dooce.com - August 2008
Grayonblackrule Heather
  • Daily PhotoNav Dailyphoto
  • Daily Chuck
    Nav Dailychuck
  • Daily StyleNav Dailystyle

Grayonblackrule

An abrupt change of subject

File Under: Daily

I was on the phone with a friend the other day when she asked how everything was going with Coco. This is the same friend who waxes my eyebrows, and I think I'd been in her house the previous week moaning about being up all night because Coco would not stop making a noise that sounded like she was throwing up. But was she throwing up? She was not, and in fact she was just fascinated that she could produce such a noise. This may be the first time you've ever heard this, and I want you to listen to me because I don't think you're going to find literature on this anywhere, but all dogs come with a personality defect that I like to call BEING A TOTAL SHIT, and it compels them to do something at least once a day that pushes you until you have mumbled an obscenity under your breath. And not just any obscenity. Dammit or hell will not do, no. You will not get away with a GRRRR! You have to utter something so nasty that the syllables of the word scar your gums as they leave your mouth. Only then will your dog commence being cute.

Things with Coco are fine, I suppose. She sleeps through the night and has total control over her bladder. She's a good dog in many ways, and we see the potential in her to be a great dog. But she's still a bit of bad dog in many ways — will not stay on command, will not stop barking at everything on a walk, refuses to fix Mama a hot dog — and I would be able to overlook these things if she would just stop eating poop. I CANNOT GET OVER THIS. Because it's not just her own poop, it's Chuck's poop, it's the poop from other dogs she finds on walks, it's deer poop left on the trail when we hike. Yes, yes, I know all the things you're supposed to do to get her to stop doing this, like feeding her more nutritious food and adding something to her food that makes her poop less appealing, Internet, we have tried it all. IT ISN'T WORKING. My dog enjoys eating poop that has been made less appealing than normal poop.

Where do you go from here? Is there something we can sprinkle on her food that makes her poop less appealing than poop that has already been made less appealing? What could possibly be less appealing than already less appealing poop?

This is me muttering an obscenity under my breath.

I think my love for Coco is being hindered by this one character flaw. Yes, I love her, but the fullness of my love cannot be realized until I can snuggle with her without the knowledge that my face is being licked by a tongue that has just helped digest poop that is less appealing than normal poop. And it was during this phone call with my friend that I remembered dating a guy in Los Angeles who was very refined and had a great sense of humor, and we got along in every way except for the fact that he talked like a muppet during sex. I dreaded having intercourse with him because in the middle of it all he'd put his mouth in my ear and start talking like he'd just taken a hit of helium. And I was supposed to lie there and not laugh? Not grimace? Not go, dude, that is just WEIRD. Because I totally felt like I was screwing Elmo.

Dreading having sex with your boyfriend is a bit of a deal breaker.

Did this metaphor make the acid in your stomach churn? Yeah, sorry about that, but this is how I feel about my shit-eating dog. She has to stop, otherwise our relationship with be marred by the dread I feel when she runs up to give me kisses. And the only dread I should feel when she's headed toward me is the usual, god, I hope that dog hasn't been drinking from the toilet again.

Yes, somehow toilet drinking is less repulsive. I call this SELECTIVE DENIAL.

657 comments
  • 1. Kim said:

    Poop is a gourmet food for dogs! I firmly believe that some dogs just plain like it. Mine isn't so much into dog poop, but man, put some goose poop or raccoon poop in his way, and he just goes to town. I say give up and go with it!

  • 2. Lisa said:

    Yes........Toilet water ranks above poop in my book too! The poop thing is totally frustrating! Mine eat the cats poop from the litter box, which is disgusting as well........I've just decided that dogs are STRANGE! hahahahahahahahaha

  • 3. CarolM said:

    Well, I'm not sure if you're up to this, but a friend of mine swears she broke her dog of eating cat shit by donning a pair of rubber gloves, and inserting a REALLY, REALLY HOT dried pepper into individual cat turds, and replacing them in the litter box. Your neighbors might think it strange to see you picking up and then REPLACING the doggy doo in your yard...

    Good lucky with this one...our dogs eat horse poo all of the time, I just try and avoid their kisses.

    C

  • 4. Lucie said:

    God dammit, why did I have to be tucking into a box of chocolates as I read that insight into Coco's eating habits? Each individual chocolate shaped like a little brown lump of....Although you couldn't blame Coco for eating these, not with all their milk chocolatey nutty goodness. Hey! Kinda like...

  • 5. Hannah said:

    It must be a second dog trait to eat poop. We had a yellow lab and then Dad brought home a brittany spaniel. Milo, the brittany, would actually follow Willie, the lab, around the pen as he pooped and eat the poop fresh from Willie's butt. I kid you not. It was disgusting! We never found a solution. We eventually gave Milo away to a woman who liked poop-eating dogs and replaced him with another yellow lab. To this day, Willie still walks around when he poops. He fears the thought of Milo behind him ready to consume his feces. Ha!

  • 6. Fishing Around said:

    I think it's something that people don't tell you about dogs: some of them like poop. I have friends who has a gorgeous shetland sheepdog who occasionally checks out the poop.

  • 7. Anonymous said:

    Maybe this isn't the answer you want, but I think she'll grow out of it. My three year old dog did, but the 1 1/2 year old hasn't quite yet.

    Just be glad you don't have a cat. I cannot tell you how often I walk into the living room to find the evidence of cat box scavenging all over the dog bed.

  • 8. The Cheesemonger's Wife said:

    the poop eating is foul. it's like a nasty habit she doesn't want anyone to know about (and you told everyone)...along the lines of someone who bites their toenails or eats hair...very strange behavior.

    i would not let her lick me either...jon will have to start calling you poop face.

  • 9. Anonymous sorta said:

    Well, so your dog is a coprophage. Most are--it's an important part of how dogs and people co-domesticated each other. She's trying to make sure your camp is clean. Way to go Coco! But also, all the enzymes in her mouth have probably done a pretty good job of getting rid of the poop. And probably living with this dog, and occasionally letting her lick Leta will go a long way to preventing allergies and asthma, which farm kids don't get. I dunno if this will help you be okay with it or just make me look like a know-it-all asshole. But one more thing, cause I haven't read everyone else's advice. Have you tried serious dog training--like herding trials and agility sports? This breed is super active and athletic. Gosh, tell people something about yourself and they think they can give you advice! Cripes. Stopping now. Bye.

  • 10. R.P. said:

    Ugh, yes my dog gravitates toward it too. He hunts for it like some delicious root in the grass. But my husband tapped him on the butt and/or did the stern voice and it seemed to work. He doesn't eat it anymore, but I know he wants to.

  • 11. BethM said:

    I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. I was really starting to like Coco too. Damn! The only thing worst than that is constant self-licking of the privates.

  • 12. Starf said:

    I cringe every time my kid lets a dog lick his face. I think every dog secretly likes to sample a little poop now and then.

  • 13. Katie said:

    I have heard feeding the dog pumpkin and/or pineapple makes their poo yucky.

    I have also heard of the hot pepper inserted into the poo as working. I just threw up a little in my mouth though.

  • 14. Mj said:

    I've been told, but never tried it myself, that feeding a dog pineapple does something to their poop that makes it unpalatable...who knows.

  • 15. Cass said:

    Okay, my dog does this, too. In fact, we call her the "shit-eating" dog. She is a golden retriever and very loveable in every other way.

    And we don't know what to do either, sorry that I am no help. I say just be thankful you do not have a cat. Which we do.

    No, I do not allow this dog to give me "kisses." Ever.

  • 16. Meg said:

    Unflavored meat tenderizer sprinkled on food.

