Why do dogs.....

[BayleeVet2B]

Following along in the "Why do cats?" thread......

Why do dogs eat the poop out of the litter box before you can get in there and scoop it out? What is the attraction????

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[Pomona2006]

Wow...I haven't experienced this yet (as I don't currently own a dog) but my cat is toilet trained, so I hope when I get a dog, the dog doesn't go fishing her poop out of the toilet...eek!

 

[Truth74]

On the same vein, why do some dogs eat other dogs poo and not their own?

I have the gross answer for the kitty litter thing. Kitty Litter is crunchy. Cat poo smells like food... Crunchy, chewy food. Just don't let them do it a lot.

 

[LVT2DVM]

Totally understand why they want to do it, but WHY! do they feel the need to share by licking you right in the face as soon as they eat the poo! GRROOSS

And why must they continue to shake off the water shed during their baths. I mean Im just gonna put more water on ya until the soap is gone, might as well just sit there and get it overwith and have a major shake when its all done.....just wait until I get out of the way first!

 

[HopefulAg]

Why do dogs eat the poop out of the litter box before you can get in there and scoop it out? What is the attraction????

I was told that the cat's food is sweeter than dog food thus the feces are as well but I was also under the impression that the body reabsorbs the majority of glucose, so I'm not sure how valid that explanation is.

Totally understand why they want to do it, but WHY! do they feel the need to share by licking you right in the face as soon as they eat the poo! GRROOSS

Instincts I guess. You're the pack leader, they found food, they come to tell you. Or, they found food, they want more, so they come to lick the pack leader's face to let them know they're still hungry. Something like that.



Why do dogs insist on taking their sweet time going to the bathroom in the winter but in the summer it's an in-and-out operation?

 

[InfiniVet]

Cat feces are "black gold" to dogs because the feline diet has higher protein than dogs, and the undigested protein well, makes cat poop taste like filet mignon.

 

[BayleeVet2B]

Cat feces are "black gold" to dogs because the feline diet has higher protein than dogs, and the undigested protein well, makes cat poop taste like filet mignon.

That must be it...because since our cat has been on prescription diet cd food for his kidney stones...the 2 dogs have been lovin'...I can't get to the litter box fast enough!

 

[twelvetigers]

On the contrary, my dog doesn't even WANT to poo when it's cold, she just wants back inside. It's a battle just to make her do it, because we KNOW she has to...

I have one top-entry litter box and another on a "kitchen cart" from Wal-Mart in order to keep miss thang from having any snacks. She will, however, follow one of our cats after she's gotten out of the box and attempt to "clean up" anything that's left... back there... gross.

Mmm, coprophagy!

 

[VeganChick]

Then why does my dog eat my other dog's poo?

 

[mistifical]

There's a reason that one of the nicknames for my pups is pooper-scoopers

Aaaand there's nothing like having clay cat litter caked in your teeth?

And poopsicles are delicious in the winter?

 

[hopefulvet21]

my lab brings a pillow or a shoe to me or anyone in my family when we come home from being out...is it a gift? no because we try to take it and he wont let us have it. I've heard of other people's dogs doing this, what's the deal?

 

[KKibo]

my lab brings a pillow or a shoe to me or anyone in my family when we come home from being out...is it a gift? no because we try to take it and he wont let us have it. I've heard of other people's dogs doing this, what's the deal?

Are there more pillows/shoes where it came from (I'd assume yes)...If it seems like he or she isn't playing then the dog probably wants to show you the source so you can have one aswell.

Anyone have a dog that will spin in circles over and over (I swear mine does it almost thirty times) to find the exact freaking milimeter to poop on?

 

[PhunkeyPhish]

The simple answer is cause a dog is a dog and dogs are gross animals, even though some people kiss them on the mouth and dress them up in clothes. My dog eats any kind of poop he can find, his, the other dog's, the cats', the birds', the rabbits', and he loves toe nails too!

 

[Groominator]

my lab brings a pillow or a shoe to me or anyone in my family when we come home from being out...is it a gift? no because we try to take it and he wont let us have it. I've heard of other people's dogs doing this, what's the deal?

One of my dogs does something like this. Except with a squeaky. When someone comes home he frantically runs to the nearest toy that's lying around (sometimes there's two next to each other and he has to decide for a moment which one to grab). And he runs around squeaking it while the person is taking off their coat/shoes. Of course he doesn't offer the toy. If you want it, you have to catch him first and then get it from him. He's an Italian Greyhound btw.

