[Dailydrool] Poop eating

[Pamela McQuade]

Our wee princess, Holly, is an avid poop eater, possibly because she's always hungry from being on a diet. But I have noticed that she eats poop most when I take her out first thing in the morning, before breakfast, and just before dinner. So part of the poop eating may actually be related to real hunger. But apart from letting her pee on the floor while I'm making her meal, so she won't eat poop, I can't say I've found a solution (obviously I'm not about to encourage peeing inside). But if you do not have dogs who pee floods every time they goes out, you might manage to feed before allowing an offending dog to set foot outside.
 
As to the learned poop eating, Dexter came to us not eating it, but after a while of seeing Holly, decided to do some taste testing. I nipped it in the bud immediately, and he seems to have gotten the message. But Dex is a smart hound, and I can imagine that not all bassets will be so accommodating.
 
When Holly does go out, I keep her on a short leash and pull her away from poop as soon as possible. At night, this means she can only go where the light is, so I at least have a clue of where the danger lies. She doesn't get to go very far, but at least she's not ingesting anything that could make her sick--well, at least, not most times.
 
The good news is that Holly is almost at her goal for weight loss. In two pounds, I will be able to feed her a bit more and maybe lessen some of her desire for poop. At least I hope so.
 
Poop eating. It's a terrible thing.
Pam, food slave to the Dashing Bassets
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