# I don't know what to do next with Buddy



## BuddyinFrance (May 20, 2015)

"Sorry for the length of this post but I need serious help. Also I need kind and supportive comments only please."

As some of you know I have had many ups and downs with Buddy during his puppyhood and now his teen years. But with your help here, a bit of internet research, advice from the vet and a trainer and a good dose of patience things have always sorted themselves out very quickly. And he is a remarkable dog.

But as I write this post today I am at a loss as to what to do. I don't recognise him and quite frankly I am finding him hard to be around and, no judgement please, feel as if I don't like him much at the moment.

As I have posted before, Buddy has always been an avid poop eater, any poop from any animal and particularly his own. In fact he likes to eat anything food or non food. But this has turned on to a compulsive obsession. Now when he poops he turns immediately round to eat it. This is what I have tried so far :

making sure he obeys the word off (if he wants to eat something he could not care less about the off word)
adding pineapple, and other stuff to his food (worked at first and now doesn't)
pouring Tabasco on stools ( he has developed a taste for it)
changing food
adding probiotics
keeping him on a lead as much as possible ( this makes me so sad. He has until now had free run of the grounds, long off leash walks in the woods, beach etc. The fact that he has to be on a lead all the time makes me so sad for him. We don't enjoy our walks as much and he does not get a good work out)
running out and picking up his poop when he does it (if I don't run out in the 30 seconds after he goes he has already eaten it)
citronella collar - works if I am next to him

I ended up buying him a suitable muzzle on the advice of a vet and after a discussion here on another thread.

He hates his muzzle. I have followed all the guidelines, coaxing him gently with treats etc. And now I have finally got him used to wearing it it's worse than ever because he simply sticks his nose hard into any poop that interests him. Its disgusting when I clean it out.

So basically his mild interest in poop eating has become an all out compulsive and obsessive behaviour. This means he permanantly smelt revolting even after a long drink and a greenies. He has worms and upset tummy all the time and I don't want him licking me or the children.

So to get to the point I decided that he would never go anywhere if he is not on a leash and I went back to that puppy point of taking him out for his business and his walks but keeping him in the house with me every day. This brings me to my problems:

firstly both of us are so sad and frustrated that he is becoming a "house dog" instead of charging around outside chasing squirrels and cats to his hearts content.
He is now under my feet all day demanding attention, I literally fall over him.
He is used to being outside for as long as he wants watching the world go by which is most of the day usually. 
I resent going back to those puppy days... taking him out on a lead at 7am in the cold dark and waiting and waiting for example. Or following him around the garden like a mad woman with a poo bag in my hand.
But the very biggest problem is now when I take him out for his last walk at night he won't go poops. I give him a good brisk walk and then linger around the garden (bloody freezing and so dark I need a torch) but he simply won't go. And now every morning I Wake up to a huge stinking pile of poo in the lounge mostly nearly all eaten and a dog that smells totally foul. 
Sometimes he even picks some up and drops clumps at other places in the house.

I have tried setting my alarm for the middle of the night to take him out. He either won't go or has already been.

I am at my wits end. I have tried to do everything well. He had obedience lessons, is disciplined, eats the best food, has so much fun and exercise, is smothered with affection by the children and I and basically lives like a king. 

The idea of living with a poop obsessed dog who can only ever be on a lead and all that that brings disappoints me no end.

I have begged my vet for advice and he says "some dogs are just like that". He is dewormed of course, a health weight.

I have been through some stressful moments a few months back but lately everything has been very calm and back to usual in the house... zen even. Buddy is not acting stressed. Other than virtually turning round to eat while he is pooping and now pooping in the middle of the night and eating it in the middle of the night he seems to be his usual playful self.

He has never been crated. None of my previous dogs were ever crated. He was 100 percent clean in the house by 8 weeks. He has never damaged anything in the house. His house manners were always excellent hence he never had a crate. 

I really need advice. I really can't stand this. I dread waking up in the morning.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Good heavens, that sounds dreadful. It must be a nightmare to live with. I can't offer any suggestions that would be the slightest use, but I thought I'd offer my support anyway.


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## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

I'm so sorry for what you and your family are going through. It sounds stressful and frustrating for all of you.

A friend had a dog with this habit, though possibly not as compulsive about it as Buddy sounds. She used this product with success and her dog had been a poop eater for quite a while.

Best of luck. I hope find a solution.

Stop Stool Eating with For-Bid


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Get poop bags and carry them with you at all times. That way cleanup is a snap & fast.

Crate him overnight.

If it truly bothers you to the point you are posting and it is overriding all that is lovable about him, consider placing him (in a golden rescue, with his breeder or with someone you know an love & care for him) since your stress and his stress is no good for anyone.