    That's the only way we got ours to stop; not even the specially-formatted-dog-brand stuff worked.

  • 17. Candice said:

    Kinda akin to your dog licking his butt then jumping into your lap and unsuspectingly licking your teeth while you are talking.

  • 18. SarahThe said:

    Wow. You make me feel like my puppy is king of the world. Until I compare my puppy with Chuck, and then she's a total numbskull again. Oh, the rollercoaster.

  • 19. Rooster said:

    Have you tried hysterically shrieking and tugging on the leash the way one might if being attacked by alien wasps?

    This seems to have put my dog off of dead bird bits for life...

    I'd like to say it was due to my brilliance at dog training/ canine mind-manipulation, but actually I just get hysterical around dead bird bits...

  • 20. Jill S. said:

    My Aussie/Border Collie ate poop until she was two years old. Her poop. Cat poop. Bear poop from the trails. Any and all poop.

    God.

    But just before my breaking point, at her second bday, she stopped. Just stopped.

    So there is hope. If you don't kill her before she turns two. :)

  • 21. Uma said:

    I read somewhere that you can sprinkle something on the poop that will induce vomit. Apomorphone it's called. The need too vomit isn't really pleasant. But then again - it's Coco we're talking about here!

  • 22. Mental P Mama said:

    This is one of your best posts. Ever. I still get a kick out of seeing pictures of her with the trailing leash...I have no idea what to do about the poop business. We have a case of it, too. And she likes to roll in it before she eats it. Cute.

  • 23. Phaedrous said:

    I just returned from a walk with the Wonder Dawg where she not only ate poop (only when I wasn't looking), but also tried to molest a well ripened carp (would that be "carpe carp?").

  • 24. Becky said:

    I can only imagine what Leta must think of this.
    "SHE IS TOUCHING MY STUFF WITH HER POOP BREATH!"

    Yeah I got nothing for you but a pat on the back and a "good luck with that..."

  • 25. martin said:

    my dog ate my fiance's used woman product last night. so it could be worse.

  • 26. Sheri Bheri said:

    Sorry, but I've heard that some dogs DON'T outgrow it and can't be broken of it. A friend of mine, who's dog was a registered hospital-visiting dog, who was very well trained, could NOT break his dog of this habit. He tried the tobasco sauce on the poop thing, and says that the dog just said "Yummy Mexican food!"

    Sorry.

  • 27. Amy said:

    I love the internet because of gross stories about poop eating and weird sex.

  • 28. Poop and Cheerios said:

    Try Telling yourself it's a doggie treat.....My dog used to eat shit out of the cat's litter box....we called it KITTY ALMOND CRUNCH.

  • 29. KMM said:

    Oh my gosh, you never have to pick up doggy dookie! I would rather be dealing with a dog that eats dookie than one that shreds and eats my $50 shirts!!!!! My puppy is now seven months old and eats EVERYTHING!!!!

  • 30. Tanya said:

    Ugh. My dog is addicted to cat poop, but I don't have a cat, so it's only an issue on walks. If he ate his own poop, I think I'd have to start feeding him intraveneously.

  • 31. Mothering Two said:

    Oh my gawd, this made me laugh so hard. My sweet pug, Camus, also LOVES to eat poop, or as we like to refer to them, Chocolate Truffles or Chocolate Turtles. Whenever I see dirt on his little squished nose, I know what's up. If I see him bent over for longer than two seconds, I know what he found. I hope the secret to getting him to stop is found in your comment section because I really love kissing his nose and don't think I could ever stop.

  • 32. meg said:

    My dad's dog did this. He got a spray bottle, added a bit of cayenne peper,put it on "stream" and hit the dog in the face with it each time she went for poop. It took a few weeks, but it worked.

  • 33. Angie said:

    The question is, does she eat cat poop like my dog?? Apparently my dog thinks that cat poop is far better tasting than dog poop. Doesn't my dog know that she is fraternizing with the enemy when she is eating the cat poop??

  • 34. Random And Odd said:

    There is a clear cut answer to this question; The Poop Patch or Poop Gum.
    Doggy Hypnosis?
    Maybe if he smoked he would have less of desire to eat shit. I know smoking helped me with that problem...Oh no, that helped me stop dating.

    I am no use to you.

  • 35. Erica Hennings said:

    This is the VERY reason why I get sick when my daughter lets the dogs lick her in the face. GROSS! Do you know what dogs can do? Do you? Do ya? They eat poop and can lick their own privates!

  • 36. mistressjm said:

    My parents' dog does this, and has for almost 6 years now. They, too, tried it all. None of it worked. Their vet has broken her dogs (4 rottweilers) of this habit by using a shock collar. The only reasonn my parents haven't done this is the concern that shocking their epileptic dog with a heart disorder might just kill her.

    Good luck!

    On a poop-related note, our lab mix prefers to roll in deer poop. It is apparently the equivalent to a fine fragrance.

  • 37. Independent Mom said:

    Oh.My.Gawd thank you for the instant chuckle. I wish I had some advice for you. I worked for a vet and we would suggest all the things you say you've already tried =/

  • 38. Chiquita said:

    DUDE. If I change my dog's food in the slightest fashion, she has diarrhea. It is a force of nature to be reckoned with. And when she does, if she's in the same crate with it (say, it happens while I'm at work), she eats it. You know. To get rid of it. Only then she vomits it out, has more diarrhea, lather, rinse, repeat.

  • 39. projectmommy said:

    We just got a puppy two weeks ago and I totally know what you mean about not being able to love them at full potential because of this one personality flaw. Mine is our dog pees a little everytime he sits down, stands up, gets excited, gets scared, etc. I CAN'T STAND IT!

  • 40. kim said:

    it sounds like you're describing my dog...and i don't know it this is any solace, but she has finally broken herself of the eating other dogs shit habit. you obviously know how to train a dog well, like ppl some just learn at different rates than others. we live in a new subdivision still under construction and my dog sits at the window and barks at every contractor, construction worker and neighbour who has the misfortune or passing our house. that obscenity your were talking about...every day.

  • 41. Lisame said:

    When Josey was a pup, everytime he ate poop (that I witnessed) I immediately brushed his teeth. Which pissed him off! He's 15 this Friday and hasn't eaten poop since he was one.

  • 42. Lisa said:

    I don't have a dog... no advice... but that Muppet Sex shit was hysterical. The worst I have is the guy who played me Sheriff's "When I'm With You" - WELL after the song was popular... LONG after we were out of high school... Pleck. I still can't listen to that song without feeling like I just got kisses from a dog who's been consuming doo all day...

  • 43. FabMax said:

    Dogs need some substances that can be found in digestive tracts of prey animals. That's why wolves eat the intestines of prey complete with contents.

    There is no "cure" to poop eating. You can stop it, though. Per food stores should sell cow paunches (or is it called rumen?), filled (green) or unfilled.

    If you give Coco this stuff once per week, she'll probably stop eating poop. It smells awful, but dogs love it almost as well as cats love catnip.

    Not that they will roll around in it. I hope.

  • 44. anne said:

    Our dog is 8 and still eats poo. Sorry. We are told there is nothing we can do - that is has nothing to do with her diet and that none of those "tricks" do anything. Especially since she eats other dogs poo - so its not like we can sprinkle hot sauce on poo we see in our neighbor's yard. I mean how wierd would we look????

    **Also please ignore the suggestion to feed the dog pumpkin - that is NOT going to help AT ALL. Pumpkin is what you give dogs who are "stopped up" - so it will likely give you a bigger problem!***

  • 45. Anonymous said:

    My dog ate shit and drank out of the toliet. In fact, he ate alot of shit. He also refused to drink out of a regular water bowl. Only toliet water for him. You can do a couple of things, there is something you can buy at the vet to sprinkle on his food or you can run out behind her when she craps and sprinkle some red hot chili pepper on her shit. She won't eat it again.

