CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Puppies => Topic started by: Redked on July 18, 2013, 11:44:42 PM
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Bonnie has started to eat cat poo at such an alarming rate I'm at a loss as to what to do.
As its only cat poo (fingers crossed), it is hard to spot in advance and she usually pops out of a bush with some in her mouth. Treats do not work-its as if cat poo is the highest value treat, ball distraction does not work, she will not recall once she has any and she lunges away from me as I try to get her on the lead away from it. I had to walk away until out of sight tonight and she only came to find me when she had finished it. We cannot use a long line or extender lead as she bites them continually to the point of frenzy.
This is just such a disgusting habit and she absolutely stinks. I am at a loss as to why she has suddenly started doing this. Its every walk this week and I've been putting her on lead when we go past a spot that she found some in before plus changing routes but she is still finding it constantly. Why has this behaviour increased so suddenly? Any advice please as she will be banned from the house soon if I can't stop this because she really, really, really stinks to the point of making me feel sick :016:
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Ah it's the pits isn't it >:( >:(
Millie has puked it onto the living room carpet before and completely ruined a day out as she had was producing the most horrific burps while travelling in the car :020: :020:
I can pull her off once she's found it but she always gets a good mouthful first!
You could try muzzling her for a while? I now just avoid the area where I know there is likely to be some or keep her on lead until we're past it.
They will sometimes eat poo if there is something missing from their diet so you might want to look into that, I tried Millie on the tablets you can get for it but it didn't really make a difference.
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I ust think some dogs like the taste ph34r :020: ive tried everything with Ella but she still will eat ANY poop if she gets the opportunity , I don't know of an effective way to stop them sorry
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I'm in the same boat as you, mostly it's fox poo, certain dog poo & cat poo if it's in the garden, they are high value to them, smelly sardines don't work, bracken's habit is just on one nature reserve any where else he dosen't do it, wish I knew the reason why? On the reserve that is the problem he is on an extending lead! Hoping he'll grow out of it, in the meantime he is on the best worming stuff out!
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Also vet advise muzzle or lead, Bracken's happy on the lead, vet said he'd probably use the muzzle as a poo masher anyway!
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Yes its the pits. I really can't stand the smell, not to mention the health implications for Bonnie. Marie, I think its going to have to be lead walking for now but I'm hoping I can do something to stop it. I would hate using a muzzle on her. I was thinking it might be because of the heat that she can smell it more? I might pop her to vets but I doubt they can do anything. Thanks for the replies and let's hope they do grow out if it :-\
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Yes I don't like the muzzle as Bracken is not a nasty dog, be nice if they invented different coloured muzzles so we can identify why they are used, eg: yellow give me space, blue: I scavenge etc! I was hoping because Bracken only has this problem on this particular reserve was not to take him on there for a long time, hoping he's forget but I.ve been told they have good memories!
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Yes I don't like the muzzle as Bracken is not a nasty dog, be nice if they invented different coloured muzzles so we can identify why they are used, eg: yellow give me space, blue: I scavenge etc! I was hoping because Bracken only has this problem on this particular reserve was not to take him on there for a long time, hoping he's forget but I.ve been told they have good memories!
Wow that's a good idea!
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Oh God, Buckley foraged and consumed :020: dried up cat poo :020: on our evening walk last night, when I got him home to brush him his breath :020: was all over me. I was heaving, so in the end gave him a small meal with dried mint in it, to take away the smell :020:
:dunno:
Have to be one step ahead of him regarding fox/cat poo. Wasn't last night.
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I can never be fast enough, even on the long line he can still get it if I'm not watching!
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The Vet describes cat poo as "caviar for dogs" - dogs can be disgusting creatures at times >:D Pearl loves to raid the litter tray and bring her prize downstairs to eat on the living room rug - and then would really like a cuddle after - yuk >:D
I have a product in the house that makes it taste bitter to the dog which you put on cat food - not much good if Bonnie is finding cat poo that you have no control over....
Cat poo is very high in protein so it may be worth looking at her diet. Having said that, she may just like the taste and of course, its great for attention (no such thing as bad attention in dog world ;) ).
Just to cheer you up - the Vet assures me that cat worms (esp. Tape) are not zoonotic - doesn't stop me using Advocat monthly with Milbemax mid month :005:
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We've just taken Bonnie to vets-he said exactly the same Pearly! Cat poo is high in protein and they love it. Bonnie weighs 10.5 kilos now so she is thriving on it :005: He suggested brushing her teeth after-said 'wipe your finger round if you can't use a brush' I'm not putting my finger in there after cat poo :shades:
I might try some mint in her dinner BeeBoo just to see if that helps her breath. I'm still finding it quite revolting, no matter how 'delicious' they find it :020:
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He suggested brushing her teeth after-said 'wipe your finger round if you can't use a brush' I'm not putting my finger in there after cat poo :shades:
Sorry Kerry but this made me smile. I'd be loathed to do that also. If it's the teeniest consolation, Toby was a garbage disposal unit on four legs at that age as well. I used to remove "stuff" from his mouth only to find out it was poop. :020: Ugg. However (and I hope i'm not tempting fate here) all he does now is the occasional sniff then walks away. He hasn't eaten it for months, in fact more than a year. Hopefully Bonnie will grow out of it before long.
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Oh I really hope so Mel. Thanks for giving all 'poo-munching' puppy owners some hope x
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Oh I really hope so Mel. Thanks for giving all 'poo-munching' puppy owners some hope x
Honest Kerry, he gobbled it all like he hadn't been fed for a month but now almost total disinterest in it. Xx
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I can live & hope then! :lol:
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Ah it's the pits isn't it >:( >:(
Millie has puked it onto the living room carpet before and completely ruined a day out as she had was producing the most horrific burps while travelling in the car.
