My dog eats poo when my DH is away

[blackandwhitestripes]

My male dog (I have 4) he's a large breed and 3 years old.

I've noticed a really odd behaviour, and just linked it to when my DH is away on business.

My dog wakes at night more than normal and starts to eat poo from the garden?

I've been wondering if it's a change in food or all kinds of things and have just realised he did this last time my DH was away?

Is it stress? It's really odd as I'm his walker, feeder and WFH human. So he seems to behave differently when DH is away even though DH isn't here during day times etc?

Has anyone else had this, any tips how to stop him, it's pretty gross as his breath stinks.

I will clear the smaller garden but having 4 dogs it's tricky to get every one as we have paddocks.

Does your husband feeds him treats or snacks in the evening? He may be hungry and use to getting some food.

No he's the strict one and the dogs don't get many snacks treats as a rule. They can get tubby quickly.

Would you say poo eating is mostly hunger linked? I could give him an extra supper scoop of biscuits this evening maybe.

My male dog was doing this.

Its habit and once they start the only way to break the habit is to make sure you go out with them and pick up any poo straight away so it's not available.

We did this and also caught him in the act after sneaking up on him and told him no firmly a few times and it's worked

Ours have their own designated area to go in and sometimes it's hard if your letting them out first thing or when your trying to do anything else but it's the only way it worked.

Were they doing it all the time? Or just on occasion.

Great advice.

I'm going out tomorrow to do a full clear, and will be going with him from no on, I'll be interested to see if he stops when dad is home?

Maybe he's stressed?

Started on occasion but then became every time I'd missed a poo left by one of the others

I spoke to the vet and two behaviourists and they all said it's not stress related just habit and once they start they don't stop

I've got to say I was very firm when catching him out and telling him off for it so he understood it was naughty.

My dogs are a breed that are the least stressed you could possibly get.
They're upside down on the sofas probably about 22 hours a day

I thought dogs were supposed to be clever - eating their own shight (or that if their siblings etc) Dear me! You’d think the taste would prevent them doing it, you must have to keep your eyes open when they’re out and about as if they’ll eat poo for fun they can’t be fussy 🤮

It could be stress, especially as he also doesn't sleep as much while your husband is away.

The only way to stop it is to go out behind the dogs every time and pick up all the poo, or to fence off a small area he can have "free access" to that's easy for you to keep clean.