Why are my dogs eating other dogs stools?

[Breezy Top Cat]

I have 4 Cairn Terriers, a dachshund and a Shepherd/collie/lab mix. I have been using the same dog food (but a new formulation) for about 3 years with my dachshund and mix dog and all my cairns are less than a year old. They love this dog food and eat it very willingly and everyone except the dachshund has free choice. I am noticing that all my dogs except two of the cairns are overweight and when I take them on walks they eat other animals poo! This is so disguisting and I never had this trouble before until about 4 months ago and am wondering if it is something that their food is lacking since it is a new behavior and strange that all 6 dogs would do this. Also, they act like the poo is a piece of steak and gobble it right up! It all started with a stray dog leaving his droppings in my yard, and has escalated to include each others poo sometimes! HELP! :eek:

[Vette]

Are they eating each other poop or cat poop? its very normal for dogs to eat other animals kind of poop. cat poop,, horse poop,, chicken poop. you name it. but its not normal for a dog to eat other dog poop. its the only kind of poop i know of that a dog wont eat.

[Breezy Top Cat]

They started eating other dog poop that someone kindly let their Lab leave in my yard. I live in the country down a dirt road and they are newer neighbors. I have noticed that they are fencing their yard and haven't seen the signature poop on, yes on and in my bushes lately. The dog must cock it's butt over onto my plants and my dogs would go crazy over it. It hasn't left any lately, but I notice that my dogs have even eaten each others poops, but not real often. But even ocassionally just makes me sick! I don't want them infecting themselves with parasites OR giving me kisses! I have horses, and several barn cats and had chickens so I know dogs will do that, but why each others? I never noticed it until the neighbors dogs did it in my yard and I am wondering why the sudden change? That is why I thought maybe there was something wrong with the formulation of their dog food, since it had said "New & Improved" or something like that a few months back. I am going to switch to Eukanuba. I used it years ago when I raised Shelties and they had nice beautiful coats and all ate free will and no one was over weight. Does anyone else have any suggestions as far as a premium dog food that they really have had good results with?

[Vette]

Try taking them to the vet to see if they are lacking anything. maybe salt or something as simple as that?

in the mean time. before you let the dogs out,, go around and pick up poopie piles in the yard. then let the dogs out and watch them go poopie. when you see them going call them right afterwords to come an get treats and lost of praise. once all the dogs are back inside the house go and pick up poopie piles in the yard. maybe overtime they will forgot about it.

[snowyowlcat]

Try Tabasco sauce, any hot sauce.

They like the protein in the poop.

[bckrazy]

you should try to stop this right away, your dogs can get parasites from it.. and, yeah, its also really gross! One way to solve the problem is to take your dogs out when they go potty and immediately pick it up. If youre walking them, keep an eye out for poops and don't let your dogs near them (keep them on leashes). There are also tablets you can give that will deter your dogs from eating it, but sometimes won't completely solve the problem. Switch them to a higher quality food (Nutro, Solid Gold, Innova, Eagle Pack, California Natural, Wellness, etc), and do not free feed, feed each dog individually and read the suggested feeding amount and decrease it by about 20% for each dog. They should lose the weight much easier that way. Here's a link to a medication that'll stop them from eating the bad stuff... :p


http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444177 8262&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302026151&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1105860617493

[Breezy Top Cat]

I have thought about those tablets to deter them from eating stools. With 6 dogs it is difficult to keep track when we are out walking. We have a farm with 26 acres and they love to go run. I am also afraid of them eating opossum, racoon, deer, & rabbit stools. Especially the opossum because they carry a parasite that causes EPM in horses. We have about a 2 acre yard for them to run around on and even though we live in the country on a dead end dirt road, some neighbors let their dogs run free and they will come and leave their mark in my yard. We are in the process of fencing our entire property, so eventually stray dogs won't be able to visit my yard. My cat has an appt with the vet on Weds and I will talk to them about the stool eating and what type of food they recommend.

[snowyowlcat]

Here's a link to a medication that'll stop them from eating the bad stuff... :p


http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444177 8262&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302026151&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1105860617493 [/B][/QUOTE]

The last ingredient (Capiscum..) in this product is hot pepper. (They have it written in Latin).
Many vets have suggested sprinkling hot sauce, tobasco sauce, etc. (which the main ingredient is hot peppers) on the poop. The dog will go and eat it but get a nasty surprise. This can sometimes be enough, as long as you do it for awhile so that they can still smell it. Cheap enough to try!!!
You can also use it where they have been chewing, i.e. furniture, fences, places where they are not supposed to chew..............