That said, I would change his food since I believe a poop eater is either not fully digesting his food or needs more calories -- I am currently adding rice to my youngest dog's food since he recently started eating poop and he has already much improved (in his case I think he simply needs more calories). I do not make a huge deal of his eating poop, just am pro-active about preventing it. 

If your dog will not poop on lead, let him run free at last outing - yes he might eat poop but your house will be clean. While you work out what may be missing from his diet, just keep the yard clean as much as possible. I have outside lights and on really dark nights use a head lamp to keep track of the dogs (I have 4) -- being outside in the dark/cold/rain/snow is part of having a dog, so if that bothers you, you might want to consider how you can turn it into a positive experience (can you play recall games, run & hide from him, say your prayers, admire the stars, think about what went right with your day etc?). For instance, if you are playing recall games and he is used to getting huge rewards for responding, he poops - you call him - and a huge party ensues leaving the poop pile for clean up after he is back inside (or if you are in a public place, after the recall success party followed by a stay cue while you go pick up the poop)


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## BuddyinFrance (May 20, 2015)

Sunrise said:


> Get poop bags and carry them with you at all times. That way cleanup is a snap & fast.
> 
> Crate him overnight.
> 
> ...


Thanks Sunrise

I would never ever give Buddy up.

Do you really think I could get him used to a crate at night? He is 15 months now and has never been in one. He sleeps on my bed most of the night. Then jumps down to do his house patrols and poops in the early hours.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*



BuddyinFrance said:


> "Sorry for the length of this post but I need serious help. Also I need kind and supportive comments only please."
> 
> As some of you know I have had many ups and downs with Buddy during his puppyhood and now his teen years. But with your help here, a bit of internet research, advice from the vet and a trainer and a good dose of patience things have always sorted themselves out very quickly. And he is a remarkable dog.
> 
> ...


I am SO SORRY FOR what you and Buddy are going through! My Tucker and Tonka will also eat poop in our backyard if I don't pick it up immediately after they go, so that's what I do. I tried the muzzle, too. Has he been getting sick from eating the poop? I thought I read that there is something they can give them, to stop them from wanting to eat it.


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## Lennap (Jul 9, 2010)

I was going to suggest For-bid as well. I used it with Remy and while I was very skeptical it worked! If you can't find it in France, I will gladly ship it to you.

As far as crate training - the answer is yes. Remy came to me at 18 months old and had never been crate trained - he took to it immediately. My dog before Remy (Voodoo) came to me at 5 years and also took to her crate - so I have no question it is very doable.

Good luck and PM me if you would like me to send you the For-bid


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Yes, he can get used to being crated - it might be noisy for a few nights though so you might want to put him in another room  

But the end result will be worth it - especially as your house should be cleaner!

Having a poop eater is hard, and in many ways disturbing. They get worms more often and they do stink! But it is sometimes a phase or a cry for nutritional help; or sometimes a way for the stinkers to gain attention. 

Good luck!! 



BuddyinFrance said:


> Thanks Sunrise
> 
> I would never ever give Buddy up.
> 
> Do you really think I could get him used to a crate at night? He is 15 months now and has never been in one. He sleeps on my bed most of the night. Then jumps down to do his house patrols and poops in the early hours.


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## BuddyinFrance (May 20, 2015)

Lennap said:


> I was going to suggest For-bid as well. I used it with Remy and while I was very skeptical it worked! If you can't find it in France, I will gladly ship it to you.
> 
> As far as crate training - the answer is yes. Remy came to me at 18 months old and had never been crate trained - he took to it immediately. My dog before Remy (Voodoo) came to me at 5 years and also took to her crate - so I have no question it is very doable.
> 
> Good luck and PM me if you would like me to send you the For-bid


That is really so kind of you. I will have a look on the internet/amazon and let you know.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Try using a treat. When he goes tell him to come and show him you have a treat. Then clean it up. Chloe comes everytime we do this.. I am sorry you are going through this.


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## rob1 (Sep 21, 2009)

Oh man- that sounds really awful. 


> Try using a treat. When he goes tell him to come and show him you have a treat. Then clean it up.


Though I haven't had to deal with it myself, I think trying For-Bid and then working on 'poop on command' with lots of treats and praise when it does it might help- just like with puppy training.

It will help you find it and maybe get him in the habit of focusing on you rather than his poop as the source of rewards after he goes. Use something super enticing- liverwurst or something. Praise like crazy and stick it right in his face as he's finishing.

Worth a shot, anyway.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

rob1 said:


> Oh man- that sounds really awful.
> 
> Though I haven't had to deal with it myself, I think trying For-Bid and then working on 'poop on command' with lots of treats and praise when it does it might help- just like with puppy training.
> 
> ...


