[sosurreal09]

so DD does EC part time...
we never had an issue having her potty in her room next to the changing table until a few days ago...
my Boston terrier decided to eat her poo as I didnt have a chance to clean it yet b/c DD was OT and i was putting her down for her nap

i told him no and whacked his nose and figured he wouldnt do it again b/c hes very obedient normally...

now its like hes waiting for her to pee or poo or anything and he runs to the potty and the second i take her off! i keep telling him no but its like he wants it soo bad...its discusting!!!!!! obviously its pretty tough to be worrying about emptying and washing the potty every single little pee or anything especially when trying to take care of a 4 month old!
i try closing the door but we live in an old house and he basically just pushes into it and it opens...

anyone have any tips for me??? i know this is ridiculous but idk what to do!

 

[sosurreal09]

also the most importnat part i left out...if i miss a poo he runs over to the baby and starts smellin her..thankfully im right there and grab her and go change her but im worried he might see her as food and maybe attack her one day..hes never been vicious at all he was abused and is a rescue dog...it just makes me nervous that hes so obsessive of her waste..........i dont want to have to get rid of him or worse have him hurt the baby...i keep telling him no but it doesnt seem to click.

 

[nurturebaby]

We don't do EC, but I'll tell you that my dog also likes my dd's poo. He waits until I change her and then tries to get at the diaper as I'm getting her buttoned back up - but he does wait until the diaper is off - I doubt your dog would try to eat your baby

I'll bet it's some sort of pack thing - perhaps a submissive sort of behavior?

I think that as long as your dog is not aggressive in other circumstances, he won't become aggressive over a poopy diaper.

 

[sosurreal09]

i really hope not i mean i trained him to be around children and hes never been aggressive over food or even when my nephew jumps on him...im just nervous because i got my bottom lip ripped off by a dog when i was 9 i had to get plastic surgery to fix it and i dont want anything bad to happen to my kids. i mean hes a little dog but the dog that bit me was a puppy! im glad im not the only one with a dog like that though! i thought he was a freak lol

 

[GoBecGo]

When puppies poop or pee the bitch cleans it up. Yes, she eats it. I'm not sure about dogs, because i've never been around people who let the dogs be around whelping bitches, but i KNOW it is normal, healthy bitch behaviour to clean up after youngsters. Hopefully someone who knows more than me will be along in minute to advise further.

I know that isn't much in terms of advice, but this isn't a training issue, i think it's a totally normal thing for a dog to do around the pack (clean up after the youngsters). Hopefully other people will have training tips, but meantime, him ignoring a "no" is probably because he's obeying a really basic instinct.

 

[sosurreal09]

yeah thats true my dogs a boy but he is very sensitive...

 

[GoBecGo]

I'm pretty sure male wolves clean up the den like bitches do. Not sure about domestic dog "norms". Try posting a link to this thread in Pets and see who pops up to help, there are some really knowledgeable folks over there

 

[sgmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anielasmommy09 i told him no and whacked his nose and figured he wouldnt do it again b/c hes very obedient normally...

So in other words, you taught him that this must be important in order for you to get mad about it (then you, the pack leader, is allowed to clean it up), and then how to be sneaky about getting the reward before the punishment.

Self rewarding behaviors can be VERY difficult to break. I would either keep him on a permanent leash around the house (so you can step on it when you see him charging for the poop, then act like you had nothing to do with whatever made him stop at the end of the leash), or keep him tethered (or crated) when the poop is about to happen.

You have two choices.

1. Avoid anything elimination around your dog (potty in the bathroom with the door closed, keep diapers on and only change them in another room, etc).

2. Train your dog to "leave it".

Or I guess secret option #3. To tether or crate him while you EC, change diapers, or do clean up. This can work towards training as soon you would be able to send your dog to his crate (with the door open) while you do your clean up, and reward him for doing as told (and leaving the poop alone).

Yelling or physical punishment (especially after they already get the reward) teaches them nothing but to fear you, and how to be more sneaky next time.

 

[sosurreal09]

i dont believe in crates but i will try the leash thing thanks a bunch!

 

[nurturebaby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anielasmommy09 i dont believe in crates but i will try the leash thing thanks a bunch!

awww - my dog loves his crate - it's like his little spot where he can go to get some time to himself - it's not a place for punishment (is that what you mean by saying you don't believe in them?) most dogs really do benefit from the use of a crate as long as the owner doesn't lock them in there al day while the cry and howl... it's a secure, happy place...