  • 46. Sheri said:

    My dog, also named Coco, likes to eat poop. We've stopped calling it poop and now call it "snacks". It makes it more appealing that way.

  • 47. delia said:

    One of our dogs is a shit eater. Will yank your arm out of the socket while on a walk just to get at a piece of poo. Sometimes she doesn't get enough of an extension on the leash and ends up smearing it on her cheek while attempting to get it in her mouth.

    We have poor plumbing at this house, the toilets clog like crazy. On several occasions my 6 year old will poop, clog the toilet and not know it and walk away after flushing. Our second dog will go face first into the clogged toilet slurping down every piece of poo stained toilet paper, every piece of poo and every last ounce of poo and pee tainted water in the bowl.

  • 48. Madame Queen said:

    Well, don't even THINK about what dead creatures she might have been mouthing, like my PITA dog.

    A friend of mine once had a "Map of a Dog's Brain" on her refrigerator and there were tiny sections titled "walks" and "fetch" but the absolute largest section was called "Love of the Putrid." It's just a dog thing, I think. I'm not sure there's anything you can do.

  • 49. Glen said:

    Here's a basic training technique http://www.petexpertise.com/about_us/dropitleaveit.htm that should help, at least on the walks, to get Coco to leave the poop alone (and anything else you don't want her getting into during the walk). Worked wonders for ours (who also happens to look a little bit like Chuck). http://www.atlantadogsquad.org/Adoption-Photos-2007/HoneyAdoption.jpg

  • 50. Kate said:

    Much like you, we had an older dog, Walter, that's just amazing, and then we got a younger dog (Mervyn) who has been a bit of a trial. And this younger dog did the crying and whining and the in-house crapping and then we got over that and it's all fine, but his one behavior that we can't break is that he LOVES to drink urine. We have stopped sending the dogs out into the yard together because Mervyn will actually lap at the urine coming out of Walter's penis. And that's disgusting. And the only thing I've read online is hey, maybe the dog isn't getting enough water, so he's supplementing with urine. But we give him SO MUCH WATER. And then he drinks it. TWICE.

  • 51. furpants said:

    Go Heather! Breaking new ground for internet discussion since 2001!

    My dog is so picky that she will not eat her dog food unless I pour vegetable stock over it and warm it in the microwave. She also won't eat any doggie treats -- not tasty enough for Miss Picky Eater. And yet, let her find an unscooped poo nugget in the yard and its Chow Time!

  • 52. ME said:

    You need to get Caesar Milan over for a consultation. I can totally see you on his show.

    As kids we would sprinkle cayenne pepper powder in other kids sandwiches when they weren't looking. Cruel I know. Might work for Coco though!

  • 53. Camellia said:

    The hot stuff in the garbage...didn't work. My dog makes herself sick on catpoop. Doesn't stop her. we do lock her off from the kitty poop room.Late in her life she developed a yen for her own poop. Just her own, though. The vet said it was a bad habit. Like, yeah. And we feed her the most nutritious dog food around. I PICK IT THE POOP. I love her, though, and she's not a kissy dog. Living with it. Sorry. Don't French kiss.

  • 54. Sara said:

    See, my dog probably eats all kinds of disgusting things. He eats toilet paper from the garbage can in the bathroom, which generally translates to SNOT from people's sick noses. He also drinks from the toilet, and has the most rank breath ever. Not to mention genital licking and butt licking/sniffing and all that. But my dad puts up with it and lets the dog lick his face. WHY?

    He says, "Dogs' mouths are cleaner than ours." And I agree, yes, Dad, dogs have more enzymes to kill bacteria in their mouths than we do. But WE don't go around FINDING bad bacteria to get all in our saliva like they do.

  • 55. Katie said:

    I suggest you ignore anne's suggestion since her dog has eaten poo for 8 years.

  • 56. Courtney Sue said:

    I had a dog that ate her own poop once, and I'd never ever seen one do that before. My dad called her "that sh*t eating dog", and I doubt he meant that as an endearment.

    I think the vet said that might be a sign she wasn't getting enough nutrients in her food or something, which turned out to be the case because she ended up having pancreatic insufficiency, which means her pancreas didn't create the enzymes that digest food. I doubt that is your dog's problem, as she doesn't look malnourished. I think she just likes poop.

  • 57. Cindy said:

    Maybe it's time to call the dog whisperer. If Cesar can't fix it, no one can.

  • 58. Anonymous said:

    My dog used to eat poop too. I would yell at her and she would stop but usually she had already gotten in a few bites so the damage was done. One day I was throwing a tennis ball for my other dog and just happened to have the ball in my hand when she went #2 and then turned around and started to dine. I was so disgusted that let the ball fly, meaning for it to land near her to make her jump away scared. Well, the ball took a nasty hop and beaned her right in the noggin. She yelped and ran away like the poop had ganged up on her. She never ate poop again! I am not an advocate of hitting animals but in this case the tough love helped and she had no clue I was the one who threw the ball!

  • 59. Festi said:

    May have already tried this, but get a Super Soaker water gun, park yourself on the porch or in a chair in the backyard and spray her in the face every time she eats the poop. I've heard it works for digging - maybe it will work for crap eating. Supposedly they don't entirely know it's YOU doing the water squirting (b/c you can be fairly far away) and that's supposed to make a difference ---- so that they will be less likely to engage in the forbidden behavior even when you're not there.

    If nothing else, it feels good to pelt the dog safely with a hard stream of water when they're doing something you don't like! ;)

  • 60. Anonymous said:

    Meat tenderizer or powdered chili pepper. Or the liquid cinnamon that is really hot.

    Dogs can get internal parasites and bacterial infection from eating poo.

  • 61. Serial said:

    I didn't know there were dogs that DIDN'T like eating poop.

    But that mupped business is just wrong.

  • 62. Keara said:

    I have a 15 month old chocolate (Ha!)lab and he went through phases where he would eat his poop all the time and then not again for days/weeks and then start eating it again. The bad tasting poop pills were no match for him-he didn't give a shit (Ha!) if it tasted bad or not. We eventually started thinking that maybe it was something common that he ate. Perhaps he would eat it when we gave him rawhide? So we stopped with the rawhide and he stopped eating his poop. But then out of nowhere he would eat it again. We couldn't crack the code. But I'm happy to report that there has been a change in the past two or so months and he has stopped eating it. I don't know if he's lost interest or if it's because we dart after his poo and confiscate it at departure. Which was another theory initially-that he was 'cleaning' up after himself like he watched us do for him. Either way, I'm hoping it's over for good.

    I'm sorry I'm no help with what to do next, but I can definitely relate to how upsetting it is when you have to try and shake a turd free from an unwilling gob. Or worse the kind that drools out. Eek!

    Good luck!!!

  • 63. James said:

    Our dogs just BOTH had kennell cough, which kept us up all night every night with them coughing... it was nutz.

    As far as eating poop. My dogs are normal in regards to poop eating, or at least they do it in the private of their own backyard I guess. Luckily I haven't witnessed it yet.

    And that isn't just a flaw...

    thats a damn deal breaker!

    No poop eating dog is going to lick me in the face when I get home from a long day. No mam.

  • 64. Bertie Bott said:

    Oh dear commenter #52...my dad sprinkled cayenne pepper on our dog's poop...she didn't like it so much after that.

  • 65. Heather's Garden said:

    And that is why I don't have any pets. Good luck, Heather.

