My 6 month old beagle is eating poo, it's vile, I can't understand it!
She is fed the reccomemded amount of dried food twice a day, I clean her toilet area frequently ( 2-3 times a day but she sometimes gets there before me) I think she is eating the older dogs poo too.
She has lots of treats and attention and walked daily.
I haven't that I'm aware of punished her for pooing ( even when house training we had very few poo accidents inside)
Any idea how to stop this disgusting behaviour, is it normal for a pup
There is several theories why they eat poop, one is that certain foods, have added flavourings and aromas added, so they pass out still tasting and smelling platable and interesting so are enticing. So might be worth looking at the food she is on and more importantly exactly what it contains. Sometimes changing to a more natural highly digestible type where whats passed it pure unappetising waste may help.
Another theory is that the diet is missing certain vitamins and minerals.
The third that it is boredom, and if it gets a lot of attention even if we think its negative attention its still a reaction, so rewarding them for doing it.
Its suggested that adding pineapple to their diets can help as the enzyme in pineapple makes it unappealing. That though seems to have varying reports as to the effectiveness. Something that might be worth trying though.
There is also something called stool repel-um by mark and chappel, that is supposed to make it unappealing, you can use that from 6months of age
M&C Stool Repel-UM
If you dont try changing the food a good supplement added may even help
Bionic Biotic is good Ive personally found
Probiotic for Dogs | Bionic Biotic | Dog Health Supplement | Pooch and Mutt
Other then that making sure its quickly cleared away everytime and there is none left about can help.
Also retraining and making something else more rewarding can help also.
You need to be out with her/them though every time. As soon as she poops you need a distraction and then an alternative behaviour for her to do thats more rewarding.
Timings important too not only to stop her as soon as she poops, but also in the fact that you dont want to reward the actual poop eating, but for leaving it and doing the alternative behaviour instead.
Destractions that you can try is when finished and she goes for it say Ahh, Ahh and call her to you with a really favourite food/treat offered, good irresitible ones are usually cheese, chicken hotdogs, sausages hot dogs anything liver based, get her to come to you and sit and wait and then treat though, because then you are sure that there is no confusion and that its the coming sitting and waiting alternative behaviour shes being rewarded for and leaving the poop.
If she is toy driven, then you can use a squeaky toy, if that her thing, squeaking the toy to distract as soon as she has pooped, but still get her to come to you away from it, and sit and wait and either use the toy/game as reward or a treat.
A whistle too otherwise may help, you can start indoors priming it, by having favourite treats, and for each whistle blow, immediately treat, walk around and she should keep attention on you following, just walk around whistle treat whistle treat. Once she has got the concept, try blowing the whistle as soon as shes finished pooping, getting her to come to you away from it, then the sit wait and the treat. If you teach her this you can also probably use it for recall when out too, to the whistle.
