Many dogs do it, although their owners are too disgusted to admit it, and sometimes too embarrassed to talk about it even with their veterinarians.
Dog experts don't seem able to speak plainly about the problem, either. They call it "coprophagia."
No matter what it's called, though, trainers, behaviorists and veterinarians agree that stool-eating is a common problem. And who wants a doggy kiss from a pet with this habit?
Why do dogs indulge in such revolting behavior? Some experts say stool-eating is related to a mother dog's instinct for "cleaning up the nest" -- licking her puppies to stimulate elimination and eating everything that results. It's an important job, since the tiny, blind puppies aren't capable of eliminating their own waste.
Others point to nutritional needs, noting that wolves and wild dogs eat stools -- both their own and those of herbivores -- for the nutrients they contain. (This helps to explain why dogs seem especially attracted to cat stools, which contain a high level of protein.) Still others say dogs eat stools because they like to, in the same way that they enjoy any number of unspeakable activities, such as sniffing in private places and rolling in dead fish. Boredom may play a role, too, for few dogs get all the attention and especially the exercise they need.
Prevention is the best way to deal with stool-eaters, although there are a few nutritional or behavioral aids that may be worth a try.
First, make sure your dog is in good health, eating a high-quality food. Premium foods can noticeably decrease stool volume, which certainly helps.
Once you're sure your pet is healthy and eating well, you can ask your veterinarian about one of the handful of food additives that may help the animal to produce stools that are less appealing. The same aversion theory is behind the advice about "booby-trapping" stools with something a dog would find disgusting, like Tabasco sauce. Finally, some trainers suggest watching your dog closely and shaking a can filled with pennies when he sniffs a pile.
While each of these strategies may help with any particular dog, there's no evidence that they will reform all or even most stool-eaters. And if you're going to spend your days booby-trapping piles, you might as well grab a scoop and clean them up.
In fact, the most reliable method of coping with chronic stool-eaters is to avoid the source of temptation. If there's nothing disgusting to eat, the dog won't be eating it. It's that simple.
When you let your dog out, clean up after him immediately. If you have cats, make sure the litter box is inaccessible to your dog, and keep it clean, too. Some people use a hooded litter box, but some cats won't tolerate them well. If your dog is bigger than your cat, you can solve the problem by putting a cat-sized flap in the door to the room with the litter box. Your cat can come and go as he pleases, but the dog won't be able to munch. For smaller dogs, consider a baby-gate or a high spot for the box. Both will be present no access problems for your cat, but will keep your dog away from temptation.
In public, the leash is your only defense, and will remain so until people start getting more considerate about picking up after their dogs. Keep your dog on leash, and if he's attracted to anything you'd rather him not be eating -- and in a public park, the possibilities for this are endless -- tell him "no," then give him a tug and move on.
If you have kiss-happy dogs as I do, you'll have to stay on top of this problem religiously, so you won't have to be wondering where your dog's mouth has been!
CYBERLINKS: The Cat Fanciers home page (http://www.fanciers.com) is a one-stop Web shop for nearly all the information on cats that exists on the Internet. It's a phenomenal resource, especially for anyone who lives with or is thinking about getting a pedigreed cat. The Fanciers breed pages (www.fanciers.com/breeds.html) is especially helpful, offering solid information both on rare breeds and common ones.
Gina Spadafori, the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," is affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.
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