Puppies are very innocent creatures that deserve every chance to grow into happy, healthy adults. Unfortunately, some mistakes from humans can lead to poor puppies ingesting poop and then, subsequently, the poop-eating behavior becomes a habit. This isn’t good for the pup or any other animal that may live in your residence. Eating poop can be a very dangerous thing to do and it can be very difficult to stop once you allow the habit to start. The problem with poop-eating puppies is that they may, at any point, get into something dangerous and these may include, but are not limited to poison ivy, cat feces, rat feces, or dog feces. These things can cause a lot of harm for the puppy and can become a very awkward situation when it comes time to clear up the mess. But here are some ideas on how to keep puppies from eating poop.
1. Supervise the puppy
Puppies are very curious and may get into a lot of trouble if you leave them alone for too long. If you must leave the pup alone, keep a watchful eye on him so that he doesn’t chew on things he shouldn’t or end up eating poop. If you are not watching him, then confine him to an area that makes it impossible for him to eat poop without reprimand. The puppy will not want to repeat the poop-eating experience if he gets into trouble after doing so. You should also be careful with what you give the pup. If your puppy is chewing on shoes, clothing, pillows, or anything else that may contain poop, discontinue giving him these items.
2. Feed your puppy regularly
Some puppies will eat poop because they are hungry and have not been fed in a while. Make sure you feed your puppy at least thrice every day and don’t leave his food out for too long. If you leave it there too long, he may find other things to eat like poop. Leave the food out for only 20 minutes at most so that the puppy knows that he will be eating soon and doesn’t get distracted by anything else in the house.
3. Keep the puppy environment clean
Make sure your puppy’s area is clean at all times. The cleaner it is, the less likely the puppy will get into poop or eat poop. It would also be best to keep the trash can out of reach of the puppy at all times. If he can’t reach it, then he won’t be tempted to chew on it and may accidentally eat any feces that may have fallen in there already. Make sure that you clean up the droppings when you are done with the puppy after he has had an accident. These droppings can get very smelly and coat everything around them. Cleaning these droppings can keep your entire environment clean as well as keep a puppy from getting into poop.
4. Feed your puppy a balanced diet
A puppy may be eating its poop if it is lacking in vitamins or minerals that it needs to eat properly. There are many puppy foods that will give your pup everything he needs without the unnecessary extras that can influence a puppy to eat its feces. Make sure you give much attention to what kind of dog food you are giving your pup. The food you choose should have the right amount of protein, fats, and other nutrients that a puppy needs. These foods can be bought at any pet store or grocery store. However, do not choose any dog food that is flavored with anything other than plain meat without onion as this may cause vomiting.
5. Introduce your puppy to a new environment slowly
If you are moving from one house to another and taking your puppy with you, make sure he spends time in his new home slowly. If he gets used to that environment too quickly, then he may eat poop when he is there because he gets excited about the area or something else happens. You should also make sure that he only has a few hours of playtime at each house so that he doesn’t get too excited when he is with his new owner. He may go out of his way to show you how much he loves you and it could be dangerous if he has a poop accident while doing so.
6. Keep your puppy on a leash
It is not a good idea to allow the puppy to have freedom in your home because he may find things that can be dangerous to him and he may hurt himself or others. If you do want the puppy to roam free, make sure that there are no poisonous plants in his area or anything else that can harm him. The leash is a good way to keep the puppy from getting into these dangerous situations. Also, it ensures that he does not get into anything that can harm him and it can prevent him from seeking out any other objects to chew on. If you leave the leash on him, then he will not be tempted to chew on anything else in your home.
7. Cover the puppy’s poop with hot sauce
Covering the puppy’s poop can also be a way to prevent your dog from eating poop. If you think that the puppy ate poop, put hot sauce on it and let it sit for a few hours. This will teach the puppy that he should not eat the poop and may get him to stop trying to eat the poop. The hot sauce will not cause any harm to the puppy, but it will teach him that eating poop is a bad thing to do. This is called negative reinforcement. The puppy will learn that eating poop is wrong and will try to avoid it at all times in order to avoid the negative consequences. You can also try spraying the area with a spray bottle filled with water. The puppy will not want to step in the water and may avoid that area from then on as well.
8. Give your puppy treats
Giving your dog treats for doing something good can be a great way to stop him from getting into poop in the future. When you catch him eating poop, he should not be allowed to finish his meal give him something special instead like a piece of chicken or a bone filled with meat and stop letting him eat poop again when he is done with that treat. The positive reinforcement this gives him will lead to successful treatment of your dog’s problem. This is how you can treat the behavior of eating poop.
9. Provide your puppy with some toys
You can also provide your puppy with some toys in order to entertain him. Give him some chew toys and make sure that they are safe for him to chew on. You should also give him plenty of toys so he has something to play with when you are not home and he has an opportunity to chew on something else. These kinds of toys will be rewarded with positive reinforcement since they are chewed on instead of being eaten.
10. Avoid beating your dog
Punishing your puppy for eating poop or doing something you don’t like will not help him to stop doing it. It will only make the puppy scared of you and not want to be around you at all. You should not yell at or hit your pet because this may cause the behavior to get worse and he may start to act out more because of the negative reinforcement. By punishing your dog, you are teaching him that it is bad to do what you are punishing him for and is only going to make him more upset that he did something wrong. A better way to deal with negative behavior like this is to use positive reinforcement.
11. Train your puppy to use a litter box
It can be a good idea to train your puppy to use a litter box so that he no longer needs to go in a pile of poop. Take your time and show him where the litter box is and how to use it. If you do not take the time, then he may never get the message that this is where he needs to go when he has an accident. When the time comes to teach him, make sure that you are consistent with him so that eventually he will learn what he needs to do. Otherwise, keep trying until eventually, he does learn.
If you have a puppy that is eating its poop, you have to understand the cause of this behavior. The puppy will only stop doing it if the reason why he is doing it is rectified. You cannot just expect him to stop eating his feces when you do not take the time to explain to him why he should not be eating it. If your puppy is a rescue dog, then you might want to consider some training classes and ask what advice they may have for you. Sometimes, puppies will eat their poop due to behavioral issues and this needs specific treatment that cannot be handled alone if proper training was never given.
What do you think?