Forbid did not work for us. Nothing worked. It got a tiny bit better but the only thing we have gotten to work is getting her to come. You can't force a dog to poop. It's pretty easy for us to know when Chloe is going to go. She goes in the morning, once in the afternoon, and usually after her long walk. Plus we have worked on her recall. It works everytime.. The only issue is now she wants a treat everytime she goes out before she will come in. Lol. We have gotten so good she hears the refrigerator open for her hotdog and comes running.


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## tessmk (Aug 30, 2015)

Oh my gosh. That really does sound overwhelming and I can't imagine how trying and draining this must be. I'm sorry that I am not able to offer you any advice on this. A friend of mine also went through the eating poop challenges. What I remembered was that (through research) we learned that the food wasn't being digested and was coming out the same way it went in, hence the 'palatability'. I heard it was due to the fact that it was a low quality food without nutrients. Switching to a better quality food thankfully fixed the problem for her and her pooch. It looks as though that was addressed (as you mentioned), so it must not be as easy a fix for you .

I'm sorry that you are going through all of these challenges; my heart goes out to you.

Wishing you the best of luck...


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## Tosh's Legacy (Oct 2, 2013)

Obsessive/compulsive eating behavior in a dog is definitely a test of patience: poop eating will make you look at your beloved dog with different eyes! As much as you love him, you just want to push him away. Have you considered the possibility of there being a physiological or neurological cause for Buddy's behavior? My Tosh had a severe seizure disorder and also suffered from pancreatitis (from eating a toxic "air potato") in our yard. It caused him to be an obsessive/compulsive eater of leaves, grass, weeds -- not poop -- anything he could put his mouth on. Years ago, I had a female that also had the problem, which was solved by changing diet.

Perhaps Buddy's digestive system is not functioning properly and the undigested food is just going out the other end, or there could be a "short" in his neurological function.
Another possibility: he could have a parasite from eating wild animal poop. That would also cause this behavior. (Racoon poop is particularly bad ... or consuming a dead bird, etc.) Also, talk to your vet about these possibilities and get some blood panels done for thyroid, etc. and have him check for parasites. (Do some of your own research on-line before talking to him. Vets are like our doctors: they do not always have the time to research every disease thoroughly. Help yourself by helping your vet with some information you can glean.)

Meanwhile, be kind and loving to him. He is a sensitive dog and may misinterpret your disgust and actions as not pleasing you. There is a solution to this problem -- and you don't have to get rid of him.


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## Jud (Aug 10, 2015)

I broke Skye of the habit by instantly grabbing it in a bag (and holding her lead so she didn't have a chance to get to it). After a week....she just walks away. I know Buddy is a lot stronger than Skye but if he sees that you always take it away right away.....perhaps it will cause him to lose interest. These products mentioned above sound like a good idea, too! Bonne Chance !


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

I can hear your frustration loud and clear. It is not helpful that your vet is essentially shrugging this off.

I agree with Tosh's Legacy that it's worth exploring both the digestive and neurological possibilities. You say he eats the best food, but maybe it's not the right one for him? I am saying this with hope, mind you, because it would be an easy fix, relatively speaking.

The dog we had for a little while (one who bit my daughter) had severe allergies to grains. She tried to eat her poop, too. Had we been able to keep her, I would have explored better foods for her and was about to start her on probiotics (I know you tried this). Back then I thought Blue Buffalo was good . . .since learned it is not.

I am wondering if this might help, IF there is a food he loves more than poop, but he would have to know what the clicker means.

He goes poop and CLICK, he turns back to you for the food . . . you give BEST TREAT (throw away from poop) and then clean up the poop. Repeat, repeat, but I know tough because (1) he might not like the treat enough/will ignore the clicker and (2) he might not go poop in front of you. I am guessing he is seeing pooping in front of you as a bad thing now as he's hiding it, so I like Sunrise's advice not to make it a big deal.

Would it be possible for him to work on the muzzle again, and then after he poops (you clean it), then he gets it taken off?

I am sorry, I know my advice is probably not helpful. It seems like you have tried so much. You are a wonderful owner.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

BuddyinFrance said:


> keeping him on a lead as much as possible ( this makes me so sad.* He has until now had free run of the grounds, long off leash walks in the woods, beach etc. *The fact that he has to be on a lead all the time makes me so sad for him. We don't enjoy our walks as much and he does not get a good work out)
> 
> *So basically his mild interest in poop eating has become an all out compulsive and obsessive behaviour.
> *
> ...


