Puppy issues

return guide

Got a georgeous new pup on Friday. Everything great. Getting on well with our other dog and sleep together already. The only problem I have is that when I bring her out to the garden to go to the toilet she immediately turns around and eats her poo!! I know disgusting but she does this quite fast and not much time to stop her. Does anyone know why this is? Heard that it might be that she spent too much time in with her mother crated or kennel. The other reason is that housebreaking might be making her hide the evidence as she doesn't understand what is happening and she doesn't want to be punished! She is due to the vet for her injection on Friday but just thought I might put this to any other doggy owners who have had the same problem.

Just wanted to say that she doesn't go and eat the other dogs or go back after doing her own if I stop her. Its only when she is doing it. She is also on the vets dried food.

~Thalia~

return guide wrote: »

Got a georgeous new pup on Friday. Everything great. Getting on well with our other dog and sleep together already. The only problem I have is that when I bring her out to the garden to go to the toilet she immediately turns around and eats her poo!! I know disgusting but she does this quite fast and not much time to stop her. Does anyone know why this is? Heard that it might be that she spent too much time in with her mother crated or kennel. The other reason is that housebreaking might be making her hide the evidence as she doesn't understand what is happening and she doesn't want to be punished! She is due to the vet for her injection on Friday but just thought I might put this to any other doggy owners who have had the same problem.

Just wanted to say that she doesn't go and eat the other dogs or go back after doing her own if I stop her. Its only when she is doing it. She is also on the vets dried food.

Firstly, don't worry, this is quite normal and easy to fix! Just put some fresh or dried pineapple in her food and this should sort it out, she won't want to eat it with the digested pineapple, I believe courgette also has the same effect!

Plus - new puppy - we DEMAND pictures!

Sigma Force

Yeh totally common and really gross..until you get guineapigs and then your pretty used to things like that lol.

I found with my youngest dog when she was a pup the pineapple chunks worked brilliant. Just get a tin of pineapple and give a couple of chunks a day don't know how it works but works a treat.

anniehoo

The term for this is called copraphagia! I wouldnt worry she should grow out of it. When she does go take her away from it as soon as possible and praise her to the hills for going outside..she'll soon learn that what she did was a good thing!

return guide

Ok here goes. Not sure if this pic will work. While I am here if anyone has any good names please feel free to suggest as we are still struggling with this.

Thanks for the suggestions - will try them. I am giving her a small treat of her food when she pees out the back and she is getting the hang of this quite quickly. Was just worried about the other because of reading about it needing to be nipped in the bud early.

carwash_2006

One small thing, you say to do with housebreaking that she doesn't want to be punished. I just wanted to make sure that you are not punishing her. Even if you catch her in the act you should never punish her, just calmly pick her up and put her outside.

Also when you are bringing her out to toilet, if you bring her on a lead it will be harder for her to turn around and eat her poo, bringing them out on the lead at first when toilet training can help to speed things up, as they will get bored more quickly and go when you are there to praise them. If they are running around loose they can forget that they need to go until they are back inside the house sometimes.

Beth

Also dont make a big deal out of picking it up. Running to it straight away and trying to scoop it up puts value on it in the dogs eyes. Just walk her off, and go pick it up when you hand the lead to someone else so she's out of sight when you do it.

beth-lou

Sorry to hear about your problem with your beautiful new puppy. She's gorgeous and still so young. I'm sure she will be easy enough to get out of the habit at that age.

We have the same problem with one of our dogs. Problem is he was almost a year by the time we got him, and he was surrendered into the pound, so I don't really know his history. But he still does it and he is now about a year and a half.

The vet told us to get a spray gun and every time we see him do it to give him a little squirt. But this hasn't helped. He is getting a bit better, but he seems to enjoy it, which sounds disgusting. I am going to try the pineapple chunks. I never heard about that before. Fingers crossed it works.

Best of luck with your pup.