I've just re-read this and must have missed that bit first time SarahH. I would not have known what to do re the carpet! That has got to be one of the worst clean ups ever. Aren't our little darlings just wonderful :shades:
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Hi
I agree with the other posts .....definately look at his/her diet as they usually eat stuff they shouldn't because its lacking in their diet ...
An onlead walk in the place where she does it most .....dont let it become more of a habit !
Its a shame people would associate a muzzle with a viscious dog isn't it ? As they would be so helpful in so many cases like this to help you and your breath monster !!
Quote ; It's not a good idea to allow it to happen, and training is not a reliable option for a behavior that provides the dog with a "tasty treat"-tasty to the dog, that is.
You could try feeding him an hour before you go for a walk so he/she's full ........I found this page quite interesting have a look if you've got 5 mins
http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/c/coprophagia/
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I would also work on a very good 'leave it' command and recall ......I know calling her doesn't work but note how much your voice changes every time you call her ! lol
I practice the leave it command almost as much as I do recall ....My puppy class doesn't teach the leave it command but luckily I remember it from my puppy socialisation class . Most important is to NEVER teach the leave it command with something that the dog will eventually be allowed to have such as kibble , toy or other treat . Or you will teach it quite the opposite ....
I dont know where you are with your training etc so please don't think I'm teaching you to suck eggs lol . Good luck . x
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Hi Chris Julie. The 'leave it' command is something we haven't done at training. Its something we've tried to teach ourselves but we've obviously not done it enough/correctly. I will Google it to get a better idea. Thank you-you're not teaching me to suck eggs-I really don't know where to begin with this problem except we've decided on-lead walks are the only way at the minute.
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Hi, do you play/ train her whilst out walking? If you do, then her attention could be focussed more on you than searching for extra 'treats' (yuk), and hopefully she'd not get too far away. Perhaps try playing/ training (maybe on lead at first) when walking past the spots where you know she finds cat poo - it might break the cycle of self-rewarding behaviour. Good luck - not a nice habit.
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Hi Chris Julie. The 'leave it' command is something we haven't done at training. Its something we've tried to teach ourselves but we've obviously not done it enough/correctly. I will Google it to get a better idea. Thank you-you're not teaching me to suck eggs-I really don't know where to begin with this problem except we've decided on-lead walks are the only way at the minute.
do you still go to training .....maybe you could ask the trainer to go through it with you .
How we did it was : Put your dog on the lead (in the living room or garden , anywhere really up to you ) Place something on the floor that you know he will really would want like your slippers or something else you wouldn't want him to have but must be something you know he'll want BUT NOT his food , toys or anything else he can normally have .
Put the item on the floor just out of reach of him on his full length of lead ....he will pull .....then you put in the leave it command ....leave it in a stern voice like you mean it but not shouting ......the very second the lead goes slack praise him and treat him (doesnt have to be food , a slight tickle under the chin). Keep doing it with him on a daily basis maybe using a different item each time as there will lots of things you wont ever want him to have (he mustn't be able to reach it) .....you could even try it with some cat poo ......keep everything calm , its your rules not his ! This is an excellent way forward especially if you can get him to eventually leave the cat poo during the exercise ......it does work , its consistency and letting know what his boundaries are will make a happy settled dog and owner. We have done 'leave it' from 8 weeks onwards with our dogs , but can learn your dog . Oooops I've said he all through this ......sorry of course I meant she :shades:
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Ah it's the pits isn't it >:( >:(
Millie has puked it onto the living room carpet before and completely ruined a day out as she had was producing the most horrific burps while travelling in the car.
I've just re-read this and must have missed that bit first time SarahH. I would not have known what to do re the carpet! That has got to be one of the worst clean ups ever. Aren't our little darlings just wonderful :shades:
Try finding it in the middle of your duvet, now that's a lovely experience ph34r
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Thanks for the training tips Chrisnjulie. Will work on 'leave it'. Minniemoo-that's just ewwwwww.
Emilyoliver, yes we do part training, walking on lead with lead training and then off lead and take balls/soft toys but she isn't bothered about balls or toys a lot yet on a walk. Lots of 'find it' games and we play hide and seek whilst out too so she does focus on us....just not when poo (or other dogs!) are around.
Today has been good. We decided we had to use the long line to try to stop this. She bites it constantly but we decided we have no choice and she's got to get used to it, plus we've wanted to use it recently due to her starting to ignore recall when other dogs are around. First walk, she bit, chewed, protested, jumped and was getting hyper. Every time we managed to distract her and she stopped chewing it, we treated her. Second walk, 5 mins of biting it, then walked well for rest of the walk. Had to stop her going into bushes to find poo a few times but she is getting used to the long line and we will use this from now until we can get 'leave it' and recall under control. No poo eating today :D
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Willow was a fox poop eater when she was a pup..... it drove us to distraction. She has also been known to eat horse poop and other dog poo. I know horse poop can be dangerous due to the wormer....
The weird thing is she often leave her ball a matter of a couple of inches away from where she 'goes' herself and looks in discust when she is near her own... :005: Wouldnt be so bad if she had eaten her own at least we would have known what was in it :005:
One day OH had taken her out whilst one of my friend was here and she pulls a face when we scoop Willows poop in a bag so we knew what her reaction would be and he came home and rushed her in to the bathroom and by the noises he was making I know what she had done. I can laugh about it now but it wasnt funny back then, especially as Willow likes to greet you with a big kiss.... :020: :020:
She did grow out of it, no training advice really, we just said "aaahhhhh ah" when she did it and tried to move her away....
She still likes to indulge in the odd bit of rabbit poop but I can cope with that telling myself its solid, less smelly and resembles her kibble :005: :005: