Your+Dog++May+2019

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Answers

Digging

up trouble!

DOG

64 Your Dog May 2019

BEHAVIOUR BEHAVIOUR

A taste for

cat poo

Q

I have a Yorkshire

Terrier; when

he goes into the

garden and someone’s

cat has been using it as

a toilet, he will try to eat the poo if I am not

quick. If I catch him, he will spit it out when

I tell him to, but the other day I didn’t see

him, and he brought up a large amount of

cat poo and soil in the house. Why does he do

this and is there any way I can stop him? 

Linda Ashcroft, by email.

Tony says: It is thought that some

dogs eat faeces because they are

lacking something in their diet, or it

may be that hunger is driving

the behaviour. Regardless, dogs clearly fi nd it

palatable, while we certainly do not. If this is

a regular habit, he will need to be wormed

regularly as old faeces can contain parasites.

If you catch him in the act, you can use your

‘Spit’ cue, but be sure to reward him afterwards

with a tasty treat. This means that next time you

say ‘Spit’, he will be more likely to drop it and seek

out your treat.

Ensure that your Yorkie is on a quality food

and is in good health. Also, don’t allow him into

the garden if he is hungry. If you can’t stop the

cat from using your garden as a toilet, the best

method is prevention. Before allowing your dog

out to do his business, perform a visual check and

pick up any cat poo you may fi nd. And, for a while,

walk him into the garden on his lead. If he looks

like he has spotted any poo, using the lead, gently

guide him away to another part of the garden.

Prevention should help break the habit.

Q

How do I stop my dogs from digging up the garden and making a mess?

Whenever they go out, they snif about and then start in the l ower beds

(they are both terrier-crosses). How do I go about preventing my l ower

beds becoming full of holes?

Marion Latimer, Midlothian.

Some dogs love to dig.

Many dogs i nd cat

poo irresistible!