Behavior-wise it seems like a regular play invitation. Sometimes dogs will grab a toy in front of another dog and do a "can't catch me" routine. My guy does this regularly as a play invite, so it seems like an extension of it when he does it to someone coming home.

 

[MaChien]

Are there more pillows/shoes where it came from (I'd assume yes)...If it seems like he or she isn't playing then the dog probably wants to show you the source so you can have one aswell.

Anyone have a dog that will spin in circles over and over (I swear mine does it almost thirty times) to find the exact freaking milimeter to poop on?

yes. our family dog (a cairn terrier) does this. its annoying at -30 degrees. She also is a prima donna, she hates being wet, she walks around puddles, and wimpers if we take her for a walk in the rain, she will go out in the snow, but she never has more than three legs on the ground at a time. We call it her ice-feet dance. she is a baby. She also rubs her body on carpet/bedding/the wall, after bath time until she is completely dry.

 

[Pomegranate]

Why do dogs, or should I say my dog (the cute one in the picture), like to rub her face and neck in poo? She does it with any kind, horse, cow, and other dog's. It is so disgusting! I don't understand why she would want to smell like that. And the thing is, she doesn't just do it with any poo she comes across so just when I let my gaurd down cause she hasn't done it in a while, she'll find the greatest smelling poo and get it all over her. Yuch!

 

[PicklePie]

Then why does my dog eat my other dog's poo?

From what I understand, it's typically an issue with either the diet of your dog or the diet of the dog that pooped. InfiniVet mentioned undigested protein in cat poop, there could be something that isn't easily digested by your dogs so it passes through and attracts their attention. My vet is big on nutrition, he won't touch science diet, and he mentioned that some flavor additives aren't very digestible. They go right through and make for tasty poop. It really depends on what they're eating to start with.

Or they just really like poop, it could be a behavior issue rather than medical.

And if you think that's gross, rats have to rely on coprophagy to fully digest their food. The first time you catch a rat in the act of eating out of his own butt, it is a bit unnerving.

 

[oilidigigoat]

yumm..cat poo. My dogs love it. Once in the park my dog stepped in another dogs poo..then jumped up on me and got poo all over my shirt. I almost vomited. I have to turn my shirt around so the poo was on my back so I couldn't smell it as much. The gross thing about dogs eating cat poop is that is smells sooooooo bad. Then they have poo breath....grosssss.

 

[cowgirla]

Why do dogs, or should I say my dog (the cute one in the picture), like to rub her face and neck in poo? She does it with any kind, horse, cow, and other dog's. It is so disgusting! I don't understand why she would want to smell like that. And the thing is, she doesn't just do it with any poo she comes across so just when I let my gaurd down cause she hasn't done it in a while, she'll find the greatest smelling poo and get it all over her. Yuch!

At least it's only poo! My dog's preferred cologne is rotting dead animal. Snakes are her favorite with mice in a close second. Although, the one time we came across a deer carcass, I swear she was in heaven. I had to drag her away. She LOVES to roll in anything stinky and "disguise" herself. To them, it smells good and natural. They want to blend in with their surroundings, and the best way to do that is rub the scent in deep!

 

[badcats]

Why do barn dogs love hoof trimmings? We used to call them "corgi treasure" because the dogs got so excited whenever the farrier came and would wait for big pieces to be left behind.

 

[twelvetigers]

Haha, I missed out on the hoof trimmings, but when we did a castration there was always a dog nearby that was more than happy to get a treat... or two...

 

[HurricaneKatt]

Why do dogs always insist on sitting down right next to you and licking their private areas as Loudly and sloppily as they possibly can? Disgusting! haha Our Great Dane does it and the sound of her Huge floppy tongue grosses me out.
P.S. Don't mind the heading haha Sorry, I accidentally reversed my posts....

 

[twelvetigers]

...you post that after a post in which I reference feeding farm dogs the testicles from a castration? In a thread that's main topic thus far has been coprophaghy?

*wrinkles nose*

 

[HurricaneKatt]

...you post that after a post in which I reference feeding farm dogs the testicles from a castration? In a thread that's main topic thus far has been coprophaghy?

