Copraphagia is the technical term for “stool eating”. This is not just exclusive to the Shih Tzu, but is a natural occurrence in many canine breeds, especially as puppies. However not all breeds indulge, just as not all Shih Tzu. I have owned Shih Tzu who have never had an inclination for it and others that just seem to love it. In my experience it appears that it is the females who are much more likely to develop this habit. (although that does not mean the males are exempt).
As nasty, disgusting, and repulsive as we may find it, it is believed to be a natural scavenger instinct, carried over from their ancestors in the wild , and thought to serve a purpose, the practice helped to keep the den clean, removed smells that could attract a predator, and was useful when food was in short supply.
Some of the theories surrounding this behavior suggest that it is caused by a dietary deficiency, pancreatic enzyme deficiency, boredom or worse yet the puppy came from a puppy mill environment. None of these theories carry merit in themselves, although indeed some may or may not be contributing factors.
It is important to realize that this is normal behavior in a mother Shih Tzu or a mother in any breed. Newborn puppies are born without the ability to urinate or defecate on their own. The mother dogs must lick their bottoms in order to stimulate them to eliminate. Then the mother consumes the excrement in order to provide a clean and safe environment for the puppies. Some believe that this behavior is a trait picked up by the puppies, and considered highly intelligent behavior in the puppy world, rather than how we as humans view it with contempt.
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If you discover that your puppy is eating feces, here are a few suggestions. First and foremost the best solution is prevention. Work on this as soon as you notice the dog showing interest its feces. Early intervention gets quicker results. Do not allow your dog to have access to it’s feces. This can be accomplished by vigilance and immediately picking up the feces and disposing of it. After your dog has been fully housetrained and the habit has died out, then you will only have to pick up after him once a day.
If you witness your dog ‘s interest peaked by it’s feces, use a very loud voice to detract him from his intended mission. Finally teach him the command “drop it”. I was so happy that my dog had mastered going outside to eliminate, but much to my horror she was trying to bring back into the house what she had eliminated outside! We both learned the “drop it” command real quick.
The interest in this habit will fade after a while as the dog has been prevented from consuming.
There are products you can purchase that are designed to help with this problem and some home remedies. I have tried some, but not had much success with them. I include them here for you to try at your own discretion,
“Deter”( tablets) you can conceal in their food or hide in a treat.
“ Forbid”
“S.E.P.” (stop eating poop) a product from Solid Gold
Home Remedies: Try adding one of the following to their food, (it is suppose to make the feces taste undesirable to them).
Adolph’s Meat Tenderizer
Zucchini
Pineapple
A few tablespoons of canned Pumpkin. (I have had the most success with canned pumpkin. You can give them a couple of tablespoons of pure pumpkin or bake it in a dog treat for them.)
Cantaloupe
Here are a few suggestions from fellow Shih Tzu owners:
Tabasco Sauce:
Not recommended for dogs younger than 6 months old, and probably should be used only when all else has failed. Bait the feces with a good dose of Tabasco sauce, and leave it accessible to the dog. This usually provides good results, since ingesting it once usually deters your dog for months. Repeat if the habit should appear again. Or you can use dried red pepper flakes, the kind used on pizza
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Training your dog to eat slower:
The theory here is that dogs eat their poop when they eat too fast, and the food does not have time to digest, so when they poop after they eat, the poop is like fresh dog food for him.To remedy this, start out by giving him a tiny bit of food in his bowl.After he has finished this give him a little bit more, then again and again, until he has eaten all his food. This should teach him to slowdown when eating, and he won’t be tempted to eat his own poop. If this doesn’t work give him cantaloupe in his food.
The Reward system:
Here is how we used the reward system in getting our dog to stop eating it’s feces. When she went and didn’t eat her feces we rewarded her with a treat. When she went and did eat her poop and we caught her, she got no treat. She soon got the picture. This did not change over night, it took several months with close monitoring. This system was also used for a urinating problem, and worked for that as well.
As with all things concerning Shih Tzu, patience and perseverance is key in helping your Shih Tzu overcome this habit. Most Shih Tzu simply outgrow it.