  • 66. Kim said:

    This post reminded me of my neighbor - who let her dog eat vomit on the sidewalk outside of a local bar. Suddenly poop is not so bad, right?

  • 67. Lisa said:

    she'll probably grow out of it. my dog was an unstoppable dog shit hoover for the first year and a half or so. then she moved on to cat shit until my boyfriend caught her in the act and had a GODDAMN ANEURISM. that cured that.

  • 68. Laura said:

    you are not alone with poop eating dogs... if you find a cure that really works please advise...

    our dog goes into the cat box to find poop to eat... ew

  • 69. Helen Tarnation said:

    My Lab loves the snacks in the cat box....you can always tell when she comes out with little pieces of litter on her nose. We like to call it Kitty Roca...right before we all go "ew-w-w-w-w!"

    We finally got rid of the battery-operated LitterMaid and got a plain hooded box and she has a harder time getting her head in there to snack....doesn't stop her from trying, though.

    From the pyramids and monuments in the yard, I think it's safe to say she doesn't fancy her own "nuggets!"

  • 70. Ashley said:

    Our Sheltie, Vel, does that as well. EW. However since she's barely four months old I'm holding on dearly to the hope that she'll grow out of it.

    The gagging noise though, was that only one night? Just reminds me, Vel was diagnosed with a minor case of kennel cough just last weekend, from making that strange coughing/ gagging noise in the back of her throat. However, she's young enough to be really susceptible to it.

  • 71. the numismatist said:

    We all have our little idiosyncrasies. Humans are just better at hiding them than dogs and cats. Yesterday I washed boogers off my car window that is next to the granddaughter's carseat. She was chastised and threatened with washing many car windows if more is found. Hopefully she will outgrow this, but probably will just learn to use more discretion in future placement. I better start checking the upholstery.

    Dogs eating dog poop, disgusting. Dogs eating cat poop, unfathomable.

    P.S. Loved the NOW episode.

  • 72. WJPadilla said:

    "screwing Elmo" huh?

    I can see why dad might break out in hives when he reads your blog! ;-)

    And about the dog eating poop--what can we say, dogs are DISGUSTING!

  • 73. Jessica said:

    I used to have a beagle who would do the same thing. We'd have to run around the yard and make sure every piece of poop was picked up before we could let her out, or she'd snack on it. We never did figure out how to make her stop. She definitely had nutritious food, but we never tried adding anything to existing poop to try to deter her. Good luck! I hope you find something that works.

  • 74. Bronwen said:

    "Dave's Gourmet Insanity Hot Sauce" does wonders. Before anyone calls me cruel, it won't hurt your dog, because one taste and they are done. It is what stopped my english bulldog puppy from eating the house (trim, bookshelves, carpet, etc...). Tastes like hot sauce, not food. Doesn't taste like hot sauce, have a party. If this doesn't stop Coco, I am afraid nothing will stop her from eating poop.

  • 75. meghan said:

    you could always try taking away any and all real food and treats and let Coco eat nothing BUT poop for a week. it works for me when i get on a kick where i eat nothing but pizza rolls for a week straight. then the mere thought of them makes me run in the other direction.

    seriously though, that sucks and i speak from experience with two dogs. the best is when they throw up right after they eat the poop. SICK.ASS.

  • 76. Pattie said:

    Thanks for the biggest laugh I've had all day. My husband and I just adopted a puppy and are reminded daily how hard it is to train and house-break a 13-week-old terror. At least he only likes cat poop -- it's easy enough to keep him away from the litter boxes. Usually.

  • 77. Heather said:

    I think you have to act like you own the poop. Just like she's not allowed to eat Polly Pocket because you own it and you are in charge. I say get out in the yard and act like you own that poop! Stand over it and block her from it, just like you would if she were getting in the trashcan. Own the poop.

  • 78. Curtis said:

    Oh! Don't eat poop and don't talk like Elmo during sex. No wonder I wasn't getting any second dates.

  • 79. kristin said:

    hiya! This is foolproof. and not cruel like hiding hot peppers in poop. I mean seriously? who wants to dig through poop to hide peppers? Crazy. Anyway, get your dog a citronella collar, with a remote control. Every time she goes for poop, zap the remote and it'll spay a teeny bit on her. Mostly just the sound of the spray will scare her, but also dogs hate citronella. also, you can use this for other unwanted behavior :) It totally works, pretty much the same as a shock collar...it;ll stop the barking on walks too! voila! do I get a prize for the best solution? Here's the link http://www.dog.com/Search.aspx?query=citronella+collar and by the way...this website has THE CHEAPEST EVERYTHING for dogs. and free shipping :)

  • 80. Dani said:

    My sister-in-law feeds her dogs pineapple after they've eaten, she saw Victoria Stillwell on Animal Planet do it and it works for their poop eating dog. Good luck. :)

  • 81. Caitlin said:

    Here's a few suggestions from "Perfect Paws" -- although since it was the first hit on my google search, ya'll have probably tried all of these already!!

    http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:hGu9dS4YWBkJ:www.perfectpaws.com/co...

    Often this behavior will just go away when the pup matures. In the mean time, keep the pup's toilet area as clean as possible. Be sure that the puppy is checked for worms and other possible problems such as something lacking in the dog's diet. It is a good idea to have the dog's diet approved by your vet, or switch to a nutritionally complete dog food sold by your vet or pet store.

    Many owners have had success in stopping this behavior by supplementing their dog's diet with one spoonful of canned pineapple or a teaspoon of spinach. There are products on the market such as 'Forbid' that can also be added to the dog's food to help stop the problem.

    If the dog is still fond of feces, try teaching your dog not to touch it using the command 'Off.' Put your dog on leash and walk him by some feces. If he shows any interest in it, tell him, 'No, off.' If he continues to go for it, then loudly scold him, 'OFF!!!' and pull him away from it with a short, sharp tug on the leash. When he stops, praise him. Continue walking and keep returning to different piles of feces over and over, repeating the off procedure until he gets the idea that you disapprove of his dietary interests. Whenever he shows no interest in the feces, be sure to tell him how happy you are through praise and reward.

    It is also possible to make the feces unappetizing by sprinkling them with hot sauce, lemon juice or anything the dog finds distasteful. Some dogs like hot sauce and will consider it a garnish, so find out what your dog does not like before using it.

  • 82. Anonymous said:

    You could try a thiamine vitamin supplement or Prozac. Either way, you should talk to your vet.

    Our dog use to do this and now that he's on Prozac (for aggression) he's no longer interested in it.

  • 83. Rhea said:

    oh lord. this is something i try not to think about. we have 2 dogs. one poop-eater, and one non-poop-eater. Poo. Peter. Poop Eater. Nasty.

    A warning on the pepper trick- a friend recommended that to us as well. well, instead of going and getting the specific pepper that she recommended sprinkling over the poop, my dear, darling boyfriend decided to just use some hot sauce out of the fridge on all the poop in the yard. feeling pretty proud of himself, he came back in and let the dogs out. 5 minutes later- the poop-eater came back in with the HUGEST smile in his face and breath that smelt of spicy poop. he had eaten every last bit of poop in the yard. EVERY. LAST. BIT. the dog basically high fived my boyfriend for seasoning the poop snacks so well.

    i'm gagging as i type this.

  • 84. Megan said:

    Dogs eating poop doesn't disgust me (I have become desensitized to it). But a grown man speaking like a muppet during sex? OH DEAR GOD! How did you not end it right then and there? Or did you?

  • 85. DeAnna said:

    I read about a woman in a similar situation, though with a younger puppy. The puppy was still penned into a small room, and when he got bored, he would go around eating his own poop. His owner, like you, found this to be a total deal-breaker. So she rigged up a complicated set of mirrors so that she could see over the counter and monitor the dog, but the dog couldn't see her. Every time the dog went anywhere close to the poop, the woman leapt around the corner and scolded the dog.

