Puppy eating cat poo!

[OnlyTheDepthVaries]

Help. We have a 16 week old labrador who has already had two bouts of diarrhoea - vet diagnosed a parasite (giardia?) so she is being treated with pancur for this. Meanwhile, she is a serial eater of cat poo. She will hunt it down and wolf it down as quickly as she can. It is foul! And possibly full of parasites.
So, I can't get rid of the many visiting cats, the garden is large and unkempt (we have just moved to old house with big garden to do up). How do I stop here eating the poo? Is my only option always to keep her on a lead in the garden?

Dogs are gross hope you find a solution.

Our lab is 14 weeks and has the same vile habit. No suggestions I'm afraid but I'll be watching this thread in case anyone else has some!

Hello

My boy is nearly a year old and still eats any poo he can find it is revolting. I keep him on a lead in the garden or check the cat poo hot spots before he goes out. But on walks he finds it all. Horse, cat, rabbit, sheep, fox and any other poo that takes his fancy gets gobbled up.

I have found the less attention I give it the less he eats. I used to tell him off and wave him away from it but it became a bit of a game with him.

I'm hoping he will grow out of it. Luckily he doesn't eat his own or other dogs poo.

Good luck!

Our dogs have always eaten cat poo, it seems to be quite a delicacy for them, nothing deters them

Bit like a public service really isn't it.

I've never found a solution other than clean up as much as you can find of it in your own garden.
I've also heard it's a delicacy,especially if frozen

Yep mine eats it too. Bloody disgusting.

Mine's 7 and still does it. Saves me having to touch it. Just make your you don't let him pick your face after!

Lick not pick! Though picking probably not advised either...

Yep, dogs love cat poo. I imagine it's because it's tastes of cat food and dogs generally love that too.

When I got my dog as a puppy I had two old cats so had litter trays in the house. It was a constant race between the dog and me to see who could get to the litter tray first. I became very fast in the end because it turned my stomach every time; sadly cats are dead now so no more poo eating in our house.

I fear there's very little you can do about it OP. As pp said just don't let the dog lick your face, cat poo breath is not pleasant, as I probably don't have to tell you.

It's totally normal for a lab. Sorry.

I'm afraid that labs tend to eat anything they find. Your best bet is probably to keep her on a lead or long line. Or fit her for a muzzle. Certain substances were recommended to me for deterring food thievery and I can assure you that none of them will work on a retriever breed. In particular, mustard, chilli and most similar substances are just eaten up with enthusiasm. Better to limit her access.

On a more hopeful note, my ddog hasn't eaten cat poo in years. By the time he was five months old the cats decided to toilet in other gardens where they were less likely to disturbed by an annoying puppy.

Thank-you so much for responding. It seems that I am doomed! My other lab (now 7 years old) isn't fussed by cat poo - but loves a bit of horse or cow! Hideous dogs!!
Poor puppy is quite unwell today - messed her cage last night, lethargic and out of sorts. I'm hoping it is the panacur working its way through....along with the cat poo.
Probably be back to vets again soon.

My springer did it when he was a puppy too.

We used used to have a bit of a face off over the cat litter tray while the poor cat would be sitting in it trying to have a shit in peace. Dirty minger

He hasn't done it for years though

Mmm, cat poo.

I have read that cat poo just smells like cat food to dogs because there's lots of undigested protein in it. It's gross but keeping her away from it is probably your only option.