Why Does My Dog Eat Poop?

We have a few clients who have confessed to us that their dog eats poop. They are horrified and embarrassed and they just don't know how to stop it!

This is a really hard habit to break. It is more common in homes with multiple dogs (most dogs will eat the poop of other dogs and not their own) and it's more common among female dogs than male dogs. Here are some things you can try to dissuade your dog from snacking on tidbits found in the yard:

Diet. Rule out malnourishment issues. Sometimes dogs will develop this habit due to either not getting the nutrients they need from their diet or not being able to absorb the nutrients. If you are feeding a brand found in grocery or department stores consider switching to a premium quality dog food that is nutritionally sound. We recommend using www.dogfoodadvisor.com to review the 4 and 5 star rated foods; find a few that are available locally that fit within your budget. You'll be surprised at how affordable a good diet can be!

Health Issues. Talk to your vet to rule out diseases such as diabetes, Cushing's and thyroid issues as well as possible parasites. 

Deterrent Pills. These are designed to make the taste of the poop unappealing (as though it is appealing in its natural state!) Our clients will often tell us to give Bella the deterrent medicine, which doesn't seem to be helping, but not the other dogs in the home. We recommend they give it to all of the dogs in the house for a month or so to see if this works - and it does in some cases. More stubborn cases require further intervention.

Other Deterrents. Find something really hot, like habanero sauce, to apply to the poop as your dogs produce it. This will require keen observation and persistence over a period of time! It is not as easy or successful if your dog has a dog door or is kept outside when you can't be vigilant about applying it as soon as it happens.

Remove Temptation. Keep your yard clean on a daily basis (it is most common for dogs to snack on fresh poop). We recommend trying all of the above remedies to break the habit and then doing this one to prevent it from recurring. Just like quitting any habit, it is easiest to not relapse when you're able to avoid temptation. Alcoholics should stay out of bars. Smokers should throw away all cigarettes. Dogs should not have poop available.

  

Dangerous Strain of Dog Flu Spreads

No one wants to get the flu and your dog is now also at risk. The H3N2 canine influenza virus began infecting dogs last year and continues to spread in 2016.

Two cases of this contagious virus have been confirmed in Tucson, as reported by KGUN 9 News.

"None of the dogs have immunity to fight it off, so you see large numbers of dogs getting ill when the virus starts to circulate," said Beth Lipton, vet for Public Health Seattle and King County. "When dogs are going to day care or dog parks or boarding overnight in kennel facilities, it can spread very rapidly."

Talk to your vet about having your dogs vaccinated if they are at high risk from activities such as going to the dog park, going to doggy daycare or other social gatherings. When you travel contact us to leave your pet at home in a stress free environment where there is no risk of exposure. Click here to schedule a Free Consultation!

  

Which Dog Food Is Best?

If you're wondering what you should feed your dog and you feel overwhelmed by the choices you're not alone! With so many varieties and brands and the ingredient list, how is a dog owner to know which food is nutritionally sound?

Let's start with elimination. Brands found in grocery and department stores are made with inexpensive ingredients, like corn and meat by-products, that make up the bulk of the content. While these brands can appear to be a low-cost solution, your dog will pass most of the food without absorbing nutrition. This means you will need to feed two to three times more than when feeding a premium diet and your yard will have that much more poo to clean up - not a very good bargain!

Premium diets come with so many options from grain free to having chelated minerals and probiotics to proteins like rabbit and kangaroo - oh my! To get started see which brands are available at our local retailers like Ramsey Canyon Feed or PetsMart and compare them on Dog Food Advisor to learn more about the rating and ingredients. We recommend making your choice from a brand found on the 4 or 5 star lists.

By using Dog Food Advisor you will learn that a food that appears to be above average, based on the ingredients on the label, may not measure up when actual volumes are compared.

Finally, it is important to switch the protein a few times a year to prevent possible food allergies from developing. 

  

Your Dogs Think We Are Guardian Angels

This is hard to live up to but here is a fun spin on it.

Your dogs think we are guardian angels! When you are gone we appear every single time to take care of them like we somehow (although they really have NO idea how but it must have a connection to suitcases) know when they need us.

We will continue to live up to this one but don't tell them our secret!