Stop Your Pet from Eating Manure

Animals will eat almost anything and that includes manure. Yes, these unsightly and unpleasing habits can be very common among pets, cats will eat from their own litter box ingredient and dogs will take a bite out of their own pile of manure and even other dogs' mess. Why? Some vets think that animals eat dung because of boredom or they may not be getting enough nutrients from their food. Others, for some strange reason, just like to eat dung. Dogs seem to engage in this behavior more than cats. Although dung eating will not lead to a health problem or is the cause of one, it can cause your pet to have an awful smell and not pleasant to be around.

To stop your pet from eating manure, try these helpful tips. Vets believe for some pets the reason behind eating manure is because of a lack of nutrients in their diets. Give your pet some multivitamins but check with your vet to see what minerals and nutrients your pet is lacking. You may also want to look into feeding your pet a different type of pet food. Another way to stop your pet from eating dung is to take away the temptation. Move your cat's litter box somewhere that will be difficult for them to find and be sure to clean up your dog's mess to prevent them from sniffing and eating it. You can also cover the manure so they can't get into it so easily.

A good way to stop your pet from eating manure is to spice it up. Dab some spices on your pet's waste on a consistent basis for a good period of time, the spicy taste will definitely stop your pet from wanting to eat dung. Pets hate the taste of anything spicy, so you can dab some pepper, cayenne, or even hot sauce to do the job. A product called, ForBid, which is a powder that gives things a taste dogs hate, is available at the vet and pet stores. This product may take a little longer than the spice trick but eventually your dog will stop eating dung for more pleasant tasting substances.

You can also purchase a special remote control collar that activates a high-pitched sound, which will deter your pet, every time they go hunting for manure. After a few times of this high-pitch irritating sound, your pet will want to stay away from manure. You can always use discipline whenever your pet starts wandering toward the unpleasant dung, say to him with a firm no, after a few firm no's, your pet should get the message.

A couple of more things you can do to stop your pet from eating manure is to give them plenty of toys and treats to keep their attention. Some pets take up their dung eating habits when they are bored. The more toys to chew on, the less time they will have to develop manure eating habits. Also, if you keep your pet in a crate be sure to clean it out often. Dogs hate to sleep next to their own mess, the only way for them to keep their crates clean is to eat it their mess that's in the way.