*wrinkles nose*

*shrugs* Sorry. I didn't read the whole thread, just the first few posts and that "Why do dogs..." popped in my head and I didn't want to forget it before I get back to my homework! haha

 

[twelvetigers]

No big deal, just found it a bit random.

 

[sunshinevet]

One time, I was helping a 5th year remove a cows eyeball, and we hit a bleeder. Cauterized and everything was fine, but there was a bit of a puddle of blood congealing in front of us... and a dog came along and ate the lot. Half an hour later, the dog went inside the house and vomited all the nice semi-congealed blood... over white carpet...

 

[Armymutt25A]

I want to know why my golden retriever will not shake off in the shower with the curtain closed, no matter how long I keep him there, but the second all four paws are on the bathroom floor, he covers the walls in water. We're learning though. My wife made the mistake of putting him outside to dry - he started using the ground as a towel. I live in the sandhills of NC - my yard to the opposite of most places - weeds with grass here and there.

 

[Angelo84]

I want to know why my golden retriever will not shake off in the shower with the curtain closed, no matter how long I keep him there, but the second all four paws are on the bathroom floor, he covers the walls in water. We're learning though. My wife made the mistake of putting him outside to dry - he started using the ground as a towel. I live in the sandhills of NC - my yard to the opposite of most places - weeds with grass here and there.

If you really want to you could train a shake command. Then you can ask him to shake off in the shower. Have fun!

 

[Armymutt25A]

If you really want to you could train a shake command. Then you can ask him to shake off in the shower. Have fun!

He'll shake off in the shower, but not enough to get all the water off. It's like he's not satisfied unless he has done it in the tub, the bathroom, and the bedroom. Very annoying, but he doesn't mind.

 

[loveoforganic]

My lab will chase a thrown toy, then demand to be chased rather than retrieving (unless you force him to by command, but that's no fun). Oh well, so much for an easy way to run the dog tired!

 

[georgie339]

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[eventualeventer]

My dog brings me leaves if she is outside Nice...

My old cat ("Meatbag", long story) would bring us big magnolia leaves that she had "killed" and present them to us. The other cat satisfies herself with occasionally bringing us toy mice. The new cat brought us one mouse but mostly she just brings us dirt - she likes to roll on the ground and come in with mud streaks on her back.

The simple answer is cause a dog is a dog and dogs are gross animals, even though some people kiss them on the mouth and dress them up in clothes. My dog eats any kind of poop he can find, his, the other dog's, the cats', the birds', the rabbits', and he loves toe nails too!

Ha, true.

 

[twelvetigers]

Meatbag and flealoaf? Or was that someone else?

 

[eventualeventer]

Meatbag and flealoaf? Or was that someone else?

Yup, that was me. Or, rather, my dad, but I stopped resisting and the names stuck. AKA "White Cat" and "Black Cat". My sister and I named them Tiger (for a sort-of stripey calico) and Laura (as in Laura Ingalls Wilder - I loved those books and, being a 5 year old, I was not very creative), but for some reason those names never really got used. The new cat's name is Cicely, TYVM.

I used to know two very sweet and pampered barn cats who were named Spike and Killer in hopes that it would inspire them to make a dent in the mouse population.

 

[eventualeventer]

Wow...I haven't experienced this yet (as I don't currently own a dog) but my cat is toilet trained, so I hope when I get a dog, the dog doesn't go fishing her poop out of the toilet...eek!

Is that like bobbing for apples? (ducks and runs out of the room)

 

[twelvetigers]

Hey, as names go, I rather like Meatbag and Flealoaf. Much better than Pookie or whatever.

Bobbing for... oh. Eww!

 

[Harumph]

On the same vein, why do some dogs eat other dogs poo and not their own?

Mine used to eat her own poop. It was horrifying. I think she was housebroken too harshly and decided that if anyone found poop anywhere, she would get in trouble. And I guess that was the best way to cover up what she'd done. Still though, awful.

Luckly she snapped out of it pretty quick. To this day she won't go to the bathroom on a leash, though. Which is actually kinda nice.

My cats always bring me live mice... and then drop them on the living room floor and let them scurry away. Wish they were more like "Meatbag," haha. Leaves would be much easier to deal with.

 

[eventualeventer]

Hey, as names go, I rather like Meatbag and Flealoaf. Much better than Pookie or whatever.

Thanks, I'm never quite sure how people will react to those names. They might think I'm weird or something, which is TOTALLY not true.