    This struck me as the key to my childhood...how did my mom ALWAYS know when I was lying?! But I digress...

    This woman convinced the dog that he was always being watched, even when he couldn't see her, and that he would get in trouble *every time* he went near any poop.

    I've also heard that this is something that most puppies grow out of (obviously, not all of them, based on previous commenters).

  • 86. Christy said:

    My mother had a dog with the same problem. There was NOTHING that would keep her from eating poop. The only thing grosser was when she puked poop and then consumed the puked poop. Drinking toilet water ranks WAY higher.

  • 87. Shellee said:

    I have heard that sprinkling meat tenderizer on their food will make their poop less appealing to them.

  • 88. alexa said:

    poop and animals freak me out. more so with cats than dogs though.

    i don't like how cats walk around in their litter boxes moving around their poop then precede to walk on peoples kitchen counters where they prepare FOOD!

    i mean no thanks to the poop counters and the ca ca paws of a cat. ick.

  • 89. Mandy said:

    I have had a hard time with my dog "marking" his territory all over my houe! I guess it makes me feel better that he isn't eating his own, or anyone elses shit! Now, if I could just convince my husband to let me put diapers on him until he breakes this habit of peeing all over..... IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!!! (that is a short drive)

    Good luck. It gives us something else to obsess about besides what is really wrong with US.

    Mandy

  • 90. Mandy said:

    I have had a hard time with my dog "marking" his territory all over my houe! I guess it makes me feel better that he isn't eating his own, or anyone elses shit! Now, if I could just convince my husband to let me put diapers on him until he breakes this habit of peeing all over..... IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!!! (that is a short drive)

    Good luck. It gives us something else to obsess about besides what is really wrong with US.

    Mandy

  • 91. jive turkey said:

    Although Elmo-voice-during-sex is one of the most regrettable things I've heard in a long time, I hope you at least thanked your lucky stars it wasn't Miss-Piggy-voice-during-sex. HIII-YA!

  • 92. Molly said:

    A+ post; would read again.

    The whole toilet-drinking issue isn't as gross because you regularly clean your toilet and because, every time you flush it, it fills with clean water. I have the same double standard.

    My mother has an Australian Shepherd who will eat ANYTHING, including wood, rocks, paper, tinfoil, razors, glasses, shoes, mittens, and the occasional yummy helping of whatever poop is available. He does this much less when he has enough exercise. Obviously, I don't totally know your dog's exercise routine, but when you have an easy-to-care-for dog like Chuck, you might underestimate just how much running-around-time little miss Coco really needs.

    Also, she's a herding dog, so she's keeping things neat and clean and looking after the herd. And she's a puppy ... she could still outgrow it.

    AS's usually do really well with herding lessons ... if there's a farm or something nearby where she could run with the other herd dogs, you might see a drastic difference in her behavior.

  • 93. Anonymous said:

    Sorry, dont know why that posted twice!

  • 94. Maura said:

    You know, I was fine reading your post, not a stomach-churn in sight. But mid-way through the comments, I had to stop because I haven't eaten lunch yet and I was starting to feel a little sick. And I love dogs!

    I have not experienced this particular problem, but I would consider the recommendation to get a heavy-duty squirt bottle loaded with cayenne pepper water and spray her face forecfully every time you witness her little habit.

    That kind of aversion training has been successful for me...not to mention the mean little thrill I get because I can call it "training" while letting loose some annoyance over their behavior.

  • 95. Michele said:

    I'm sorry but I've never known a dog who loves poop to ever stop loving poop. :( Just have to keep it out of their sight. It is a VERY good thing that you don't have cat with a litter box....then you would REALLY have a problem.

    Acceptance is the key...that is all I can say....

  • 96. Anonymous said:

    All I have to say is that I would totally pay good money to see you and the family on The Dog Whisperer! Here's the link for submissions: http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/dogwhisperer/submissions.php

  • 97. Psychiatry101 said:

    Oh! you made me laugh so hard!

    I agree if he talked at the crucial moments like that, it had to be a deal breaker!

  • 98. Nicole said:

    Barf barf!! My dog does this too. She will even bring dry poo into the house on the sly to snack on at her leisure. Dear god it pushes me over the edge. I am newly pregnant and smelling my dog's breath after she's been outside makes mommy go to a very unhappy place.

  • 99. Michele said:

    OK, so maybe Prozac will work.

  • 100. Anonymous said:

    I don't have a dog-- in fact I'm deathly allergic to them-- so no help on that topic. But I can totally sympathize with the muppet thing. Yuck, I dated a guy like that-- what the hell is up with the voices dude?

  • 101. Spread_the_Poop said:

    I feel for you, I really do. I only hope that it's not contagious like it was in our household. Our golden retriever was a bona fide poop-eater who then taught that trick to our basset hound who then taught that trick to our german shorthaired pointer (fortunately, we ran out of dogs at this point). But who knew poop-eating could be so appealing? CHUCK -- JUST SAY NOOOOOO!!!!! By the way, the one upside to this -- it's shortened our backyard pooper-scooper trips by AT LEAST 75%.

  • 102. Kelley said:

    My dog was crazy about poop as a puppy, but once she got older she lost (most) of her interest. She's now 8 and the worst she does is sniff at bird shit on the sidewalk every now and then--oh, and try to rub her head in it. Maybe Coco will grow out of it eventually? Or maybe you can teach her to gargle Listerine...

  • 103. Brian said:

    Dude, this post and the follow-up comments probably have the word "poop" appearing more times than anywhere else across the Internetz. Amazing. This is like a cult phenomenon or something.

    And I may be duplicating some comments here, but I have to say that shit eating, tongue-masturbating fur-faces make it hard to love them some times, but the loyalty thing TOTALLY makes up for it.

  • 104. Amber said:

    My dog did the EXACT same thing when she was a puppy. We tried everything with no luck. Everyone said she would grow out of it and miraculously at 10 or 11 months she stopped. Hopefully that will be the case with Coco too. Good luck until then!

  • 105. E said:

    My dog eats poop, but only deer, rabbit, or the occasional cat turd. She won't touch her own, because, you know, IT'S DISGUSTING. But other animals poop, IS A DELICACY.

    Stupid dog.

  • 106. Hope said:

    Having a 12 week old puppy at home - I can totally sympathize. I like how as a dog owner, you GET IT when it comes to loving them and realizing they have these crazy quirks that you have to go through to get a great dog.

    Can you write a book about your experiences with your dogs, I think it would be useful for anyone who's thinking of getting a dog to realize what they are getting in to.

  • 107. Robin said:

    I think she is just doing her part to keep her world tidy. Her little dog brain is all, "Oh my. This poop should not be here. I'll eat it ... There. Better."

  • 108. Tina said:

    Our sheltie has done this forever. Fortunately, he only does it outside in the winter when the poop is frozen, which somehow makes it a little better in my mind (more palatable? Groan...) I have no idea why.

    But he'll eat cat poop year round. I guess it's always in season.

  • 109. Anonymous said:

    Sure -- pineapple and pumpkin added to food will help a little. But you can also buy a product called Deter (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752093) It has enzymes that make poop completely unpalatable to your dog. I think poop eating is a pretty common and fixable problem. Good luck!

  • 110. Amy said:

    HAH
    Our Boston Terrier has been making his own snacks since 2002... and eating everyone else's for that matter.... we have tried everything.... he won't do it for a while... then he just goes back to it... the best is when he comes and sits next to you and verps in your face and a cloud of newly digested poo wafts from his huge mouth...

    he even attempted to teach our other dog Lucy to be a lover or the poo... one day... she just threw up a poo... and i don't know if you watch South Park.. but if you do... it totally reminded me of the Cartman poo out of your mouth episode...

