Yellow Labrador Retriever eating Poop

Subject: My yellow Labrador Retriever is eating her poop

From: Arissa (Canada)

Labrador Retriever Name: Kadenza

Reader's E-mail - Arissa writes:

Hello Fay, love your blog and I appreciate all the help you provide. Hopefully you may be of help to me.

For the past week or so, I have noticed my 1 1/2 year old yellow Labrador Retriever, Kadenza, eating her feces. Besides picking up the poop daily, which my son is suppose to do, what else can I do to discourage Kadenza from eating it?

Any information you could provide me would be greatly appreciated.

Warm regards,
Arissa

All About Labradors Answer:

The information given here is to help you learn more about your Labrador Retriever and not to replace your veterinarian's advice. Disclaimer

A common issue for dogs is stool-eating, technically known as Coprophagia. Many different factors can contribute to this behavior, making it difficult to pinpoint an exact cause for every case.

A few reasons why your Labrador Retriever may be eating her feces include: they are keeping their area clean/maintaining their space, hiding evidence, hunger, stress, inadequate nutrition, and boredom.

Here are a few different approaches to stopping the behavior:

The first and best help is to keep the area where Kadenza eliminates as cleaned as possible.

There is a product available called "Forbid" (ask your veterinarian or search online). It is an additive for your Labrador Retriever's food that supposedly will will create a forbidden and unpalatable taste to the feces (as if it isn't already!). Places such as PetSmart have other deterant products such as Excel Deter Coprophagia Treatment and Nutrivet Nasty Habit for Dogs.

You could also try mixing a meat tenderizer like Adolf's into Kadenza's food with each meal, as it is supposed to have the same effect as ForBid.

Another approach that may be helpful is to locate the stool in your yard and then cover it thoroughly with a hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Habanero sauce. It will not harm your Labrador Retriever but will make it uncomfortable to eat. After a couples of bites, Kadenza may decide it isn't worth eating the poop anymore.

Last but not least, you may want to try to teach Kadenza the "Leave It" command to get her to avoid the stool (let me know if you need help with this).

Hope this is of some help to you Arissa. Make sure that you are feeding Kadenza a high quality dog food and that she has had a recent checkup at your veterinarian.

Take care of yourself and Kadenza,

Fay

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