~Thalia~

beth-lou wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your problem with your beautiful new puppy. She's gorgeous and still so young. I'm sure she will be easy enough to get out of the habit at that age.

We have the same problem with one of our dogs. Problem is he was almost a year by the time we got him, and he was surrendered into the pound, so I don't really know his history. But he still does it and he is now about a year and a half.

The vet told us to get a spray gun and every time we see him do it to give him a little squirt. But this hasn't helped. He is getting a bit better, but he seems to enjoy it, which sounds disgusting. I am going to try the pineapple chunks. I never heard about that before. Fingers crossed it works.

Best of luck with your pup.

Should work no worries Beth-Lou. Although you might have to break up the pineapple chunk (a small piece will do) as some dogs don't like it. Didn't have that problem with my girl though, she LOVES pineapple!

To the OP - Your Pup is GORGEOUS! What is she? Is she some part collie? In any case, she is LOVERLY!

return guide

"One small thing, you say to do with housebreaking that she doesn't want to be punished."

Was just using this example as something I read. The "punishment" I was talking about was to be left without company for a minute or so while I cleaned up.

I'm not sure what she is. We were told collie/boxer. When we saw the mother she looked like collie x. When she sits certain ways she looks like a boxer but the collie look is most definitely there.

Thanks again to everyone for your help and wish me luck.

Beth

That sort of time-out "punishment" is fine
They don't like being away from their family so will eventually associate naughty things=away from the fun.

Best of luck! The pineapple usually does the trick!

Sigma Force

Oh she's so small and cute! Very much a tiny baby still some dogs take longer than others to train. She'll be worth it and you will find it a lot easier when she is able to go out for walkies.

greengoddess

Hi,

Just wondered where you got your puppy? We picked up a boxer/collie cross on Friday who looks a lot like your pup. Got her in Sligo! Our wee lassie is eating her poops too!

return guide

greengoddess wrote: »

Hi,

Just wondered where you got your puppy? We picked up a boxer/collie cross on Friday who looks a lot like your pup. Got her in Sligo! Our wee lassie is eating her poops too!

Yep. Had to meet at the Esso Garage to be directed to the house. Which pup do you have? There were 11 altogether. Not sure about the boxer/collie tho. Did you see the mother? She isn't as bad about the eating poo as long as I watch her. Don't know what is making her but will try the pineapple and hopefully that will work. She is due at the vet tomorrow for injection and will ask them then. Have you done anything about your dogs "eating habits"? someone mentioned the boredom of being with the mother for all those weeks and not really getting out and about could lead to this as well and it is just merely a habit rather than some other complaint.

greengoddess

ahh thats hilarious. I am useless at posting pics but our one (Sheba) is tan with a black face and a little white spot on her nose. Are you in Sligo? It would be great if the pups could meet! I did see the mother, she seemed quiet enough but didnt have a collar which I thought strange. My puppy weed in her bed once which I thought they never did but she was very excited that day (kids have since calmed down with her) and maybe it was just a one off.

return guide

greengoddess wrote: »

ahh thats hilarious. I am useless at posting pics but our one (Sheba) is tan with a black face and a little white spot on her nose. Are you in Sligo? It would be great if the pups could meet! I did see the mother, she seemed quiet enough but didnt have a collar which I thought strange. My puppy weed in her bed once which I thought they never did but she was very excited that day (kids have since calmed down with her) and maybe it was just a one off.

Sounds like the same ones I think. We are in Dublin so meeting up might be awkward if you are in the Sligo area. The kids have called ours little girl Tiny. We are in the depths of training as well. I have crate trained before but only for night time and that worked a treat. The longest you can expect a pup at this age to stay in a crate and holding on is about 6 hrs I think. The rest of the day I just spend outside with a treat in my hand and when she does her business I say "busy busy" and then give her a treat. Its slow but eventually she will get the hang of it and go out to be busy busy whenever I want. My dog seems to be taking the collie side of intelligence so she is already sitting for a treat or she doesn't get it. She is very cute and the three kids are mad about her.