Animal Welfare Professionals

I Have trained many dogs, but this time I am stumped!  We recently adopted a full bred Peke from the humane society. This pup avoids pooping outside, and after crated he poops in the crate and eats it. The poop gets all over him and we come home to poop everywhere!  He is never punished and rewarded every time he poops outside, which after two weeks has only happened a few times. I can’t force him to poop, i don’t know what to do. He hides when he poops and we find it in corners and half eaten everywhere. He needs a bath every day from the poop everywhere. Help!!

Hi, is it possible to walk the pup before kenneling to help “move thing along” and empty them out before leaving?

if the pup is going to be left for an extended time period, is there someone who could check in on the pup and maybe take out for a quick break? Sometimes neighbors are happy to help, many are dog lovers themselves ❤️ 

There are many reasons why dogs choose to eat poop. Some of them are easier to address than others

One thing to consider is if the dog is eliminating in response to a stressful situation, such as being left alone, and creating anxiety. There are a few things that can be done to help ease separation anxiety if that is the core of what is happening.

in the mean time, if it hasn’t already been discussed with your veterinarian, i suggest giving them a call or scheduling an appt to check for any possible medical reason behind this action, and to provide behavior support if necessary. They would also be able to steer you in the direction of an appropriate deterrent that could be effective. 

Best of luck!

teresa

Thank you for the detailed answer. I didn’t want to make the query too long because I didn’t want readers to lose interest. Yes, he is walked prior to kenneling. He is walked about six times a day. We walk him within a half hour of eating. He has been to the vet three times in two weeks. The vet tells me that I am doing everything right. (I am not an inexperienced owner). He has chronic gastritis from eating his poop. Vet suggested we make him an outdoor dog!  This is the third different vet who said that. This is a learned behavior which needs unlearned. He was never housebroken and apparently was punished for pooping so he hides it, and eats it to cover up so he doesn’t get in trouble. I am working with him, but giving him baths daily and having to clean the walls, floor and scrub down the kennel daily is getting very old. I appreciate your response and I will incorporate more walks. But at nighttime he walks at 10:30 and again at 7:00 am, but we wake up to more poop every morning. 

It sounds like you are doing a lot, and having patience is hard, so thank you for having such a good heart. Have you tried to keep a diaper on him when you are out for a while? Any anti coprophagic supplements? 

Never heard of doggie diapers, but I will check into that!  Giving him meat tenderizer to make it less palatable, but he still eats it. :(. I’ve also tried doggie pads. I’ve picked up his poop and pee with the pad to let him know it’s ok, but he doesn’t use them. Would he try and tear the diaper off?

It’s possible, if the pup wanted it off bad enough. You could also temporarily use a cone collar so he can’t really reach the poop. 

Treating the behavioral aspect of it would probably be your best course of action, but it will take time. Did you veterinarian give you the information of a behaviorist that can help create a plan? You may even want to try to get a video of him when you leave the house and see what his behavior is around this. That can help the behaviorist come up with a plan. 

Best of luck to you, I hope you find answers.

teresa 

We have an appointmenttomorrow with a behaviorist. :)

There are sturdy washable diapers that are available that may help and would discourage him from tearing them off.  You must keep us posted on the progress and what the behaviorist says

Update:  Went to the behaviorist Sunday, and she suggested nasty, smelly treats, which we got, and we load Munchkin with one after another every time he poops outside.  We have also started feeding him in the kennel which makes it a positive place to be, instead of a punishment.  He is on Adaptil collar and room atomizer when he is near the kennel only.  We also are keeping an elimination log to know when he will need to poop.  Happy to say that we have not had to clean the kennel or the room since Saturday.  He has pooped more outside since!  He is not perfect, and there is a very long learning curve to keep working, but definite improvement!!  Will keep updates going!!  He is such a special pups, and he deserves a chance!!  AS soon we get his toileting habits under control, I am enrolling him in therapy dog classes, he is THAT special.  A sweeter soul you have never met!!!  I hope that he learns quickly, (he is a Peke, not the smartest tool in the box, but oh, so SWEET!!), so that I can share him with more of the world!!!  My sister is developmentally disabled, and he is such a love to her, and anyone else who meets him.  He just wants to share the love 

UPDATE:  The Munch is coming along!!!  We have had no more kennel poops!!  (accidents, yes, but not in the kennel!!)  He is learning to go outside more and more, and SO SPECIAL!!!  He will make a GREAT therapy dog!!!