This is a legitimate question. It’s the one we whisper to someone because it is a little embarrassing to admit that our dog finds it’s poop to be a delicacy. There are ways to deter this behavior. Not to worry - here’s a page taken from my “The Truth About Housebreaking” ebook.
In this, I make light of the problem, but I do understand that it can be very frustrating. Ruling out other issues, the best thing you can do is monitor your dog, don’t give them the opportunity to eat poop, and they will mostly grow out of this behavior.
I don’t know how well received it will be to talk about wearing fur; however, this is an extremely cold winter. I have found there is nothing quite like a “live” fur to naturally ramp up the body heat. Watch the video and see if you agree with my recommendation.
You have a dog - as in one? Come on, that’s like being happy having one leg or eating one cookie or one tortilla chip. It can be much easier and at least a lot of fun to have more than a dog.
After I got my second dog, I knew that I would never again have just one. (We won’t talk about where that can lead or where it lead me!) Dogs play like dogs play. We are a good substitute and yes, they love our companionship. However, we are a poor substitute after watching two dogs romp while you listen to the sound of growling and gnashing of teeth.
If your concern is that by getting another dog you’ll lose the affection of the one you have now, trust me - that won’t happen. You will just be multiplying the love in your home. Not to mention that you’ll be keeping another dog out of a shelter and/or off the streets. (I hear you - you’re saying something cute like “and multiplying the poop I have to clean up” - so?) Exchanging a few extra seconds for cleanup for years of love and companionship, doesn’t sound like a bad trade to me!
If you have a good match, they will ease your guilt and feeling that you aren’t doing enough to entertain the dog you have now. They have each other and you have your human relationships. Doesn’t that sound nice? More than one dog may seem like too much for some, but for those of you who are thinking about it, I’m happy to talk with you about a potential match for your family. Please send a note. I would love to help!
This is not an easy subject and still a bit raw personally. I feel the need to share. . .
I love that there are no-kill shelters. That is WONDERFUL!
They are full. All of the local shelters are full. What’s next for the dogs whose last stop was the local shelter and hopefully a no-kill one that is full? They are being abandoned along with their abandoned homes. It’s a difficult choice to make for their humans. An almost impossible one. So, leaving the dog behind or dropping them off in a neighborhood leaves more options for the dog, right?
Consider those options. . .starving or dehydration. Becoming ill and not having medical care. Being hit by a car. Feeling abandoned and lost without a clue of how to find food and water. Looking for a familiar face.
Those are a few of their options. Maybe someone will pick them up and bring them home. That someone may already be over their dog limit and financially strapped but feeling guilty to let this one go.
What are your options — keep your dog until you find a home or shelter that can take it. Don’t just put an ad in the local paper - ask rescues, ask friends, ask anyone. It’s better to experience a little sadness about re-homing your dog than the sickness of leaving them somewhere unsure of their future.
Ok - here’s the tough part. There are worse alternatives than humanely helping your dog go to sleep for a very long time. Most people have difficulty with death as is evidenced with our treatment of humans. It is far more humane to know the fate of your dog, than to leave it to chance or someone else.
I say this because I get a lot of calls from people who want to know if I can take their dog or help them find someone who can because they don’t want to take them to a shelter. There is a much better chance of adoption through a shelter where people are actively looking, than anywhere else. If, the choice has to be made by the already-over-filled shelter to “put your dog down” after a specific period of time, on behalf of your dog, I’d like to say there are worse things.
I hate writing this. I hate that dogs are euthanized by the thousands daily. What choice is there as long as people don’t spay or neuter their pets? That’s only part of the problem. The dogs that are being abandoned now may have been spayed and once came from a shelter. They deserve nothing less than humane treatment.
I welcome your thoughts, comments, and suggestions.
Here’s some pics of my foster kittens that are rapidly becoming cats and have won my heart. They are unbelievably brave, confident, and extremely loving (not to mention comical). Maybe it’s because they are named Buddha and Gandhi. I know it’s hard to believe that “they” would show up as cats - at my home, you’d fully have expected them to be dogs!
You’ve heard me say that dogs bark. I have some bad news. . .they also dig. Some enjoy the smell and feel of dirt as it is flying in the air and their bodies get dirtier as they become more engrossed in their task. Some breeds enjoy burying treasures in the yard so only they can return to them later.
Here are some reasons that a dog digs:
To make a cool place in the soil where they can relax
They are bored and it seems like a good thing to do
Instinct says, “What are you waiting for man, there’s earth to uncover! You might find something to eat”
They are young and goofy and everything is fun
To bury a bone or toy for later
They are certain they can get the rodent that just entered it’s home
Here are a few things to stop or at least detour your dog from digging:
Put their poop in the hole they just dug
Sprinkle cayenne pepper in the hole
Give them a place to dig that is theirs. Frame in an area or use a kiddie pool and fill it with sand. Bury some of their bones to encourage them to dig there.
Train them to stay away from the area where they dig by teaching them boundaries
If they are being left outside all day while you are at work and you come home to holes in the yard, this is a good indication of boredom. Another dog to play with might help (that could go either way - help with more holes or help with the boredom!) If you don’t give them something to do, they will find something.
I am a fan of healthy dog treats; i.e., some of the chicken jerkies, lamb and rice, and there are others. I also recommend Nylabone chew toys and Kong products. Treats for your dogs are just that - treats. They shouldn’t be large enough to replace a meal. We can save that luxury for the humans!
