house-training problems, muzzle to stop poop-eating?

[1BeagleHouse]

Bella is 7 months old and I was hoping to have made more progress with the house-training by now. We tried keeping track of every walk, every pee and poop, inside and out, for a couple of weeks to see if we could narrow down the times and walk her accordingly, but it didn't work. She persists in peeing and pooping in the house. The vet says the situation should improve after her first heat. Does anyone have this experience? The real problem is that she has started eating her poop again (inside only) after not having done it for a few weeks. She had been doing it persistently for months and we tried everything recommended to stop her; nothing worked. Then she suddenly stopped for a few weeks, and now she's doing it again. I simply cannot tolerate this behavior; it disgusts me so much, I get really upset with her. If I catch her doing it, I really shout at her and smack her butt and chase her away, but we nearly never catch her. She's so fast that we don't even know she's pooped; we just find the telltale signs on the floor. I don't even yell at her when she poops inside because I don't want to make her want to hide the evidence by eating it, so I just give her a look and clean up. I cannot keep her with me every moment, and even if I crate her or confine her otherwise, she still does it. Today I had the idea that I could put a muzzle on her every time I have to leave her alone. At least that would make it more difficult for her to eat it. We got the muzzle at the vet's suggestion when Bella was trying to eat everything on every walk, but we ended up not being able to use it because she refused to walk at all, or else spent the entire walk dragging her face along the ground in an effort to remove it, and my husband and children refused to cooperate in that effort (they thought it was mean) so it was just me, and obviously that wasn't going to work, so I gave up. But it might stop the poop-eating in the house. The only thing I worry about is that the muzzle might get caught on something and she might get hurt. Does anyone have any thoughts/experience with this? I know some people just go along with the poop eating, but I can't deal with it.

[wizardeyes]

If she struggles to take it off during walks, she's probably not going to want to keep it on in the house. Without supervision, she could get caught on something like you said, or she could struggle to get it off and end up getting it caught in an awkward position on herself. It just doesn't seem like a good idea for when you're not home.

[Cassie]

'Ya know some dogs get the housebreaking thing fast and others don't. Cassie wasn't house broken consistently until about 10 months and I was reaslly getting frustrated with it as you are. My dog is 13 months, yesterday it was pouring rain, she ran outside but came back promptly and peed in the corner of the dining room.

Now about the poop...eating the poop is a disgusting behavior, I'm totally with you on that. I wouldn't put a muzzle on a dog to prevent them from eating the stuff because it's useless, in my opinion. I tried putting "Forbid" in the food so she wouldn't like the taste-it is very expensive and had no affect. I put spinach in the food which is suppose to not make the poop taste good-no affect. Anytime I see her going into a pooping position I'm right there to pick it up and believe you me it sometimes turn into a contest of who is the fastest to get it! I can't be there everytime so I see remnants-oh well. I've sort of come to peace with this-maybe its a way for dogs to hide their biz so other animals don't track them...whatever that's a theory I'm sticking to...lol.

you may read there are suppose it reasons like missing nutrients or undigested food...blah. blah blah. I can tell you that my husbsnd gets totally GROSSED when he sees her do it-so I don't tell him when she's done it and she can gulp it down fast!.

I would also greatly limit the dog's area until you work through this.I penned our dining room into a small area for her until she improved-then a little more space. Use nature's miracle or other appropriate cleaner

Does your dog have to make some sign to you to have to go out? my dog has access to a patio where she will go now on her own when she needs to.

[My6beagles]

Cassie,
Canned pumpkin has helped with my poop eater. It is supposed to make poop distasteful. Once I swear she was standing there waiting for my Coonhound and she caught his poop in air. My husband and I laughed as she must like her lunch hot.


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[Cassie]

MY6,
I've tried the pumpkin for when she had diarrhea but she wouldn't eat it-I have a finicky eater. But, it's worth another try-thanks for the reminder.

First I have to get it in, to get it out!...lol

[My6beagles]

Good luck Cassie!! Only one of my pack won't eat pumpkin. The rest think its the best thing they ever ate.


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[Cassie]

For what it's worth, I always say..."Leave It!" I'm trying to exchange a treat for it but I don't always have one in my pocket...heehee

[1BeagleHouse]

I have tried pumpkin, spinach, pineapple -- she loved them all and kept right on eating her poop, so I stopped putting anything in it and smacked her when she went for it. She doesn't do it all the time. That's what I don't understand. She has pooped in her crate before and not touched it. She has pooped on the floor and not touched it. And she hasn't tried to eat it outside for about three months. But she goes through these periods where she will eat it inside every chance she gets. And she will do it even immediately after having been fed, so I know it's not because she's hungry. And it's not because she's trying to "hide the evidence" because we don't yell at her for pooping in the house unless we catch her in the act, and she's so fast that almost never happens. We just find a smear on the floor later. It's too disgusting and I can't stand it. I can't rationalize it. Just can't. She has to stop doing it.I tried tethering her in a small area and she just went as far as the rope would allow and then pooped and ate it. She doesn't give any sign before she goes, either pee or poop, no circling or anything. Very difficult!

[techie]

I have 'heard' and don't know if it is true or not that they are missing some nutrient if they eat poop. Have you asked the vet?
techie

[Cobyboyo]

I'd say back to basics with her.

Treat her like a puppy,every 10 mins make sure she's outside, we say "wee wees" to let ours no it's time for toilet, when she goes make a massive fuss "good girl" and give her a treat. Keep this up and I'd say problem solved.

The eating poop thing is a side affect of going inside, like you say she's hiding the evidence. The problem won't solv itself it needs your time and dedication to solve however she will Learn this fast, no dog enjoys being hit and shouted at and I'm sure once she realises there is a way to get cuddles, fussed and a treat from going outside that's what she will do.

We housetrained ours in 11 days using this method, yes he had accidents but he learned fast!

Beagles are silly, never forget that.

Hope this helps


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