This bad habit is really starting to drive me crazy. My Sheltie is 6 months old and has been reasonably good for her age, but she just will not stop eating poop! She has run of the house while we are home and we have not had any accidents yet and she always goes on the puppy pads or lets us know when its time to go outside. I keep her in the kitchen with a baby gate when we are not home and she still goes on the pad, but also eats it every time! I have tried using pumpkin, pineapple and "deter" from the pet store and nothing works. We recently changed her food to Eagle Pack "Holistic" brand food from a recommendation of the vet and now she seems to love her poops even more! She has been checked out and there seems to be no problems with her so I'm at a loss on what to do here. I really would hate to crate her as some times I am gone for longer then 8 hours and I don't want her to sit in her own accident all day long.
Any recommendation's?
Puppy won't stop eating poop! HELP!
Re: Puppy won't stop eating poop! HELP!
As I remember it, we are supposed to schedule a time when we will be home, like a long weekend at least, and concentrate on training, training, training. Stop putting the pads down for the pup. Watch her constantly, and take her outside to a DESIGNATED relief spot the moment she shows signs of needing to "go." Do NOT comment on accidents at all - just clean them up quickly, take the pup out again immediately, even though she has just done something! Choose a short command phrase that is different from any other command, and that you will use for this one request for the rest of the dog's life. I think I said "go hurry up!" or something inane like that... doesn't matter, it's always using the SAME word(s) and speaking in a pleasant voice - the dog begins to associate the command with doing the thing! The moment the dog does either function, praise praise praise! If nothing after a few minutes, go back indoors.
Crating the pup for brief periods (like an hour) while you are at home could help. Take her outdoors as soon as she is released from the crate, again before feeding time and again about 1/2 hour afterward. I know, you will feel the dog thinks you're nuts, but what the two of you are doing is establishing habit - routine - and it really works.
There will be time later, if your dog is to be in a yard off lead, to deal with poop eating (which has a name that I can't recall atm - davet will know.) But in most cases this habit goes away once regular habits are in place. Have fun!
Crating the pup for brief periods (like an hour) while you are at home could help. Take her outdoors as soon as she is released from the crate, again before feeding time and again about 1/2 hour afterward. I know, you will feel the dog thinks you're nuts, but what the two of you are doing is establishing habit - routine - and it really works.
There will be time later, if your dog is to be in a yard off lead, to deal with poop eating (which has a name that I can't recall atm - davet will know.) But in most cases this habit goes away once regular habits are in place. Have fun!Re: Puppy won't stop eating poop! HELP!
Oh - and instead of a crate while you are away from home: any small, enclosed space with a gate will do just as well.... like part of the kitchen or a utility room, or a large "playpen"... Leave the open crate or the dog's bed in this enclosed area, also water bowl and a chew toy or two. The idea is to get the dog to think of this smaller space as its den... dogs don't like to foul the den. And do not leave puppy pads in this space - be consistent with the house training process as described above, taking the dog out for walkies as soon as possible when you get home.