My puppy eats his poop. Is it because of his new homemade food?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poop eating is usually behavioral or a taste preference. I do not recommend feeding raw especially home made. Home made raw runs the risk of being deficient in nutrients and not appropriately balanced. Raw runs the risk of food born illnesses in the dog and human (salmonella). You can try changing puppy foods and supplementing with a vitamin but it usually isn't due to diet. I would walk Lisa and immediately pick up her stool. have her learn the "leave it" and "come" commands so you can distract her from eating the stool. I like the muzzle gentle leader harnesses as they make it easy to pull the face away from things. Overall it is a disgusting habit that has to be managed by the owner. I wish you and Lisa the best!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center! Stool eating, also known as coprophagy, is actually quite common in puppies and in many adult dogs too. In fact, if not addressed in a timely manner, there's a risk that this unwanted behavior may end up becoming a recurring habit. There are many theories and potential reasons why dogs decide to eat their feces. These include poor digestion, boredom, stress, attention seeking, and a lack of vitamins/minerals in the diet. The latter is highly unlikely if you're feeding your dog a high quality commercial food, since these generally provide all the nutrients your dog needs. The effective way to deal with this behavior depends on the exact cause. So, it's always recommended to consult with your veterinarian.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bentley. Puppies can have a poor appetite due to the stress of coming to a new home. This will typically only last 24 or so hours though. In your case, Bentley may be more accustomed to the raw diet and be wanting that type of food. However, raw food is not an appropriate diet for a growing puppy. It will not be nutritionally balanced to support his growth and development. Imbalances in the calcium and phosphorus ratio can lead to significant bone development problems. Furthermore, raw diets contain a high risk of Salmonella poisoning for both you and Bentley. I recommend that Bentley sees his veterinarian for a new puppy examination and to assess the cause of the diarrhea. This can be contributing to his poor appetite. You can discuss the best diet options for him. In the meantime, try canned puppy food as this may appeal to him. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Charlie Boy. This is a common habit in puppies. Many dogs will outgrow the behavior as they age. In the meantime, scoop the yard as frequently as possible. You can also try applying Forbid powder to his food. This can help to break the habit. Eating his feces can place him at a higher risk for reinfection himself with parasites. I hope this information helps!

Your dog should be on puppy food for at least the first year of his life. I worry that he's not getting the right balance of nutrient in the diet you're giving him now and that can lead to a number of health problems now and in the future. If you want to continue to make his food at home, ask your veterinarian for advice, find out if there is a veterinary nutritionist you can consult with for a recipe that will meet his nutritional needs or go to the website for the American College of Veterinary Nutritionists and consult with one there. http://www.acvn.org/

Hill's puppy food is a complete puppy food and you do not need to supplement it. You should feed the puppy food for the correct size (as an adult) of your puppy. Do not let her eat her poop. It is a bad habit, likely because it smells a bit like her food. Pick up the poop immediately after she eliminated it.

Sadly, there isn't a great way to stop this gross behavior. There are products that are just really high amounts of MSG, that sometimes make the stool less appealing to dogs, but I don't love that idea for puppies (or really any dog). For the litter box, you need to block Gretchen's assess to it and for eating her own stool, try to take her for walks for her bowel movements whatever possible so you can pick it up right away. You can offer a high value treat right after a bowel movement when walking so she learns to look for that special treat instead of turning around to instantly eat the feces. To be honest, it's not a habit that is easy to break. As far as the diet question, there is actually increasing evidence that grain-free diets may be harmful, so I recommend staying away from them and feeding a regular high quality puppy diet. Royal Canin, Hills, and Purina are all good brands.