I never had a poop eater until Fiona that I rescued at 8yrs old. Took a while but she got over eating rabbit poo, horse poo, and sometimes her own poo. What I emboldened in quoting you is this makes me think this;

Every dog needs a job. It can be anything from indoor games in winter to a vast many other things outside when the weather is good. If a dog has a job they thrive, a redirection in the overall game. They learn poo doesn't make the world go 'round, you do.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*

Is Buddy outside in your yard a lot on his own? If so, I would stop this and go out with him. I agree with Capt. Jack that dogs need a job.
I would also try the crate. Feel so sorry for you and Buddy going through this!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Do you have any places where they have agility classes? 

I was recently told that my dog needs a job to be able to concentrate more in the show ring. It was recommended we do something fun with he, like agility.

Also, I always that that poop eaters often do so because they are lacking some type of vitamin or mineral in their system. Has anybody mentioned that?


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I think the idea that something in his nutrition is lacking is spot on. At 15 months he is hitting another growth spurt, muscle bone and body filling out and needing more nutrition. 

I can totally sympathize at how awful this is though, I fostered 4 puppies who would follow each other around and get it straight from the source. Disgusting. 

I will take a totally different tact just for your peace of mind, let him off leash, let him play and run and be a happy dog. Enjoy your dog! You can still work on correcting the problem, my suggestion is just so you can relax and let the stress and frustration go. This is no fun for you or him, he knows you aren't happy.

I agree with crating him if he is having accidents at night, at least until you can get him retrained to poop before bed.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Saw this on FB and thought I'd share here.

Fecal Transplant: An Amazing Cure You've Probably Never Heard Of


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

I've heard of this in humans, for immunity to pathogens and also for weight loss. Apparently there are " good" microbes that feed on what's in your bowel before it is absorbed back into your system.


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## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

Jessie'sGirl said:


> I've heard of this in humans, for immunity to pathogens and also for weight loss. Apparently there are " good" microbes that feed on what's in your bowel before it is absorbed back into your system.


Yes! My mom's friend had a terrible GI issue that persisted for over a year-- from a superbug--and this cured it. It does work, but obviously depends on the underlying cause.


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

I think that this behavior can be partially from anxiety. The more upset you get the more the dog feels it. The dog eats the poo much like some dogs pull out their own hair, spin, or pace. We as owners unwittingly add to the anxiety because we are so upset by their behavior. It is disgusting to see. In addition, if he knows the poo makes you upset he could be holding it when you are present. That adds to the problem of maintaining normal bowel movements.

So my advise to you would be:

1. Try the For-bid as it might help
2. Manage your own frustration
3. Give Buddy a job and make it a hard one. You want him very tired from chasing the bumper or ball, running agility exercises, swmming, etc.
4. Never give him any time to practice poo eating. Crate, kennel, tethered to you etc. Don't worry about the lack of free time since he will be tired from #3.
5. Last but not least would be some aversion work. Set him up (while on a leash) and put out some fresh poo. When he goes for it, correct and pull him away. Praise him for leaving it even if he was not wanting to. Repeat, repeat, repeat, Correction when he so much as looks at it and praise/reward when you pull him away. Hopefully the sight and smell of poo will send him to you for a reward eventually. Remember this is an exercise where he will try to eat poo so don't be unhappy when he tries. It is a correction you want him to remember - not that you were upset.

I have a poo eater also. She eats in frustration if another one of our dogs is out working and she is not. Unlike my other dogs, I know it is a life time management to keep her from going back to it.


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## BuddyinFrance (May 20, 2015)

*Sorry...!*

Hello everyone

Sorry, I have not connected here for a while. I am going to read through all your replies and suggestions now. (And also give you an update in what's been happening with Buddy!)

In the meantime Buddy and I want to wish you all a happy new year 2016.. peace, health and prosperity and lots of fun doggy times to you all.

xx


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## DJdogman (Apr 23, 2013)

Hi there - long time no chat! I'm sorry to hear Buddy is being a pain in the butt. Derek went through the poop eating, and adding those tablets to his food seemed to help. It almost sounds like Buddy is purposely holding on to his poop at night so he can eat it!!
I'm sure this will pass, though I imagine it seems never-ending at the moment.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Buddy*



BuddyinFrance said:


> Hello everyone
> 
> Sorry, I have not connected here for a while. I am going to read through all your replies and suggestions now. (And also give you an update in what's been happening with Buddy!)
> 
> ...


Glad you are back. What's the update with sweet Buddy?


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## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

Just popping in to say hello and see if you have any news on Buddy the Poop Eater.


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## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

Good to see you are back. I was wondering how things were going down south. We have snow here. Do you? Happy New Year.


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