lab puppy

[phil04029]

i have an 8week old labrador pup who has recently started pooing and then eating it...if we are around obviously we stop him but in the times in which he does it and we arnt around he will eat it.does any1 have any suggestions on how we can stop him doing it or any suggestions as to why he may be doing it.he is fed 4 times a day so he isnt hungry.

[lankeela]

I take it this is instead of the Akita you were thinking of getting. As you did not comment on either of the posts regarding them, or on the kittens that you took to the rescue home, can I please ask that you respond if someone gives you advice?

Are you feeding a good quality puppy food, as they need quite a high protein food whilst they are growing, and if they are not getting all they need they will look elsewhere, to get all the minerals etc. required Also, is it possible the puppy was having to fight for food with its littermates, so it is now grabbing everything it can in case there is no more food forthcoming. Try feeding it in a confined area such as a cage or puppy pen or a fenced off area of the kitchen. Make sure it is taken out as soon as it has eaten as they usually need to go soon after a meal.
If you are unable to stop it doing it, one thing you can do is to add pineapple to the feed, I have never tried this but it works apparently. If it is only 8 weeks I presume it has only just left its mum and littermates, so might take a while to adjust to having its own supply of feed.

[lankeela]

Just a thought, how do you know he is eating it if you are not there?

[raggies1]

Apparantly adding courgettes to food can help aswell. A lot of pups do this and most grow out of it, not very nice in the meantime though. He'll be at the vets soon for jabs etc so mention it to them aswell, good luck.

[jules77]

If it has recently started doing this behaviour, how old was it when you had it? How do you know he isnt hungry, is he cleaning his bowl and looking for more? He may be fed four times a day, but are you feeding him enough, my 14 week old pup is eating for England, I really dont know where he is putting it all, but if he wants more I up the quantities. Are the four meals a day all the same, or are you giving him two milk meals and two meat?

[kita1]

This has some useful tips:

http://www.ttlntl.co.uk/3/BehAdv/coprophagia.h tm

[phil04029]

he has beta puppy food twice a day...then weetabix with milk twice a day...as advised by his breeder..i know he is eating it as there is a mark where the poo has been.he isnt hungry as he doesnt very often eat the full meal..he went to the vet yesterday and they said he is a good size so he isnt underweight..i forgot to mention it to the vet but will call today.thanks for your advice

[phil04029]

p.s lankeela i have only just worked out how to reply as i m new on here so i apologise if i offended you by not repying to ur advice but i didnt realise i could do so

[jules77]

whats a good size, how heavy is he, and how long have you had him?

[phil04029]

had him since friday teatime and hes around the size of a yorkshire terrier..but obviously a chunky version

[jules77]

how many pounds in weight is he? You really need to be monitoring it to ensure he is gaining, probably between 6 - 8ozs a day at that age for that size of dog. Got my doubts about Beta puppy, as prefer Hills, Royal Canin, Eukanuba or similar myself, but would also recommend giving a spoonful of the pedigree chum puppy food with it - try adding a little pineapple juice and see how he goes. Finally, I am assuming it was a reputable breeder and not just someone advertising in the local paper, and the puppy has been wormed?

[phil04029]

yes it was a good breeder a family friend of mine knows alot bout breeding labs and she put me intouch...he is kc reg and mum n dad eye,elbow n hip scored.he has been wormed n flead up t date and weighs 5.5kgs.

[phil04029]

or maybe that could be pounds not good with weight terms

[jules77]

would hope that is kgs not llbs!! Have you asked the breeder for advice?

[bigmamma]

Little lab pup hasn't been with you for long and is only just at the age of being seperated from its mother and litter.
He may be unsure of his new home and owners yet .
Try not to leave him alone too long or too often and if you do need to go out make sure he is taken outside for his toilet training first.
When he is indoors or out , provide him with toys to play with in the hopes he will find them more enticing than the poo. Chewy treats too , as long as you watch his weight and give only dog treats of course.
Labs are known for their eagerness to learn and to please so , with your patient training I can see this problem can be deal with.
Good luck and enjoy your pet , he will be a bouncy lovable handful and very loyal. :-)

[lankeela]

I wasn't offended, and would still offer advice, but sometimes it seems we are talking to ourselves on here!

Your feeding seems to be fine and although its is unpleasant to us there's actually not much wrong with a dog eating poo - its only recycled food after all!

I am sure he will grow out of it.

One thing you culd try is to sprinkle some pepper on to a pile of poo and see if that puts him off