Pug puppy problems

leeshie · New member Joined: 09 Nov 2004 Posts: 4

My husband's sister was given a pug, around 6-8 months old. Ruby, the pug, had previously been confined to a cage during the day, was let outside for a while in the afternoons then returned to the cage at night. She now gets to spend the day, cage free, with my mother-in-law, her two pugs, and two cats. We have noticed that Ruby has been going into the cat box and has been eating the cat poo. She also eats her own when she gets the chance. My mother-in-law keeps the cat box as clean as possible with two cats but can't watch them every moment. Is there anything she can do to make Ruby change this behavior? There is no getting around her having to be with the cats during the day.

nern · Moderator Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 5042 Location: NY

There are covers that you can put over the litter boxes so the dogs cant get in them. I've seen cardboard ones that were pretty cheap and then more expensive carpeted ones...it just sets right over the litterbox and has an opening that is small but big enough for a cat to get in and out. Either that or maybe she can try one of the litterboxes that open at the top rather than the side...the dog would'nt be able to get in there at all.
As far as eating her own poop there are products designed for this that are supposed to make the poop less appealing. I've never tried any of them so I'm not sure how effective they are.

abbeys-mom · Member Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 140 Location: canada

Hi Leeshie,

My shih tzu Abbey, ate her poop when she was that age. I tired my best to not let her do it, but like you say it is hard to catch them everytime.
I found that Abbey grew out of this by about 9 months, around the time she went fer her spay. I also found that after her spay she was completely housetrained, no more accidents. I believe the spay as alot to do with it.

Good luck, and if you have a picture your pug, please post. I do not see many pug owners on this board.

smokey · Member Joined: 24 Jun 2004 Posts: 56 Location: Colorado

i have a pug and he snacks on the poo, too. i put the litter boxes in a closet and rigged the door so the cats could get in but not the fat little pug.

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

You can also try putting up a gate that the cats can jump over but the dog cannot (not too hard with a pug, LOL) so he doesn't have access to the box. If that doesn't work, you can put the box up high, on a table or something.

seaecho · Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 7:51 pm Post subject:

I have two Pugs, and loveable as they are, they are real chow hounds. They will eat just about anything. They don't eat their poop, but they will dig up the cat's poop if they see him go outside. The cat box covers are a good idea, but make sure your cat will still use the box with a cover on it. I had one cat that wouldn't. I guess some of them have claustrophobia. A Pug may also be small enough to get into the hole and still get to the poop. Pugs. . . you gotta love em.