Member

Posts: 132
From:Brewton, AL, USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 12-31-2003 07:44 AM         

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O.K.
I need some ideas and advise on how to handle a really puzzling situation.

My youngest German Shepherd boy (1year old), whom we got from a rescue foundation - he was found when he was 6 months old, weighing only 16 pounds(!!!!) - has started to pick his poop from the back yard and bring it inside. It doesn't look like he wants to eat it - well he never got the chance, because I stopped him - but just brings it in, stares at it, and like wants to play with it??!! He's nuts!!!
Why is he doing this? He didn't use to do this when we brought him home and he was malnourished and thin, and he certainly doesn't have any reason to do this now, not with a mountain of food and treats of various sizes and kinds laying all around the house and yard. So I don't think he does this because he is hungry. Why this fascination with poop and how do I stop this?
(We do clean the back yard daily, so it's not like the place was filthy, or something, but it's true, I can't watch what he's doing while I am at work. Usually when we are at work, the four big babies stay outside - they don't want to come inside - they have a doggie door, but they just like to stay outside).
Any ideas?

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Member

Posts: 478
From:Dallas, Texas
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 12-31-2003 08:08 AM         

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Does he have lots of toys? He may be wishing he did, and therefore wanting to play with his poop!

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Member

Posts: 132
From:Brewton, AL, USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 12-31-2003 08:21 AM         

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Oh, yes!!!I forgot to mention that, but they also have TONS of toys!!! Kongs, ropes, squieky toys, rubber toys, balls, etc...(not very many stuffed ones though, because they usually tear them to pieces within let's say 2 or 3 minutes after we give them to them (hm, that didn't sound right, did it?) - and I'm afraid of the possibility of ingesting that wooly filling or whatever it is...)Tuttifrutti, these guys are spoiled ROTTEN!!!

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Member

Posts: 926
From:
Registered: May 2003

posted 12-31-2003 10:22 AM         

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dogangel that is a strange habit, normally they eat it. but since he is just carrying it and leaving it. They have stuff you can put in their food to make the poo taste bad. Maybe try this. even though he is not eating it, he may get the awful taste when he picks it up and that will turn him off

honeybear

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Member

Posts: 478
From:Dallas, Texas
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 12-31-2003 01:24 PM         

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Ok, just checking, I have never heard of a dog doing thaty before, but hey, it could happen! You might want to try Dr. Noy's Pet toys, they have lambs wool filling or something like that, and it is next to impossible to rip them apart, and they can't ingest the stuffing!

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