    I have no wise words of wisdom for you... only to let you know that i too love my dog... Gus is awesome.... but he would be even more awesome-er... if he would STOP the POO habit...

    :)

  • 111. Coyote said:

    I'm thinking she needs to experience some sort of physical pain when she starts to eat the poop. I can't believe I just typed that because I totally love animals. Gah. But. I would try the hot peppers or a little smack with a stick or the trick my brother used to stop stray cats from pooping in his garden -- a handheld air horn. Now that I think of it, when my sister encounters aggressive dogs on her daily walks, she uses a device that emits a sound that dogs hate but humans can't hear. The dogs run or slink away. It's similar to a Dazer. http://www.dazer.com/dog-deterrent.jsp

  • 112. gala said:

    priceless non-sequitur! next time i run to separate my poop-eating dog from the object of her appetite, all i'll be thinking of is a pornographic elmo... priceless, really. i think this post begs a "worst sex/lays ever" meme.

  • 113. Becca said:

    Longhorn Lucy doesn't eat her own poo thank goodness, but she has lots of other little annoying habits. She's about the same age as Coco. I'm with the lady who suggested Cayanne and a squirt bottle. We bought this stuff at PetSmart call Bitter Apple and it does seem to work. Lucy really hates the taste.

  • 114. Bibi said:

    Much of the time, I am so put off by the gross things my dog does it's a wonder I have a dog. She is so devoted to our family, but is a big eater of the poo and what I find worse; she takes my unclean undies out of the hamper and licks them.

    There have been days I've found my panties strewn all over her bed...it's like having my own private stalker. Eeeewww!

    By the way, the muppet sex was FREAKIN' HILARIOUS!

  • 115. Janet said:

    I grew up on a farm. We always had a dog, but I never knew dogs did this.

    A few years ago a friend brought her dog over to my house when I had two cats. Well, he proceeded to go check out the treats in the litterbox. I couldnt believe it. But now to read that so many dogs do this, I dont know that I could ever get a dog -- and I would so like one some times.

  • 116. bre said:

    I have three things to say:

    1. You are a wonderful and hilarious writer.

    2. I love that you call us 'Internet' with a capital 'I'.

    3. I've been thinking nice thoughts for you to the god I believe in after your post a couple days ago - I hope things are looking up for you!

  • 117. Kristine said:

    Oh I thank my ever f-n lucky stars everyday that my 4-legged girl never got into this habit. I have heard of many people being successful of breaking this habit but I've also heard the "not so lucky". Good luck with that but more importantly, thank you for the great big laugh I got reading this post. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today and needed a good laugh.

    PS - Poop eating and all aside, they still says a dog's mouth is cleaner than humans. Go figure?!?

  • 118. Brat said:

    I am so sick with a URI and am on antibiotics and have been really good about not peeing myself when I'm choking on all the phlegm that I'm trying to eject from my head and chest.

    The Heather takes me on a journey about poop-eating dogs and screwing Elmo, and I am a freaken basket case and now I have to change my pants and dry my chair.

    But it was so worth it, because I really needed a laugh.

    Thanks.
    .

  • 119. Tootsie Farklepants said:

    I don't have any advice for your shit eating dog. But I did want to say that I once had a boyfriend who told me it bothered him when I said "Oh god" during sex. Then after that I was always distracted by what I might say when in the moment and eventually I was like, "nice knowing you" because no one should be that distracted by their vocabulary during intercourse.

  • 120. Jamie said:

    I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but we have a four year old Australian Shepherd and he still eats poop. We thought he would grow out of it, but it hasn't happened yet. If you find something that works, please post about it so I can try it!

  • 121. molly said:

    You MUST call Cesar Milan.

  • 122. the dalai mama said:

    Sadly, some dogs are shit eaters. Not sure I ever thought I would type that sentence. I am happy that I do not have one of those dogs. I am sorry that you love is marred--but understandably so. I don't know if there is some sort of positive reinforcement strategy where you could give her bacon every time she doesn't eat shit...I know how much you love your bacon.

    Sex with Elmo...I am laughing hysterically about that.

  • 123. justanotherjenn said:

    I once had two beagles, Louie and Elmo.

    Louie loved poo so much that he ate it OUT OF ELMO's BUTT WHILST HE WAS POOPING.

    I am so not kidding, because seriously,who would even want to make that up?

  • 124. Anne said:

    My puppy ate her own poop and all other poop for nearly two years! I tried sprinkling magic puppy dust on her poop (ingredients: Alfalfa Sprouts) and it was more like puppy-crack - after a few sprinkles she ran for more. Eventually she just got TIRED of poop. Thank GOD.

  • 125. Jo said:

    I am so ROFL at this. My BF's dog, a beautiful, soft yellow Lab, eats poop. One day a few years ago we were both pregnant, sitting on her front porch watching our dogs romp in her yard. Mine went to the back of the yard to go, and sure enough, her dog was RIGHT THERE BEHIND MINE - you guessed it - pretty much gobbling it up from the source. We both leaned over and just about puked our Doritos - we'll never forget that. I hate to say that once a poop eater, I'm not sure it goes away. That said: tobasco sauce.

    Seriously - go out to the yard, douse all the poop piles in the stuff, let Coco out to roam and watch her yelp right after. Take a small bottle with you on walks, and if she goes near a pile, douse her toungue. Sounds rough, but if you really feel about this the way you described your Elmo-sex experience, I'd go and get a few bottles pronto. I mean, she's just a puppy. There are a lot of good years ahead with her, but this is a nasty habit indeed!

  • 126. Jonathon said:

    We live in a neighborhood with an unfortunate number of feral cats who, for some Godforsaken reason, have decided to use our front yard as their litter box -- horrible, horrible creatures that they are. Regardless, the worst part is that this provides our dog, Yoshi, with an ample supply of snackfood -- every time we're not looking, in fact.

    In short, DUDE, I feel your pain.

  • 127. C said:

    I say you try and use reverse psychology a bit. Not sure if it works on the K-9's ...but try sayin, EAT SHIT DOG. EAT THAT SHIT!..maybe it'll turn him off!

  • 128. Allie said:

    My dog used to do this, so you know what we did?

    We picked up the poop. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. We put it in sealed ziplock bags (like leftover deli meat bags) in the trash can in the garage and went to the dump often.

    If there was no poop, he couldn't eat it. He eventually lost interest in poop altogether, but he still eats road kill.

    I had the impression that Coco wasn't allowed to run loose in the yard anyway and she is always on a leash. Is that not true?

  • 129. Lisa said:

    Thank God! I'm not alone. Theo is totally addicted. He even gets up from sitting and licks the spot he was sitting in. I guess that's when he's inside and having poop withdrawal...

  • 130. Sharon said:

    We have the same problem with our shepherd. and had it with the shepherd before her. these are supposed to be smart dogs! And, like you, nothing works. If we sprinkle something offensive on it, she is like "thanks for the topping". So now we follow her in the yard and pick up immediately after. It's more work than the children!

  • 131. Anonymous said:

    We have lots of Canada geese where we live, roaming around, dropping goose poop everywhere - this is particularly gross excrement. My Lassa Poo loves to sniff it. I think she'd eat it if I didn't jerk her away. My stomach flips at the imagery . . . I NEVER let her lick me, just in case.

  • 132. kellyjoco said:

    Delias comment about the dog eating the six yearolds shit and toilet paper and piss water about killed me. That is so funny. I wish my dog would eat her own poop, clean up after herself, as it were!