 

[Pepper44]

My male coonhound loves poop of any kind--our other dog's, the cats' litter box, chicken poop, and he has eaten DD's poo before when she had an accident on the floor before I could come back with a rag to clean it up.

One very effective thing we've done with him...we have a metal coffee can of nuts and bolts with the lid taped on. If he's getting in the trash we say no loudly and shake the can. If he's climbing the fence we shake the can. Any time he hears the can he stops immediately. After a few weeks (sometimes less) each behavior has stopped. He's happy, rolls over to ask for attention instead of jumping, etc. All around good boy!

The can has worked so well on him! He was going to be put to sleep at the shelter because he had been surrendered by his owner and then adopted and returned by another person. They told us not to adopt him because he wasn't trainable. The can is the only thing that worked, we tried a multitude of things then tried the red neck can idea as a last resort.

 

[sgmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anielasmommy09 i dont believe in crates but i will try the leash thing thanks a bunch!

Actually, crates (when used properly) are a very natural thing to dogs. Have you ever seen a dog who likes to sleep under your kitchen table, or coffee table, or even under your bed? These dogs are often looking to den. IF you choose to use a crate, just remove the door. If you choose to tether him to something, you might want to place a blanket or something on the floor so once he's more reliably not going for the poop, you can just send him to his blanket (and not tether him). Of course this will take more consistency from you to send him back and keep him there if he does try to get off (don't let him do this on a tether, either). You can then reward him for staying there (ONLY if he's calm - do NOT reward if he's at high attention), or you can use strong leadership to send the message that poop eating is not allowed (he doesn't have to be tethered or on his blanket to send this message). I would chose a reward though, since his own reward is the poop (and is MUCH, MUCH higher than laying on a blanket, waiting for you to release him to nothing). Even if the reward is just a 5 minute game of playing with his favorite toy.

 

[sosurreal09]

i dont believe in locking a dog in a crate is what i meant but hes terrified of crates anyways. he was a puppy mill rescued dog that was adopted and abused then was in foster care when we adopted him. he has a bed under the coffee table that he likes to hang out in during the day and he sleeps in bed with me at night.
i will try the reward thing though...he doesnt have any toys anymore b/c he keeps eating and swallowing them and the vet said not to give them to him because he will get hurt. i have tried "indestructable" toys as well...he tares throw them like nothing! even a bone...so i play fectch with him and walk him when i can which is fairly often. hes more of a lap dog.
the can thing sounds good but i will have to see with him b/c he gets terrifed very easy and will shake and cry if i close a cbinet too loud....hes gotten alot better in the year and a half that we've had him but he still has psychological issues. the poor thing has scars from being beaten so bad.

 

[sgmom]

I'm a certified dog trainer. I trained in all fields, but ended up doing rescue, rehab, and rehoming on dogs who were deemed unadoptable due to behavioral problems. Most of the dogs I worked with were scheduled to be put down, and some came from animal labs.

PLEASE be careful when disciplining a rescue dog. These dogs need to build trust, not fear. Hitting with a newspaper (or whacking on the nose), shaking or throwing cans filled with pennies, any type of punishment that instills fear or distrust, and these dogs can often have either a reverse effect for the training you're trying to achieve, or it can create a world full of new problems. These dogs need a strong pack leader to guide them, and give them a place in your pack. They do not need a punishment or reward that causes them to act (or not act) out of fear or to gain a cookie.

Dogs like this need a LOT of gentle (but firm) leadership. I normally discourage the use of operant training (with the exception of positive reinforcement, with the exclusion of treats) as well since these dogs will often learn to work for the reward, and this can often create a bigger problem in pack status (especially if you have a dominant-type personality dog). Your dog MAY try to challenge you, or worse yet, try to challenge your children. But all dogs are different, and operant conditioning might work just fine. Personally, I prefer using pack leadership over any form of "dog training", but don't try this without professional help. I've had to help several dog owners who dogs became out of control after being clicker trained (a form of operant conditioning) for behavior modification.

Honestly, the first thing I would do is buy your dog a crate, and turn it from a negative experience into a positive one. My suggestion is to find a good trainer (or behaviorist) in your area who specializes in rehabilitation and get some further advice. But please BE CAREFUL about taking advice over the internet. Using the wrong technique on a dog that has psychological issues can backfire quite easily, and REALLY fast.

