[whtrngr]

Hello everyone, I am new here and thought I would start out by asking a question, the first of many I am sure...
I have a 3year male old beagle and a 8month old female beagle. In the last month or so, the female (Bella) has taken to eating the fresh stools of our male (Floppy). I was wondering if there was anyone out there with advice on breaking this habit. She only seems to be interested in the fresh ones (to the point that sometimes its so fresh it never hits the ground), and short of not letting her outside when he is out, or within an hour of him, I don't know what other things I can do. Any thoughts? I don't like the idea of not letting her out at the same time as him as it seems like I am avoiding the issue, and not training her not do do something that is, well, disgusting.

 

[fauxpasta]

With my dogs, the poop-eating was a thing they eventually grew out of. Coprophagia pills that add a bitter flavor to a dog's stool didn't seem to work very well for me, not that I had an easy time getting the dogs to take them anyway. You could work on the drop it and leave it commands and correct the behavior whenever you see it. You could also pick up the poop as soon as it comes out. These are more hands-on options, but that may be the only way to save your sanity until Bella gets older and (hopefully) gets out of the habit. This topic has been broached a few times, so you might dig into older threads in the health forum here to see useful solutions other owners have posited. I hope this is helpful, though, because I understand how frustrating it is to be unable to stop your dog's poo-eating... especially dogs that get kissy. Bleugh!

 

[whtrngr]

I was hoping that she will grow out of this as well, but in the meantime I am all for the training part of it. I hadn't heard of the pills you mentioned, but I don't know if I would want to try to give Floppy a pill everyday just so Bella will stop eating his stools. I have heard sprinkling Cayenne pepper on them works well, but haven't tried it yet. I try to keep the yard as clean as I can as well, but often times we just let them out to do their business, and like I said, often it doesn't even hit the ground. I will continue to work with her on leaving it alone for the time being, and hope that she does outgrow it, because she is VERY affectionate, and doesn't know how to use mouthwash.

 

[Brien]

I have nothing constructive to add to the question. But the topic made me think of Bodie this last weekend at the Field Trials. In addition to rolling around it in, he apparently has also acquired an appetite for fresh cow patties. I must of yanked him off a cow paddy 100 times that day. Un-fricken believable!

 

[randyc]

We have tried:

Coprophagia pills
Adolphs Meat Tenderizer
Pineapple

Pineapple worked for a bit. Thats it. Charlie is so in the habit. I pick up as soon as it hits the ground. With him standing right there. As I tell him NO! every time he tries to inch his nose closer.

He will only go after Josie's poo though, never his own or another dogs.

 

[Toby & Lucky]

Toby went through a phase where he ate his own. The vet told me to put a mesh muzzle on him when I let him out. While he eventually figured out how to get the muzzle off, it did seem to get him out of the habit.

 

[cobismom]

WOW, you must be reading my mind, cause Casie has started the same thing...and brings a clod in for a snack, or for me. What a dog. It is about the grossest thing I can think of....but what do you do? I hadn't heard the home remedies and wouldn't' mind trying some of those. Since I can't walk on snow --- slipping and falling is not a thing I can do ---- dh has to do the pooper scooper detail, and he's not always home when the job is done.
But we too, try to keep the yard picked up --- yet it doesn't always get done before the next snow comes to cover it up. Not sure what the answer is then...I have seriously thought of cornering off a part of the yard, and having that be the place they go....still thinking on that one.

Not that it helps, but am so glad that others pups do the same thing. Personally, no kisses, till they stop that messing around!

 

[RosCole]

Roscoe used to indulge in his own when he was little but got over that pretty quickly. UNTIL....Cole came along and Roscoe found this just delightful. Cole is having a hard time learning to poop outside so we still have incidents inside. When they are not in sight and it is quiet, I know they are chowing down

YUCK!
I think Cole learned from Roscoe because at first he wouldn't go near it but now he has taken to trying to play with it!
Patience and persistence! We will conquer this thing!

 

[nmartin32]

Never did have that problem but I have heard adding MSG to her diet. Some dog owners who had similar problems with their pet add a dash of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in the food of their dogs. This chemical gives an unpleasant taste so that your puppy will be revolted with the taste of their own stool. By constantly doing this, your pet will eventually learn to dislike the taste of stool, thus, ridding it off this disgusting habit.

