Eating Fox Poo!!

[Mindy]

Hello there

Harvey has a nasty habit of eating, what I think is fox poo. He tends to ignore most dog poo but seems intent on eating fox poo - not pleasant. We are currently training him to "leave it" and can control him on the lead but when we walk him up at the field it's not easy to watch what he is up to........

Does anyone else have this problem and if so is it a real health risk?

BTW he also rolls in it if he gets half a chance.....

[Leah]

Monty is also a big poo-lover, eats masses of it (cats, foxes, dogs, horses) and sometimes rolls in it too. It's not just the occasional poo either but every single one he comes accross. It's disgusting and I have considered a muzzle, he will "leave it" if I see him in time but still manages to eat loads.
The vet says it won't do him any harm as long as he's well wormed, I do him with Milbemax and Advocate every 3 months.
It doesn't seem to effect him at all and he's a very healthy robust dog, I'm just not too keen on him coming home after a poo-eating frenzy and licking the kids faces.....

Leah

[LakeDistrictDoodle]

Poor you

Rolling in fox poo and dead animals is quite common unfortunatly....thank god Dorcas only eats sheep, cow and horse poo.
You could get some tabasco (is that spelt right????), chilli or another hot sauce and put some on the poo without your dog being there and see if that works....so long as he doesn't like the taste of it even more!!!! You will only need a few drops, then when we remembers that the yummy smell of poo has a horrid hot stingy taste he may stop eating it.

[Nimitor]

Wes finds rabbit poo irrisistable, he runs along with his nose to the ground practically hoovering it up.I can make him leave it when using the short lead but he takes no notice of me if he is on the extended lead.I tried taking cooked chicken, his favourite treat to distract him but as soon as he ate the treat it was back to the poo.No help I know, but I sympathise

[Mindy]

Well sounds like I'm not the only one with a "poo loving" dog! It isn't pleasant and I'd rather he didn't do it but I think he has the taste for it now..........

I did find taking a ball for him to chase when we are up at the field quite a good distraction but then a dead rabbit was just too irresistable for him.........

[Kirstie & Murphy]

You're certainly not alone
Murphy loves horses and especially their poo! He had a terrible habit of rolling in fox poo when he had his long hair and the smell turns my stomach

[millysmum]

Milly too enjoyed poo. Charming isn't it? I don't know how old your dogs are, but at 4, Milly seems to have mostly grown out of it. Touch wood...

[wellies]

Mmmm... lovely! Leon actually prefers cat to fox, but isn't a roller, happily. Our last dog was very partial to goose poo. If you try the tabasco thing I'd be really grateful to hear whether it works or if a dash of tabasco is just what fox poo needs to make it the perfect gourmet snack!
Dave

[Dog-Dog]

I've considered a muzzle too although it would make playing with a tennis ball a bit difficult! Both my girls just love to eat cat or fox poo I've had a nasty week of it, Kayler had a runny bum in the night last night after dissapearing off into a hedge to fill up on poo and Tiegan chucked up over the sofa this evening, again after a trip into the bushes!!!! I have, do and am working on the 'leave it' and 'come' commands however a pile of scrummy poo outweighs the desire to 'leave' or 'come' I know I can keep them on a lead but I feel a lot of the fun in having them is to see them run around chasing tennis balls and each other, I'd hate to keep them 'tied up' all the time Is it possible to get such a thing as a soft muzzle that prevents them from eating?

If anyone has any ideas or knows of a way to stop the poo eating, please share

[nicollf]

Lottie eats fox poo all the time! Our Vet says as long as we make sure worming is up to date it should not be a problem. He also said that if we really cannot stand it we could try one of the training collars that dispenses citronella. Unforunately Lottie does not find citronella offensive but it is also very expensive to buy one of these collars and I have decided to keep trying to get her to 'leave' it and hope she grows out of it!

Lottie and Fiona