Most owners take a lot of pride in the food they serve their dog. So when your dog shows a liking for dung, it can come as a shock. Once he develops a taste for the unspeakable, it becomes a habit that’s difficult to break. He gobbles it up as fast as he can, then think nothing of trotting over to give up a kiss and cuddle.
The odor is enough to knock you over. And if you think eating his own or another animal’s stool is one of the most distasteful things your dog can do, you’re right. Until, that is, you see him rolling around in it as well.
Why they do it:
There are a couple of reasons why your dog may consider dung to be a delicacy. It may fill a nutritional need that isn’t being met by his conventional everyday dog food. Or he may have seen another dog is a Labrador retriever or golden retriever, and then he has been genetically programmed to pick up things in his mouth.
As for rolling around in it, this behavior is a leftover from the time when dogs roamed wild. In order to put predators off the trail, wild dogs covered themselves with foul-smelling messes to mask their own scent. Rolling and twisting in dung also probably feels like a good back massage to your dog – nothing else seems to get to those hard – to – reach places along his spine.
How to stop it:
If your dog picks up dung in his mouth while you are out walking, command him to “Leave it.” Back in your own yard, supervise your dog’s toilet time and clean up immediately afterward. “If it’s not there, he won’t eat it,” says Dorothy Laflamme, D.V.M., a veterinary nutrition.
If your dog still persists in dinning on dung, try spraying it with a pet repellent, such as bitter apple. You can also sprinkle Adolph’s meat Tenderizer, accent or a product called Forbid on your dog’s food before he eats it. These three products will give his dung a taste even he won’t be able to stand.
To stop your dog rocking and rolling in muck, keep your yard free from messy substances you wouldn’t want to see in your living room. If your dog is prone to doing this while you’re out on walks, keep him on a leash.
If you’re exercising your dog outdoors and you see a problem area up ahead, call your dog to “Come” immediately and distract him with a game or a few obedience drills.
Teaching your Dog to “Leave it”
When you tell your dog to “Leave it” you’re really saying “Ignore it immediately.” Teaching him not to go near dung or anything else that takes his fancy is a big challenge, so begin teaching this command indoors where it’s quiet. Ideally, you want your dog to ignore the item that draws his attention the minute you tell him to.
1. With his training collar and leash on, command your dog to sit in front of you. Show him a piece of food and tell him to “Leave it.”
2. Shorten the leash, and then throw the food a short distance away, all the while telling your dog to “Leave it.”
3. When he rushes to get it, jerk the leash. When he stays by your side praise him and reward him with a tidbit. Repeat the process until he understands the command. Test him with more aromatic food before taking the act on the road.
The odor is enough to knock you over. And if you think eating his own or another animal’s stool is one of the most distasteful things your dog can do, you’re right. Until, that is, you see him rolling around in it as well.
Why they do it:
There are a couple of reasons why your dog may consider dung to be a delicacy. It may fill a nutritional need that isn’t being met by his conventional everyday dog food. Or he may have seen another dog is a Labrador retriever or golden retriever, and then he has been genetically programmed to pick up things in his mouth.
As for rolling around in it, this behavior is a leftover from the time when dogs roamed wild. In order to put predators off the trail, wild dogs covered themselves with foul-smelling messes to mask their own scent. Rolling and twisting in dung also probably feels like a good back massage to your dog – nothing else seems to get to those hard – to – reach places along his spine.
How to stop it:
If your dog picks up dung in his mouth while you are out walking, command him to “Leave it.” Back in your own yard, supervise your dog’s toilet time and clean up immediately afterward. “If it’s not there, he won’t eat it,” says Dorothy Laflamme, D.V.M., a veterinary nutrition.
If your dog still persists in dinning on dung, try spraying it with a pet repellent, such as bitter apple. You can also sprinkle Adolph’s meat Tenderizer, accent or a product called Forbid on your dog’s food before he eats it. These three products will give his dung a taste even he won’t be able to stand.
To stop your dog rocking and rolling in muck, keep your yard free from messy substances you wouldn’t want to see in your living room. If your dog is prone to doing this while you’re out on walks, keep him on a leash.
If you’re exercising your dog outdoors and you see a problem area up ahead, call your dog to “Come” immediately and distract him with a game or a few obedience drills.
Teaching your Dog to “Leave it”
When you tell your dog to “Leave it” you’re really saying “Ignore it immediately.” Teaching him not to go near dung or anything else that takes his fancy is a big challenge, so begin teaching this command indoors where it’s quiet. Ideally, you want your dog to ignore the item that draws his attention the minute you tell him to.
1. With his training collar and leash on, command your dog to sit in front of you. Show him a piece of food and tell him to “Leave it.”
2. Shorten the leash, and then throw the food a short distance away, all the while telling your dog to “Leave it.”
3. When he rushes to get it, jerk the leash. When he stays by your side praise him and reward him with a tidbit. Repeat the process until he understands the command. Test him with more aromatic food before taking the act on the road.