  • 133. Twenty Four At Heart said:

    I think I dated your Elmo. I live in the OC, is that possible? Trust me ... didn't date him for long.
    As for the shit eater - I think they outgrow it as they get older. At least my retrievers outgrew it pretty early on.

  • 134. Leesavee said:

    First, talking like a muppet during sex is TOTALLY a deal-breaker. Mr. Elmosexual needs some serious therapy!

    Second, my dog ate any and all poop he came across for about the first year of his life, then *poof* he stopped. We had tried everything, even hot sauce and hot peppers. He's a long little dog (a dachshund), and he'd be turning himself in circles trying to eat it as it came out of his own ass.

    Nothing worked but time.

    I'm sure that provides you with little solace right now, but Coco probably will grow out of this phase. In the meantime, have you tried Yip Yap Breath Mints for dogs? They helped with the poop scent.

  • 135. Random Diva said:

    Wow, I thought my two mutts were the most pain-in-the-ass pups to raise. Many nights of hand wringing, hair pulling and a husband screaming "we are taking her back" ensued. Thank God we never had this problem. I consider myself such an animal lover and my charity dollar goes only to animal related causes. I do not believe in this normally but when all else fails, a shock collar is not painful--yes I tried it on my own neck first and a good deterrent. We had one correction we couldnt overcome--and yes we tried everything else first dear internet, but once we got the collar it worked like a charm.

    We had a handheld remote so you control the timing..see her eating poo, small zap. They dont see it coming from you so dont associate you with it, just the bahavior. Sounds bad but when all else fails right?

    Good luck Heather, Coco seems awesome in every other way.

  • 136. The N said:

    Our dogs used to snag the cat poo from the litter box. We called the poops Almond Rochas as they look like the fancy candy in pink rappers once the cat litter is all over the poo. Either way - gross. Our bulldog would appear wondering out of the cat box area with litter all crusted over his nose and face. Guilty!! And so gross, eventually we have told them both NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Damnit! enough times that they have stopped. But on a walk a while back my long haired white dog found a big pile of green horse poo and dived down on it and rubbed her neck all over before I could pull her away. Imagine that ride home in the car and I got to bathe her when we got home! Awesome. and yet,love prevails....Sigh

  • 137. Tanya said:

    Ok. I try not to tell people these two stories very often.

    When we were little, we had a wiener dog who liked poop, and I had a 2 or 3 year old brother who liked to pop a squat in the front lawn. You can see where this is going. The dog would eat my brother's poop before it hit the ground. For this, and many other reasons, I do not like dogs.

    Of course, I now have a little parrot, and he loves bananas. He takes a bite, and I pull off a piece for me, repeat. Human mouth bacteria could kill him, so he never takes a bite off a piece my mouth has been on. Then I discovered that he likes to crunch up his dried poo, and I still eat banana after him. Go figure, it is love.

  • 138. Therese said:

    Just when you thought there would be less poop in your life, eh? Well, I sympathize. That's all I can think to say.

    I really, really sympathize with you.

  • 139. JEM said:

    Similar mutt stories here. My shepherd mix is completely horrified by poop unless it's human (up on the shoreline trail she always finds some), which is worse than dog poop any day. My Doberman mix will eat any poop. One day, the first winter we got her, we heard her licking something in the corner (on the carpet) and discovered she was going to town on a frozen poopsicle she brought in from outside. Oh man. The hysterical screaming one commentator suggested has worked with her, as has "leave it" - unfortunately I'm not always within range. Maybe when Coco fully learns you are her "pack leader" she will respond to your training her to "leave it" (a very useful and multi-purpose command). Until then, perhaps you can train Leta to keep the yard poop-free? Good luck.

  • 140. Lee said:

    Our Parson Russell terrier, Tucker, is also a poop gourmet. Goose, duck, deer, bunny and his all-time favorite, kitty. As far as the kisses go, I wash his face with Dial soap on a washcloth after walks and then smooch away.. As far as the boyfriend thing goes, I had an ex that used to sing "Love Shack" everytime he was going to orgasm..I can no longer listen to the B-52's..

  • 141. Jo said:

    If she's chewing on other things like bark and rocks it's probably nutrient seeking behavior. Our Schnauzer would eat poop, and bark, and rocks, and a random piece of copper pipe (don't know where he found it) before we switched to a high end food. We're using Timberwolf and the poo eating has stopped. Before the food switch we had tried the powders and all that other crap and he still thought it was tasty, bleh. Good luck with it!

    As a side note, the pup used to raid the cat box and bring the turds upstairs (cat door into an unused bathroom fixed that). We called them almond roca. Just thought I'd ruin that candy for everyone.

  • 142. lizzie said:

    Remember cute puppy breath when Coco first came into your world? ahhh..they grow up so fast.... I so sympathize with you. My dog is a shit connoisseur. She prefers goose and horse poop to cat poop. She also likes to roll in dead stuff whenever possible.
    She's totally disgusting.
    I couldn't take it once after one of these poop eating episodes and in desperation put some listerine in her water dish. We also use the rubber finger dog toothbrushes and YIP YAPS dog mints. Thank you commenter above for the water gun trick....that's one I haven't tried.

    PS - This post was freaking funny Heather- thank you for the laugh...I SO needed it today. I love your writing..I love that you are embracing yourself as a writer and storyteller - I hope you are sitting back and LETTING YOURSELF ENJOY THE SUCCESS!!!!

  • 143. Sara said:

    What about dumping some cayenne pepper powder on it? That should make is less appealing...

  • 144. Jennifer said:

    First off...HAHAHAHAHA! Sucks being a pet owner sometimes, but I guess the unconditional love and sad eyes blah blah blah make up for it, right?

    Second....change all the dog terms to cat in the first paragraph and you have my situation.

    Admiral Walter Seamus "Master of the Ocean" thinks it's fun to pee on our bed when he is angry with us. He's a moody little sonofabitch and when he doesn't get his way, he'll let you know...by peeing on your bed.

    To his utter annoyance, Rob and I went to a baseball game yesterday after work and didn't come home till 1am, which was precisley the time I found the pee stain, ripped off all the sheets, threw them in the laundry (with copious amounts of Miracle Odor Eliminator) and then tried to go to sleep.

    This morning as I was waking up, here's the Admiral, being as sweet as sweet can be, purring and meowing and massaging my back....so I gave him tons of kisses adoringly saying "whosmybigboy whosmamasbigboy..."

    Yeah, it's a cycle that never ends...love em hate em...

  • 145. Andria and Co. said:

    Ahh, the joys of pet ownership.

    http://andria-and-co.com

  • 146. misha said:

    i think she may be low on iron or perhaps just poo... dont really know.

  • 147. andria said:

    now whenever my dogs do something bad, I'll be able to say, "at least he doesn't each shit!"
    thank you internet, for making me feel better about my dog eating my mother-in-laws 200 dollar eyewear!
    I <3 dooce!

  • 148. Natalie said:

    I will never ever read your blog while eating lunch again. Gross and hilarious.

  • 149. SeaSlug said:

    I vote for "she'll outgrow it before long," followed closely by "give her more exercise--at least two very active sessions per day."

    I have a friend with this problem, so please let us (your dear Internet friends) know how this works out.

  • 150. misha said:

    oohh... if you get a cat, dogs LOVE cat poop. out of the litter box. its like a rice krispy treat for them. i kinda do hate it when they help w/ the litterbox cleaning though. i am so helpful.