 

[Karebru]

We mix canned pumpkin (plain, not pie filling) in Sadie's kibble.
It seems to help make the stool less interesting to her. Maybe it changes the taste.
We're trying to take a few pounds off of her too. I read somewhere (probably here) that it will bulk up her meals without adding fat, and also bulks up the stool, promoting natural anal gland clearing.
That full feeling may also help with stool eating.

Sadie will still chow down, if given a chance.
The best advice I can give is, pick it up. We have a dedicated trash can in the yard, and a box of plastic grocery bags the everyone collects for us.

 

[Sephly]

Fosters and Smith has a treat then you give them and it apparently deters them...hope that helps.

 

[cobismom]

Okay, I know we've talked about this..and I wasn't impressed with my pups doing the same thing...now I am just plain sick to my stomach...ick, beagle kisses NO.... Cobi has been sick for two days after eating a can of Pringles BBQ chips....I won't go into the aroma that he is leaving around the house, which I had to spray lysol to control...but he goes outside and he's had diareha (sp) for 2 days....then he turns around and eats it. I can't stand it. Yuck! My vet recommended cayene pepper in their food...or meat tenderizer...or the pills that have been mentioned.
I'm ready...tomorrow we get the tenderizer!

 

[randyc]

I can guess the smell. Charlie was bad enough the other night where we slept on the couch until the bedroom cleared out with the window open and a fan blowing outside. It was something from the depths of hell. Just the most ungodly thing my nose has ever encountered.

Make sure you get the unseasoned plain tenderizer. The seasoned one seems to cause mud butt .... at least for ours.

 

[araine]

My first beagle Lace, she grew out of it....thank god....but it took a while lol. She would lap it up like it was milk or something....ugh! Sometimes dogs are so freagin gross!

 

[cobismom]

Well, I am here to report on this subject, Adolph's has worked it's magic. It was a tougher sell to Casie, but even he as decided that the poo outside isn't as tasty...thank goodness.
I was afraid we'd have to go the vet's medicine route, spendy...and we already owe him for surgeries...so glad to say a $3.00 bottle of Adolph's worked well.

 

[Sephly]

thats great news! I'm glad Cobi's not eating anymore....chocolate mousse lets say.

 

[kathy5]

Georgia has just started doing this
it has me worried
let say that the poop of another dog that she has eaten is not taken good care of & has worms or fleas in it's poop will she get these too?
also she love my cats litter box
how do I keep her out of it without keeping the cat out as well??

 

[Karebru]

We went to visit our soon to be pack member Bebe, at the breeder’s this afternoon. As we were sitting in the yard talking, Bebe found some old poop and started munching. As she was shooing her away from it and picking it up, the breeder said this… (1) It’s instinctual for a mother to clean up the nest. (Bebe just weaned her last litter of puppies.) (2) dog foods are so nutritious these days that even what comes out afterwards still has some nutritional value. And, (3) They’re beagles… Their humans constantly have them on a diet to control their weight, and their tummy controlled noses will sniff out anything “edible”.

Gross habit, but not the end of the world. Picking it up is really the best guarantee.
As far as cat boxes go, we have a flapper door in the door leading to the garage, that's big enough for the cats, but too small for beagles. The cat food and litter box are both in the garage. I don't know how else we'd keep the dogs out of it.

 

[Shilohs Mom]

Shiloh isn't interested in his own, but he LOVES the cat poo.

He waits outside the litter box and it's literally still steaming. He runs off with it like it's a tasty treat.

Ugh!!! The poor cats know he's going to grab it and they don't have time to cover it up!

We empty the litter box twice a day and he still manages to grab a couple on the run.

 

[randyc]

Cat litter seems to be a common treat for most dogs. I remember hearing it tastes sweet to them. Her cat's box is in the upstairs bathroom and the dogs are not allowed upstairs, se that solves that issue for us.

Charlie is no longer eating his own, but loves Josie's. I pick it up as soon as she drops it. Poor girl, both charlie and myself are standing over her as she poops watching, waiting.