This article will discuss getting your Doodle dog to stop eating poop. We will go into the reasoning and how you can correct the behavior at home.
One dirty little detail of owning a Doodle dog is dealing with Coprophagia. What is THAT? Coprophagia is a fancy term for when your dog eats poop.
While this can be a natural behavior in dogs, no one likes the idea of Fido eating poop.
Why Is My Dog Eating Poop?
Did you know that your Doodle could be eating poop naturally? Through the centuries, dogs have been adapted from wolves to meet our needs.
With this adaptation, there have been some instincts that have carried on through genetics. Your dog could be eating their poop or even other dogs’ feces for various reasons.
If you have an intact female in heat, she will be more likely to eat feces to protect her den. Wolves have passed down this instinct to keep predators away from their pups.
If your female has never shown signs of Coprophagia, she may be in heat or pregnant. A mother dog will usually continue to eat the feces of her young until they are three weeks old.
After this, the puppies are also encouraged to eat their poop.
But there are many other reasons your dog may be eating poop. It could be that you are not feeding your dog enough, and he has become a scavenger like his ancestors.
Or, maybe he is greedy for food, translating into eating feces. And, in some cases, your dog could have a medical reason that they are eating poop. Before A Home Remedy
Before ever seeking a home remedy, always consult your trusted vet to rule out medical conditions.
Your veterinarian may want stool samples and run blood work to make sure there is nothing more dangerous to worry about.
Some medical conditions could be Diabetes, Cushing’s Parasites, and Thyroid disease reaction to other medications.
You can only get these conditions treated by a vet, and it will not make any difference with a home remedy. Once you rule out medical conditions, you may safely try a home remedy.
Stop Eating Poop Home Remedy
After you have ruled out illnesses causing your dog to eat poop, a few home remedies won’t cost you a fortune.
Vitamin B
Sometimes, your dog could be eating feces from a lack of nutrients. Higher doses of vitamin B (or Thiamine) have proven to make dogs stop eating poop.
It will boost their vitamin intake so they do not feel compelled to eat it anymore. In some studies, it was shown that dog feces would produce its own thiamine.
So, if you increase this intake, it could stop the problem.
A simpler way of increasing these vitamins without supplements is to feed your dog high-quality food. The higher the quality, the more well-rounded the diet will be for your Doodle.
Keeping Clean
The easiest way to stop a bad habit is not to give your dog the opportunity. Until you find a best method, you should scoop the yard and always clean up while on walks.
Cleaning will be the most time-consuming task when training your Doodle to stop eating poop. But, it is the most effective. Since your dog will have no access to feces, it will kick the habit quickly.
The trick is not to let your dog have the opportunity to eat poop. So, that means he will need to be supervised for all outside time.
Closing any doggie doors and no outdoor playtime alone will help you clean messes before they do.
Keeping a scooper ready in your yard or carrying poop bags while on a walk are the easiest ways to clean up.
If your female has just had puppies, keep the area clean. Wash all bedding several times a day, and wash the floors.
No amount of training or cleaning can prevent this from happening. But, keeping the area clean will prevent the puppies from picking up a bad habit.
Until you trust your dog again, it is best to be consistent with this method.
Leave It
Another vital tool for training your dog to stop eating poop is teaching your dog the “Leave It” command.
If your dog knows “Leave It,” he will learn faster what behaviors are appropriate and which are not. Any time you see your dog going after feces, teach it to “Leave It.”
You can then quickly scoop up the poop and reward your dog. This tool is helpful on walks, at the park, and home.
It can be the most excellent command that you teach your dog. A dog who knows this command well will leave anything you tell it to.
And, lucky for you, you have one of the smartest breeds out there. That means your Doodle will train quickly and without hassle. So you can enjoy your Doodle and his poop-free breath faster.
Meat Tenderizer
It has been a long-going practice in the Doodle world to give high-quality meat tenderizers to poop-eating dogs.
Meat tenderizer works because most brands have an enzyme called papain. This enzyme is what makes your meat more tender and soft.
When you give it to a dog, the meat tenderizer changes the taste of its feces. Your Doodle will not like the smell or taste of it after a few tries.
If you have more than one dog, it is best to sprinkle the tenderizer on their food as well. Even if your dog has only ever eaten their own feces, it is never too late for them to start with other’s feces.
This method can give you enough time for Doodle dogs to stop eating poop and grow an aversion to it while you are training them to stop the habit altogether.
Fresh Pineapple
In addition to meat tenderizers, you could feed dog pineapple to make their poop unappetizing. Fresh pineapple is the key because it contains bromelain.
Bromelain is a natural acid that breaks down proteins like the meat tenderizer. Giving your Doodle dog a few chunks of pineapple with every meal could stop the behavior.
If you have more than one dog, you will want to give them a few pieces too.
Some dogs may react differently to the pineapple than the meat tenderizer since no human has ever tried this to see if there is a real taste difference.
It may be worth a shot. Because every dog is different, one way may work better for your dog.
Pineapple is cheap enough and found almost all year round that you have nothing to lose. Plus, your dog will love the tasty treat.
Better Diet
And lastly, if all else fails, take a good look at your Doodle’s diet. If your Doodle has food full of carbs and a little wholesome protein, it might be time to change.
Diets that are not well balanced could cause your dog to become obsessed with eating. They will take every chance to eat something to fill the gaps.
Most commercial dog food contains a high amount of carbohydrates. These carbs prolong shelf life, bind dry kibble, and make food cheaper to produce.
While not all carbs are bad, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Keeping carb intake lower than 20% is ideal for most high-energy dogs.
Finding wholesome food with more protein could be the ticket to stopping Coprophagia.
This clean eating also means cutting back on table scraps. While I’m sure that your dog appreciates it, it is not healthy. Giving greasy, processed foods can deplete your dog with proper nutrition.
Even if you feed them the best food in the world, processed junk can cancel that all out.
If All Else Fails
If none of these home remedies work for you, ask your vet about a medication prescription to stop Coprophagia.
Or, you could try an over-the-counter medication sold at any pet store.
These medications use a combination of highly concentrated herbs and enzymes to keep your Doodle dog from eating poop.
They can be pricey but useful when used with training and staying clean.
In Conclusion
It is important to remember that while this behavior is gross to us, it is natural to them. So, be patient with your Doodle when breaking this habit.
Most dogs go their whole lives doing this without their owners ever noticing. Consider yourself lucky!
That was a lot of information to help your Doodle dog stop eating poop. We hope you can find the right methods to stop these habits.
Hopefully, soon you will be able to enjoy your dog’s poop-free breath. Maybe invest in some toothpaste to freshen it up before a kiss.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Doodle Board!!
