Dog eats chicken poop

[Olive]

My dog keeps eatting chicken poop. How do I get her to stop doing that? Anybody have any ideas? I try to keep the driveway and sidewalk clean of poop, if I don't she is out there eatting it. UGH!!!

 

[snugglepup]

Ah yes, you have been experiencing the most refined of canine behaviors. Unfortunately, coprophagy... whether the poop in question is chicken, duck, cat, dog, horse, bunny, elephant, etc... is a management problem. Either keep the dog away from the poop, or keep the poop away from the dog. No matter what anyone tells you, it has nothing to do with a mineral deficiency in her diet. In fact, some studies suggest that poop-eating is a natural behavior and is one way animals develop healthy intestinal flora.

Not what you wanted to hear, right?

My personal solution to this very common behavior problem, is to train *myself* not to mind. And I also wash my face/hands after the pups give me kisses.

 

[Frizzledhen]

I agree with Snugglepup. I tried everything on the market to get my dogs to stop but nothing and I mean nothing worked. I finally resigned myself to the fact that it is a doggy thing and I would have to learn to live with it.

Gayle

 

[4-H chicken mom]

My dog does the same gross thing. Doesn't matter if it lamb, cat or chicken poo. I get so mad at her and tell her how bad that is. I don't understand behavior like that. I don't know of any animal that eats other animals poo except for dogs. My chickens don't even eat others poo. I know they sell pills for dogs to stop this bad habit, but it is too expensive for me to have to buy that stuff constantly. Right now, I too just look the other way and try not to think about it to much. Any suggestions?

 

[snugglepup]

Actually, a lot of animals eat poop. Especially young ones. My chickens eat the horse poop and the dog poop. Rabbits frequently eat their own poop. I have seen young horses eat poop, too. In fact, some species are evolved to live entirely off the poop of other animals. Oh my!

The products sold to prevent this (supposedly), like Forbid and others, are supposed to make the dog's own poop taste bad (how do you make poop taste bad?). So they would only work on dogs that eat their own poop. Since I don't eat much poop, I can't say whether the company's claims are true. I do know that for my clients who have tried it, have had very limited success... and it would have absolutely no effect on eating poop from other animals. Bottom line, it's a waste of money.

 

[snugglepup]

The only other suggestion I have is to give the dog something better to do. If you throw a handfull of food in the grass when you put her out, she is more likely to eat the food, and less likely to eat the poop.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I didn't know that. I guess I have been sheltered or lucky that my animals haven't displayed any gross habits except for the dog. I just keep it cleaned up whenever I find a nugget or two. I will try your suggestions, thanks.

 

[texascorgi]

All of my dogs eat chicken poop and I have given up trying to make them stop. They act like it is dessert to them. I think it is gross.

 

[SimplcitiyAltered]

mine will find the largest pile of goose poop and roll in it smearing it all over his face and neck and then look at me like im stupid because I wont love on him. And yeah he eats it as well such disgusting creatures.

 

[Rosalind]

Umm...Breath-freshener biscuits?

Sorry, mine does the same thing. I finally resigned myself to it and bought a big package of mint-flavor biscuits. My charming young pup also eats scratch grain, cat poop, grass, the occasional goldenrod plant, cherry tree prunings, actual dirt in the garden, and carpet fluff. This is a dog who is fed mass quantities of premium Eagle Pack and TimberWolf brand puppy chow, by the way--he will leave his food bowl half-full, ask to go outside, then go eat chicken poop and dust bunnies off the barn floor.

Hopeless. Just get biscuits and wash your hands really good after petting him.