking in their own diet (usually vitamin B). What dog food are you feeding her?

They do make pills for dogs that have coprophagia, but I believe your pup will have to be a certain age to use them. I'm more concerned about what dog food she's on, though.

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Permalink Reply by Irene (and Pancake) on July 15, 2009 at 10:04am

Hi Susan,
He was having some diarrhea (With blood) and vomit issues, for a few days but she is ok now. So i am still feeding her turkey and rice, the prescription diet that the vet gave. I feed her 3/4 of a can everyday but she seems really hungry all the time.
What diet would be best for my puppy? Anything that can help replenish her nutrition?
Thanks alot!

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Permalink Reply by Susan and Merlin on July 15, 2009 at 3:02pm

ahh i see, so it's probably science diet or royal canin (ick for both).

You can try giving her some puppy multi-vitamins since you're in a bind right now with your vet dictating a specific diet (and try upping the food level there - 3/4 of a can may not be enough if she seems like she's super hungry all the time, she may be trying to "supplement" with poop). Personally, I like the dog foods of Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul, Premium Edge, Wellness, Taste of the Wild.... the first one seems to be the best quality for the price.

And some dogs are habitual poop eaters - in which case, a coprophagia medication would be in order. But again, I wouldn't use it on a puppy. Maybe try the multi vitamins first to see if it was something missing in her diet.

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Permalink Reply by Irene (and Pancake) on July 15, 2009 at 8:02pm

Thanks Susan!
Regardless of price, do you think Chicken soup is the best? I don't see it in petco but I can probably find some in my are if its good =)

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on July 15, 2009 at 10:13am

Depending on the age, it could be an instinctive response. The mom dog eats the pup's feces at first to keep the nest clean. It is an instinctive behavior that should go away as she gets older. Try to use a firm no whenever you catch her paying to much attention to her poops when you are with her. It is a hard habit to break if they continue as they get older so try not to leave her alone for long time periods for now.

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Permalink Reply by Gary & Jo + Peb on July 15, 2009 at 1:58pm

My 4 months old corgi eats her own poop whenever my girlfriend and I are not at home.
I feed her well everyday, three times a day. So I don't think it's the problem of lacking nutrition in her body.
I followed some advice found online by putting spinach in her food.

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Permalink Reply by Susan and Merlin on July 15, 2009 at 2:58pm

it's not the *quantity* of the food, but the *quality* - not all dog foods are created equal. And spinach will block the absorption of calcium in the body for a period after eating it - i would not recommend any dog to eat spinach, let alone a puppy that is still growing.

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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on July 15, 2009 at 5:50pm

Corgis will eat ANYTHING. Be glad yours is just eating ****. Gwynnie's been eating DIRT. We washed a lot of salmon eggs and dumped the wash water in the mulch basin of a new shrub, and we've caught her eating the sand there. Her turds look like they came out of a cement mixer. Some witticism about mineral nutrition escapes me.
Al's been eating the serviceberries, so his poop looks just like bear scat.

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Permalink Reply by Edward and Gemima on July 15, 2009 at 6:11pm

Yep, been there! This is what my vet told me. Try to pick it up as soon as they eliminate and keep it picked up so they aren't tempted. I wondered about the healthiness of it too and was told not to worry about it too much as it is after all in their nature, but yuck still grossed me out too! We noticed ours quickly outgrew this habit as they got older, but catch Gem(9mos) still doing it on occasion. There are some products that you can sprinkle on their food that makes it less appealing to them, but I never tried it as picking it up right away seemed to work. Pooped out in Mn.

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Permalink Reply by Abbea and Vivi on July 15, 2009 at 6:16pm

I've seen this problem a lot in the forum, and what a lot of people recommend is feeding a little bit of pineapple chunks with the dog's meal. Apparently it makes their poo taste sour or something so they don't want to eat it. There are also products as Edward and Gemima mentioned that do the same thing.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on July 15, 2009 at 6:36pm

With a pup I would really just try avoiding the situation. When you take her out to go, keep her on a leash and walk her away when she's done. When she is home alone, that is another story. Can someone stop in to take her out mid-day? Jack did not poop when left alone as long as I came home at lunch and let him out. We would get up about 2 hours before work, take him out, then immediately feed him. We would then play awhile and take him out again right before we left, and he usually pooped twice in the AM that way (once when he first got up, then again about an hour or so after eating). That way he did not have to go til mid-day.

It is correct that puppies learn this from their moms, and it's not uncommon. Most outgrow it. I would not be too concerned unless the habit continues as she ages. If it does, then you might want to see if she has a deficiency of some sort. However, three-quarters of a can does not sound like much for a puppy. Jack ate a cup and a half of kibble a day when he was a puppy, and now only eats 2/3 of a cup; puppies usually eat more than adult dogs. Try giving her some more food. It's ok for a growing puppy to be a little chubby. With an adult, you want to feel the ribs. With a pup, it's ok to see a little bit of a belly.

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Permalink Reply by Irene (and Pancake) on July 15, 2009 at 8:00pm

Thank you guys for all your help! I will slowly increase her food portion, she seems waay hungry all the time. I am also gonna switch back to her regular diet (from Prescription diet) really soon and see if she gets better.

Just curious, what are you all feeding your pups?
Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul sounds very good but they don't sell it at petco... I have Wellness (from the petshop), but I am hoping to see if there is a better one out there since I am switching her diet anyways. I'd like something with lots of nutrition that is good for stomach and bones (her bones don't seem that healthy to me, and the vet mentioned one of her rib bones stick out). I don't care about pricing as long as its the best.

Thanks!!

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