I’ve told you some of my favorite treats. Listed below are some of a dog’s favorite treats.
plastic water bottles (the noisier the better)
nice underwear (don’t ask me how they know)
“things” that should remain in the garbage
“things” a woman really wishes had stayed in the trash
Fear not when one of the above “chews” gets swallowed. Usually, with no assistance, within about three days the object of their consumption will pass. That’s if it hasn’t already come up. I recently heard of a Labrador that took 9 days to pass a very fluffy sock.
You can just pretend that you are on a special assignment with CSI as you follow your dog around praying for the site of something that resembles what went in their mouth. If, of course, within reasonable time it hasn’t found it’s way out or your dog stops eating and/or eliminating, see a veterinarian immediately. There may be a blockage and it can require surgery if it is stuck or twisted in the intestine.
While I recommend the natural treats in the first paragraph, be aware that your dog may have other ideas!
There are a lot of options for dog toys and chews. Depending on your dog, the stuffed toys can leave a nice layer of white fluff all over the floor and for only a few seconds of enjoyment!
I recommend:
A Natural Beef Bone. These can be purchased at pet stores such as PetSmart. They come in a variety of sizes. They also come filled, but I wouldn’t suggest those unless you’re comfortable with the ingredients. The bone is porous but hard. Most dogs enjoy chewing on them and for added taste, you can soak it in bouillon or spread a dab of peanut butter along the edge.
Nylabone makes a variety of products that last a while and do not typically break off in tiny pieces which can be a choking hazard.
If you have a teething puppy - try soaking a washcloth in water, ringing it out, and freezing it. This feels good on the dog’s gums and they may feel satisfied that they are “allowed” to chew on a cloth. (Don’t remind them that you gave it to them)
Rope toys are good as long as you throw them out when the rope becomes shredded.
Those are some of my top picks. I don’t recommend rawhide as it does not digest. A small piece can get lodged in their throat or if swallowed it sits in their stomach.
Also, rotate their toys. If everything is out all of the time, they get desensitized and may find the chair leg or even their own bed to be a suitable substitute!
. . .but, I wanted a little lap dog. That’s like wanting a lap cat. There is nothing inherent in a dog’s size that MAKES them want to be a lap dog. I know a lot of Golden Retrievers, Pit Bulls, and Great Danes who are wonderfully, huge lap dogs. I also know lots of Yorkies and Maltese who will avoid your reach because they aren’t interested in always being nestled on your lap.
I imagine that there are a lot of little dogs released to shelters or going from home to home because they aren’t lap dogs. And, there are probably cats given away because they are considered too needy when what you wanted was an independent pet who didn’t care if you were around.
If you want a lap dog and yours doesn’t quite fit that characterization, relax and give it time. Don’t grab at them or chase them down. Let them be and when they come to you, praise them, but don’t reach out. Let them get close to you on their own.
If you keep grabbing at them they will approach with caution and stay just far enough away that you can’t possibly get them. Believe me, they learn very quickly that your next move will be an attempt to convince them that they really ARE a lap dog but haven’t yet experienced the joy of being smothered by you. If given time and patience, your dog may decide that being near you isn’t so bad.
The moral of the story - if you don’t have the dog you want, want the one you have!
My name is Olive. I’m a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. You can see how nice I look. I’m even smiling in this picture. It wasn’t always this way. I was part of a Pit Bull fighting ring. Here’s how my life started. . .
They took me from my Mom too young. I was scared. Then, I got pregnant. I can still hear the men’s voices and they are yelling. The other dogs around me are filled with fear that turns to rage. They are fighting again. I’m glad that this time they “used” another dog to get them stirred up.
On a good day, I’m left in this tiny pen listening to dogs fighting and men yelling. I let the fear fill me and I sit and shake. Why me?
On a bad day? I hear someone say, get her. She’ll get the other dogs to fight. They toss me into the pen. The first dog seems to really hate me. I have to defend myself, and as much as it makes me uncomfortable, it’s instinct. I need to protect my unborn pups. I don’t know if I’m relieved or scared even more when the other dog held to the side is released. It means that now I’ll get removed until next time.
Finally, I was able to escape, and I ran away. I wanted to run and to keep running to get away from how I felt. On one paw, I wanted to keep running so that I could feel safe, and yet I was too scared to be alone. I didn’t know what to do. I met some nice people who took me into their home. I was beat up and covered in sores from mange. I listen for the yelling and the other dogs fighting, but so far that hasn’t happened. Yet. I will always wonder if it’ll happen again.
That was seven years ago. Since then, I’ve been living in a love-filled home with other nice dogs. Without words, I can only show what I’m feeling. Even after all these years, I have moments where I panic. I want to run and run just to get away from the feeling that is buried deep inside me. It’s buried in the place that makes my tail wag - or in this case, not wag.
There are a lot of moments where I forget what happened. I’m joyful and my tail can’t stop from moving. Other days, I sit and stare and want to hide. I hear my “Mom” talking with people about me. She has loved me and kept me safe but she knows. She knows and can see that some times I’m lost.
The abuse I experienced from the dog fights will not leave me. I have new memories to put in their place, but some days that’s not so easy. I remember. It’s not a memory in my mind. It’s a memory in my soul. It’s consuming.
I hope that there are big people who can stop dog fighting. Perhaps Oprah can do a show to bring more awareness to how horrible it is for us. Maybe some day the people who think that this is a sport, will be able to feel in their hearts what I feel. If they do, they will never forget it. Nor will I.
