Originally posted by masscatThey all do it, especially if its cats!
My dog has the nasty problem of coprophagia.
Has anybody had this experience with their dog? Any ideas on how it can be prevented? I don't think it's a health related problem; I think she's just a nasty dog because one of her favorite treats is also hawkers.
Originally posted by masscatMarinate in olive oil and herbs, then gently simmer in red wine.
My dog has the nasty problem of coprophagia.
Has anybody had this experience with their dog? Any ideas on how it can be prevented? I don't think it's a health related problem; I think she's just a nasty dog because one of her favorite treats is also hawkers.
Mmmmmm.
Coprophagia is a behavior sometimes observed by dog owners. Hofmeister, Cumming, and Dhein (2001) write that this behavior in dogs has not been well-researched, and are currently preparing a study. In a preliminary paper, they write that there are various theories for this, although none have been proven:
To get attention from their owners.
From anxiety, stress, or having been punished for bad behaviors.
From boredom.
In an attempt to clean up in crowded conditions.
When dogs observe their owners picking up feces, and imitate this behavior (allelomimetic behavior). This is highly improbable because the behaviour has also been observed in environments where owners never picked up the dog's (or other) feces.
Because puppies taste everything and discover that feces are edible and, perhaps, tasty, especially when fed a high fat content diet.
Because dogs are, by nature, scavengers, and this is within the range of scavenger behavior.
To prevent the scent from attracting predators, especially mother dogs eating their offspring's feces.
Because the texture and temperature of fresh feces approximates that of regurgitated food, which is how canine mothers in the wild would provide solid food.
Because of the protein content of the feces (particularly cat feces), or over-feeding, leading to large concentrations of undigested matter in the feces.
Due to assorted health problems, including:
Pancreatitis
Intestinal infections
Food allergies, creating mal-absorption
Because they are hungry, such as when eating routines are changed, food is withheld, or nutrients are not properly absorbed.
Another theory proposes that carnivores sometimes eat the feces of their prey in order to ingest and exude scents which camouflage their own.
Several companies produce food additives that can be added to the troublesome animal's food to make its feces taste excessively bad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophagia
Originally posted by AThousandYoungTo get attention from their owners.
[b]
To get attention from their owners.
Because they are hungry, such as when eating routines are changed, food is withheld, or nutrients are not properly absorbed.
Several companies produce food additives that can be added to the troublesome animal's food to make its feces taste excessively bad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophagia[/b]
Yep..it works!
Because they are hungry, such as when eating routines are changed, food is withheld....
I cut down her food....she was getting too fat
Several companies produce food additives....to make its feces taste excessively bad.
I can't imagine how they could make it taste worse but, I see a trip to Petsmart real soon!
Thank ya kindly!
Originally posted by shavixmirI assulted the ol' porcelain last night - a proper eye-watering, whole can of air-freshener job. When I woke up this morning and went to brush my teeth it still stank like a dead skunk rotting in a sewer. I'm strangely both terrorfied and curious if it'll still be lingering there when i get home from work.
Good grief.
How bad does it have to be???
Maybe they can bottle that fragrance and splash it on the pet food?
Originally posted by der schwarze RitterTry force feeding the cat minty gum. The dog will at least have fresh breath.
They do it because they're missing something in their diet. Ours used to forage in the cat's litter box until we put it out of his reach. If it can't be solved as simply as this, I'd consult a vet, or at least Wikipedia.
I think she just likes the taste. She had carried two t--ds from back by the fence and had them lying on the patio, apparently to dry them out for later snacking, when I got home from work last night.
On the plus side, no need to waste money on dog treats...just feed her what comes out of the cat's litter box and throw in a big hawker once in a while.