The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [35]
This habit could signal a vitamin deficiency in your dog’s diet, so please consult your veterinarian if you suspect that nutrition is involved. Your dog may need to switch to a new diet that is higher in protein, fiber, or fat, or she may need vitamin B supplements. However, there are other reasons that Sassy indulges in such a revolting habit. When taking care of their litters, Sassy’s ancestors learned to ingest stools to keep their dens clean and be less likely to draw the attention of predators. Nursing bitches still clean up their whelping boxes this way when their young puppies are first born.
A second explanation is a matter of taste. Humans find the idea repulsive, but dogs are omnivores (they eat meat and veggies) and their palate differs greatly from ours. Litter box stools probably taste of cat food, which most dogs eat happily.
A third reason is that Sassy might be bored and raiding the litter box just to add some zip to her otherwise mundane day. If this is the case, make sure she has two or more regular daily walks of at least 20 minutes so that she uses up some of that extra energy. Spending a few minutes a day teaching her tricks can counter boredom as well. When you leave her alone, provide a distraction to the lure of the litter box by giving her a rawhide bone or a hollow toy stuffed with treats.
PAW PRINTS
The first dog day care opened in New York City in 1987, created by a frustrated college student looking for a suitable fun place for his puppy while he attended classes. Today, the number of dog day care centers in the United States tops 500.
Whatever the reason, this problem can be conquered. Cats like to have their private places — dog-free zones, if you will. In my own home, I’ve placed the litter boxes in a spare bedroom and blocked access to my dog with a gate at the doorway. The gate is positioned above the floor just enough to allow the cats to slide under or leap over the top, giving them two ways to enter and exit the room. I also keep their food bowls in there, so Chipper can’t snack out of those, either.
I’ve trained Chipper to sit and stay when I enter and exit the cat room. Her politeness is rewarded each morning when I give the cats a dollop of canned food. When I leave, Chipper is patiently awaiting her own dollop, having learned that staying outside this room is worth her while.
Blocking access works until you forget to shut the doggy gate to the cat room. As a final remedy, I also recommend that you step up your “poop patrol” and clean the litter boxes more frequently. Since it can be hard to be vigilant, you might sprinkle some pancreatic enzymes (available at pet supply stores or health stores) on the litter to make the stool taste anything but doggone great to Sassy. This works only if your cats appear to be unbothered by this addition to their litter box and continue using it. You don’t want a sudden litter box boycott by your cats!
Tennis, Anyone?
Q Every morning when I wake up, I can guarantee there will be a smelly, dirty tennis ball on my pillow. If I ignore that ball, I get a wet, cold nose in my face and lots of doggy kisses from Nelly, my year-old yellow Lab. She is a ball nut. When I take her to the local dog park, she ignores all the other dogs and just focuses on fetching ball after ball. I have to end the game after a half-hour because I’m afraid she will run herself to sheer exhaustion. Why is she so consumed with chasing a ball all the time?
A Ah, the art and obsession of the ball chase. I see a lot of dogs fitting Nelly’s actions at the various dog parks in my area. They only have eyes for their favorite toy. When they do come in contact with another dog, they give a quick greeting and go right back to their ball. Some dogs also seem to know which people are the easy marks with the best arms and will use their canine charm to persuade other people to throw the ball when their owner gets tired.
If you think about canine ancestry,