  • 151. Heather said:

    I have a dog that loved to eat rocks. And after a thousand dollar surgery to remove that stupid rock, I found a spray (you can find at a popular pet store) called bitter apple. It worked wonders. I would just spray it on a rock she had just put in her mouth and she would sniff it and walk away. I kept doing this for about a week and she lost interest in the rocks. This might work for your poop issue.

  • 152. Madness said:

    Shit eating dogs and creepy sex talk boyfriends all in one post. Dooce.. youve made Madness a very happy girl.

  • 153. Jenny said:

    A. It's a puppy thing, it will stop eventually. B. Spray her with a water bottle in the face when you catch her doing it, but, C. The best solution is to PICK UP THE POOP IMMEDIATELY after they, you know, poop it out, so that its not sitting there mocking them from the pretty green grass like a staged Whopper Jr. And then they get used to no poop sitting around and they forget how tasty it is or grow out of it or whatever, in the meantime.

  • 154. Lyndsay said:

    I am sure that you have heard a million different solutions for this problem, but 100 years ago when I worked for a vet clinic, one of the vet techs there swore that Unflavored Meat Tenderizer did the trick every time. I think it's hard to find, but it is white granules that look like salt, and you just sprinkle some on everyone's food.

    I had a dog once that would eat poop... as long as it didn't hit the ground first. Yeah, nasty.

    I feel your pain!! :)

  • 155. jess said:

    they say dogs are so smart...they may be...but they also can be incredibly retarded. makes them only more lovable.

  • 156. Anonymous said:

    My dog ate poo for a very short time when he was a puppy and then he just stopped. When he bent over to start eating, I would give him a little tug and say "icky" Now whenever he's sniffing something incessantly, I "icky" and he'll start on his way.

    Funny story:

    I had to go on a business trip for three weeks during winter so I left the dog with my parents. When I returned my mom told me the following:

    She had let the dog out in the fenced yard to do his business. After she called him in, she heard a crunching noise coming from the kitchen. The dog had brought in and was eating a frozen turd in the middle of the kitchen floor! Needless to say, my mother was a little more than slightly horrified.

  • 157. Anonymous said:

    Try feeding a species appropriate raw diet. Check out www.rawlearning.com. That is not my site, it's just a very informative one about feeding carnivores.

  • 158. Cathy said:

    Okay.
    1. This was a very funny post.
    2. None of my dogs (all 2 of them) ever ate poop. Sorry. No help here.
    3. I love your daily pics - just had to tell you. All the shots - the style, the pics, the dogs. I look forward to them (and the comments you write about them) every day!

  • 159. parslife said:

    This is an easy one -- my dogs are never, ever, ever allowed to lick any part of my anatomy. Ever. That's easy to teach them. Why do you want dog saliva on your face anyway?!

  • 160. Kriss said:

    My Pyrenees does this too, and it turns my stomach. She'll eat her poop, our other dog's poop, rabbit poo, goose poo, etc. The list is endless.

    The vet gave us some pills to try, and they did jack shit (OMG - horrible pun not intended).

    The only thing that works? Me getting off my lazy butt and scooping poop every, single day. Sigh.

  • 161. shreve said:

    dying laughing

  • 162. Jodi said:

    Coprophagia (sometimes called coprophagy, or poop-eating) is the "official" term used for this nasty habit. I feel for you and hope you are able to find something to help curb CoCo's pallet for this disgusting delight. I did a little research on the web and came across the two articles below that were informative. It seems like top recommendation is to keep the dog's area free of feces. No poo - no temptation. After the dog has been prevented from eating feces for a considerable length of time, the habit tends to fade. I'd consult your vet before adding any "people food" or additives to alter the smell/taste of the poo. I hope these articles help! Good luck!

    http://www.k911.biz/Petsafety/DogEatsPoop.htm

    http://shop.robbinspetcare.com/resources/coprophagia.html

  • 163. dadshouse said:

    Let me get this straight - your shit-eating dog reminded you of a boyfriend who talked like a muppet during sex. And I thought my dating life as a single dad was crazy... Maybe I need to ramp up my Confessions of a Serial Online Dater to new heights. Or lower depths, depending on the color of the toilet water.

  • 164. Hadey said:

    Your ex-boyfriend sex story made me laugh and reminded me of a guy a friend of mine used to date. He was a pre-med student, so everything about the body was very clinical. I'll never forget about the time she told me that she woke up in the middle of the night to him whispering breathily in her ear "Iris, touch my penis." Yeah, nothing says baby let me rock your world like using the word "penis" as foreplay. *Shudder*

  • 165. Vanessa said:

    HEATHER

    Just call my husband already, we live in Salt Lake, he is a dog trainer, he was just talking on the radio this morning of the different reasons why dogs eat their poo....I think this is what I remember him saying to the caller....
    -poor nutrition, switch foods
    -they even have a product you can sprinkle on your dog's food to help with this
    -some dogs do it out of bordom
    -and also some dogs do it as a bad habit which you can fix
    just call him, here is his name and numero
    Ty Brown
    310 3782

    :)

  • 166. Jooshy said:

    My sister used to try and eat dog poop. She would sit in the backyard, and scoop it up, but my mom would bust her. Everytime I think. I hope. So nasty.
    Does your dog have worms? Our dog did once, and that was what made her eat her own shit too.

  • 167. birdgal said:

    I am useless in the poop eating debate, BUT I did want let you know that the line (and the associated aural imagery) 'I totally felt like I was screwing Elmo' made me spit popcorn at my computer screen :).

  • 168. Lucy said:

    I'm sorry...I have two Shih Tzu's and they eat each other's poop. I'm so digusted by it and frustrated at the same time. I thought there was something wrong with them only to be told by my vet that believe it or not some dogs actually develop a taste for it? Is she serious???? I have wondered though if maybe I were to drop a steaming pile would they be so repulsed that they stopped eating it altogether?? Who knows....

  • 169. Robin said:

    I can't comment on the crap eating, but I too had an animal with a deal-breaking trait. A tabby kitten that was just the cutest thing EVER. Melt your heart cute. I could overlook the multitude of scratches he left on Garrett's face when Garrett was a baby. I could overlook the fact that he once landed on my husband's back with all twenty claws bared. What I could not overlook (or smell) was that this particular cat stank. As in Smelly Cat. So all of the other little traits that really were unforgivable (see scratching and clawing, above) became the reasons that we told people that we got rid of the cat. We didn't euthanize him or anything; just gave him back to the neighbors across the street. Good luck with the little scheise esser.

  • 170. Maggie said:

    While I don't think #9 is a know-it-all asshole, I don't care what they say about the enzymes getting rid of the poop ON THE TONGUE THAT THEN TOUCHES YOUR FACE.

    Although I did like the part about building a tolerance to allergies due to being exposed to poop-mouth. That was interesting.

  • 171. Lyz said:

    My dog ate poop, ate a LOT OF POOP, sometimes it seemed like she only pooped to eat it, until I switched her food from IAMS to Eukanuba.

    The vet said I could try sprinkling her food with meat tenderizer. I never did that, but it might work. The vet also told me that sometimes, dogs have finicky digestive tracks and eat poop because they are missing some nutrition in their normal food.

  • 172. Anonymous said:

    But why do you actually have this dog? He craps everywhere, he eats poop, he probably sheds like a mofo, he wakes everyone up in the middle of the night. So far the description matches that of an infant and toddler, but dude at least children at some point learn to wipe their own butt, move away and if you have not damaged them too badly, not only earn their own living, but provide you with some emotional/physical/financial assistance when you are drooling and pantless and senile.

  • 173. Insane Mama said:

    I have three large dogs, and toilet drinking is the norm around here. Shit, I think my 13 year old son actually goes outside to pee these day... I KNOW he does. He is gross like that!

  • 174.