I don't know your dog at all, or his personality type. I just wanted you to be aware of the potential dangers of taking advice online.

Edit: I just wanted to add that rewards come in many forms. Playtime, food, even praise is a reward. My dog gets ANNOYING when there's food around (VERY high food drive). HIS reward for laying quietly on his bed and waiting until we're finished eating, is I'll take him outside for 10 or so minutes of play. Sometimes we play fetch, sometimes we wrestle, or if I'm not in the mood for play I might invite him over to clean up the floor or just get on the floor with him and give him a good massage. Sometimes (if his head is down and eyes are closed) I'll throw him a piece of my dinner. It's like Santa Claus. He has no idea that food comes from me. All he knows is that if we're eating and he goes to sleep, food falls from the sky. By the time he's realized it and looks up at me to see where it came from, I'm acting like I had no idea that food even fell to the floor.

You don't always have to say "GOOD BOY!" with a pat on the head and a treat to show a dog that he did something good. But I do want to comment that the reward here, is the poop. And poop is a VERY high valued reward to a poop eating dog. Whatever reward you choose to give, it needs to be more valuable than the poop. Leave the poop alone, and something bigger will happen.

 

[hrsmom]

Your poor dog!!!

My dogs will eat baby poop any chance they get. I always pottied my baby up on the counter, so I didn't find this out until we started having poop misses on the floor. Now that I think about it, I tried having her poop into a big pot by the side of the bed (so as not to have to get out of bed for night time pottying) and my dog went crazy over the contents of the big pot. So I didn't bother with it anymore! We now have a potty that sits on the floor, and my dog seems to think it's a doggy dish. It is YUCKY!!

 

[sgmom]

It's true.

 

[sosurreal09]

thanks for all the advice. my dog is very submissive normally i mean he is sooooooo submissive its a pain sometimes like he wont eat for days...like hes just waiting to see if anyone else wants it first. if you go near him when he eats he will just move aside automatically...
usually if hes doing something bad or he stole my spot on the couch or w/e i just snap my fingers and he stops/moves without any issues...he never challanges me or anyone else...hes even scared sh*tless of the pomeranian down the street lol
obviously i need to teach him not to eat poo somehow lol i will work on it
you dont think his little spot under the table is good enough? i mean does he really need a crate? its not like i ever plan on putting him in one so i dont really understand why he needs to not fear it...
hes definately welcome in our pack hes always with us hes sort of stuck to me like glue which gets annoying but i dont discourage him.

 

[fresh_veggie]

Poor dog

He was just cleaning up after babies. Adult dogs clean up after puppies - it's just what they do. Our mama dog ate her puppy's poop for weeks. He probably didn't understand why you smacked him, as it was just natural and a good thing for him to clean up after a little one.

 

[sgmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anielasmommy09 you dont think his little spot under the table is good enough? i mean does he really need a crate? its not like i ever plan on putting him in one so i dont really understand why he needs to not fear it...

I'm sorry, I got COMPLETELY off topic. He absolutely does NOT need a crate, nor does the use of one have anything to do with fixing coprophagia (poop eating).

If you're at all interested in why I suggested it, send me a PM. I can try to help you further. But as per this thread, I think under the table is a perfect spot.

 

[theboysmama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrsmom Your poor dog!!! My dogs will eat baby poop any chance they get. I always pottied my baby up on the counter, so I didn't find this out until we started having poop misses on the floor. Now that I think about it, I tried having her poop into a big pot by the side of the bed (so as not to have to get out of bed for night time pottying) and my dog went crazy over the contents of the big pot. So I didn't bother with it anymore! We now have a potty that sits on the floor, and my dog seems to think it's a doggy dish. It is YUCKY!!

We always kept the potty up on the counter/changing table, etc. That will eleminate your dog being able to get at the poop. My dog does this as well and it is sooooo gross.
DD had a pooptastrophy the other day while dh was watching her. He called and said "when are you going to be home, the dog ate as much as he can and I need your help cleaning up the rest."

I just try to keep the poop out of the way so that he can't get it and although it is really gross to us it is a treat to them and I don't think it will hurt them so the best you can do is just keep the poop out of the way so he isn't tempted.