Should I cry or vomit? Both are options.

[Sara]

Otis has started eating poop. Not his. Other dog's.

Let me just say--I have a really weak stomach. Like, a booger from one of my children can have me running to the bathroom to vomit. I actually just shuddered typing the word booger. Lol. Admittedly, I'm a big baby.

So, let me just say, that this issue is seriously affecting me.

Ok. I've read all the previous posts about this topic. I've researched it online. There are a couple different "options": 1. He has a nutritional deficiency. 2. He's hungry. 3. He's just a gross weirdo that has no reason for eating poop.

My question: he eats 2 cups of Orijen puppy (one in the AM, one in the PM) each day. That's a COMPLETE food...correct? Should I be supplementing with something? My husband's parents are forever fussing at us about how skinny he is. But the vet says he's fine and I think he looks great too. But now I'm wondering if he is hungry. He does RUN to other dog's food bowls when he gets the chance.

I'll feel awful if it's because he really is hungry or missing a nutrient in his diet! :(

Any advice? Thx!

[Jaime + Oliver]

How old is Otis?  Sadly Oliver used to be fascinated by this too, but luckily he outgrew it (although we still avoid areas with lots of geese just in case).  It wasn't food/diet, it was just puppy interest in something smelly :(

We found a lot of devotion to the "leave it" command was our only way out with Oliver.  We practiced a lot at home and still have to remain vigilant on walks.  If we come across something "delightful" looking, we tell him to leave it and give high value treats when he makes the right choice.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Orijen is absolutely a complete food and provides everything he could possibly need. He is not suffering from any kind of nutritional deficiency. Some dogs just eat poop, and it really has nothing to do with not getting all the nutrients they need. Poop contained undigested food, and dogs are...well, dogs. They eat all kinds of nasty stuff.

I can't tell you if he's getting enough food because you didn't give his age and weight, but I really don;t think he's doing this because he's hungry, either.

The solution to your problem is simple. Supervise him outdoors, and pick up all poop from all the dogs immediately. If it's not there, he can''t eat it.  

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

When is he getting the opportunity to eat other dogs' poops?  Is he off leash in areas where other dogs have pooped and it wasn't picked up? 

[Ginny Nightingale]

Oh dear-- I am afraid I have the same issue--I have three dogs and one is a real "chow hound"_-she will eat anything but this is a new low. I think she is very bored since we have had snow cover on the ground for months now and she usually likes to graze in the grass...so, now she is sniffing the other two dogs' poops and some appeal to her--I have to watch her when I let her out and then call her in quickly if I see that she has found something interesting out there --EW!!! She always gets a reward when she comes in, so she comes right away.

So, I agree---watch him closely and teach him the "leave it" command---and then reward him when he stops eating what he shouldn't --maybe this will go away! I hope so for both of us!

[Sara]

He is 18 weeks old. We actually start formal training classes tomorrow with a local trainer who comes highly recommended. He trains the local police departments' police dogs and is "known" for great results....so I'm hoping that 'leave it' is one of the first commands since I haven't had much success so far!

He doesn't eat his poop. He's been eating my in-law's dog's poop. He goes to "puppy daycare" at their home when we are at work/school. I went and picked up all the poop at their house, but they're older people and I cant "demand" that they pick up droppings as soon as they happen. Well, I don't feel like I can ask them to do that anyway!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I think even the best trainer will have a hard time teaching leave it for the poop eating issue unless your in-laws are going to be right out there with the dogs at all times and can enforce the command, and if they are out there when your dog is then they should be able to pick up the poops. 

[Karen & Maple]

Sara, I can truly sympathize. Last year my puppy ate cat poop twice, and what I believe was actually human excrement that was washed up with some junk on the beach. All three times I was dry heaving and nearly in tears. I nearly drowned poor Maple trying to rinse her mouth out. And wouldn't get near her mouth for about a week. I've since taken steps and invented a way to keep her from getting to the liter box. She doesn't eat dog poo, so I think it was reason #3, dogs can be gross! Wish I had some advice for you. But I'd certainly be as cautious as possible. Maple got really sick from the last episode. I no longer let her off leash before inspecting the beach.

[Amy and Annabelle]

I live out in the country. I am always walking Annabelle around our acreage on a leash. We have all kind of wildlife visit our yard. Annabelle would eat deer and bunny poop if I let her. She probably has when with my husband. He is not as fanatical or grossed out as I am. He knows the health problems it could cause. She is definitely not hungry, just curious, maybe she thinks its a treat.

[Ginny Nightingale]

There is something that you can add to a dog's food to make it less "attractive" to other dogs who are eating it--I have been thinking about trying that--since it is just one dog you are having an issue with, maybe your in-laws would not mind trying it if you bought it for them. They would feed it to their dog and it does not get digested--just passes thru and makes the stool "taste horrible" to a dog--ha! 

Here is a link to a product and Drs Foster and Smith have several versions of this--one label says it stops "coprophagia"--from my biology days, I know that copro is stool and phage means to eat--so there you go--who knew there was a word for this!! 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+11260...

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Sorry to hear that you have to deal with this!! Rip eats deer poo. I'm out there with him, and I don't see it - but he smells exactly where in the ivy they've gone, and before I know it... Ugh. I try to be quick, make a loud distracting noise, and then become super interesting like we are starting the most fun game in the world, in effort to distract. The neighbors must think I'm absolutely nuts!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I know it doesn't help, but this is a pretty common occurrence.  Problem is, if it is not nipped in the bud quickly, it becomes more of a habit.  As Karen mentioned, he is not lacking anything  in nutrient....It is what it is...some pups eat poop!  Unless you can get your in-laws to either pick poop up or feed their dog one of the many products sold OTC...your going to have a pup with stinky breath.  And this could be a possible health hazard as well.   A trainer will help, but someone has to enforce the "leave it" command.  The Trainer will instruct you how, but it will be up to you to enforce.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know several people including our own dear Doris (Flash was a poop eater) who have tried all of these products that supposed stop them from eating poop, monosodium glutamate, pineapple, Forbid, etc and none of them worked for them. Some dogs do outgrow it eventually.