Why is my Pomeranian Eating Poop

Overview

Our Poms are so adorable... So sweet and beautiful... And it can be very disturbing when we see our Pomeranian eat poop.

Not only is this frustrating for owners, it can cause a Pom to pick up parasites and bacteria that cause diarrhea and other illness.

This section will go over the reasons of why a Pom does this and the steps that you can take to stop him or her from doing it. We will look into this in detail to discuss: Is it a habit? Do they really like the taste (Yuck!) ?...

Or are there other reasons?

Reason #1

Not the only reason, but one of the most common, is that a dog will eat his or her own poop (or that of other dogs) due to a lack of certain nutrients in their diet.

When the body craves certain elements, it can make a dog look to other food sources. And if there is nothing else, a dog may eat what he does see, which is his poop.

Therefore, the first thing to do, is to look over what your Pomeranian is actually eating for meals and snacks. There are a lot of manufactured foods, many are really bad nutritionally speaking, some are 'okay', and a few are really great.

When a dog is eating his poop due to a lack of proper nutrition, this is often due to his food containing fillers.

Fillers are cheap ingredients that bulk up food; however, there they hold zero nutritional value and zero calories. Ingesting these types of meals on a regular basis can leave a dog feeling hungry and lacking vitamins and minerals.

Reason #2

The answer to this, for some, is simple curiosity that turns into a habit. Certainly you've heard owners say, "My dog is eat anything!". Well, there are some dogs that will sniff and taste just about anything to answer the questions of "What is this?"...."Is this edible?"..."If so, do I like the taste?"

It's hard to imagine that a dog would like the taste of feces, however depending on what foods were digested and expelled, if a dog is actually eating it, there must be an element that they are finding to their liking.

If a Pomeranian does this just one time and is not taught that it is an unacceptable behavior, he or she may then get into a habit of seeking out poop and eating it. An owner must remember that if a behavior is not corrected, a dog will assume that it is tolerated and acceptable.

How to Stop a Pomeranian From Eating Poop

1) When house training, be sure to choose 1 designated area. Then, within that area, your Pomeranian can choose the exact spot. That will be the bathroom area and should not be used for any other reason such as play or exercise. Once your Pom has gone to the bathroom, scoop up any feces and then lead your Pom away.

2) Keep a close eye on him when you bring him to area where there are other dogs (parks, etc.) since eating the feces of other dogs can lead to a worm infestation.

3) If a Pom really has a bad habit of eating his own poop, there are safe supplements you may wish to try. The idea is that the chew tastes good going in, but it helps to make feces taste really terrible. These types of deterrents seem to be hit or miss; they either work really great for some dogs, or not at all for others. We've found that Naturvet Coprophagia Deterrent Plus Breath Aid Soft Chew

is one of the more effective ones.

4) It may seem odd, but some owners report that Adolphs Meat Tenderizer, Unseasoned - No MSG works well as a deterrent added to food. Be sure to choose the no MSG variety. You sprinkle a bit on each meal, and it may work to make poop taste really bad to a dog.

5) Whenever your see your Pomeranian heading toward any feces, Immediately clap your hands to gain his attention. Refocus his attention elsewhere and reward good behavior.

6) If you have an open space in the yard where you like to allow your dog to run around and play, it is recommended to go outside first to clear the area of any feces. Spraying water on any piles with a garden hose is a quick solution to cleaning poop away as it will dissolve into the soil.