Back again with another query re my 10.5 weeks old GS puppy.

I live on a farm, and we have a house horse. Since getting the puppy, I've banned the horse from the inner yard.

My issue/question is, do I have to worry about this? Will she grow out of it? Should I be supplementing her diet with vegetables?

Sasha just LOVES eating the horse poo, dried out or just fresh, she eats it with relish and gusto. Rather than diminishing over the weeks, it's like it's become her favourite food. She even eats it just after being fed, so it's not due to hunger. It is all I can do not to vomit. If she's on leash she will do anything to get at the horse poo, and she spends the time straining and choking. I've cleared an area in the inner garden, so she can go off leash, that's not too bad, but then she scrapes and eats the dirt where is has been, or any dried up remnants she can find.

She appears completely well, and is getting her worming treatment. However, on occasion her poo is just like horse poo - but a different shape - eewwww. Smells absolutely disgusting too, and I'm on a farm!!

The breeder insisted I feed her the Hills science diet large puppy diet, and I supplement this with some raw egg, or fish, or meat. Should I be giving her vegetables?

She's your dog so if you want to feed her a good quality diet, which Science Diet is definitely NOT, I would choose one (checknout the dog food analysis site if you are going to feed kibble and/or canned)and transition her to a better food.

If you want to feed raw many of us here feed raw and can answer questions.

As far as eating horse poop goes, it's perfectly natural. When I lived in WY, the dog I had then would follow the cows to grab a "snack (YUCK!)whenever he got the chance.

While I would not allow her to do it, don't overworry about it either. Just start working on a strong leave it and supervise her when she's out with you. keep her on a long line so you can re-direct her as needed.

I have any where from 6 to 12 horses on my farm.
I have one poop adict. Horse paddock and box are off limit. Poop in arena gets pick up.

I can limit access to poop. I have tried a mussle and a e-collar ( your is too young for e-collar at the moment) 3 months of e-collar and one week out of it and the darn dog will snatch some here and there.

He is raw feed, I have try more veggie, nothing seem to work when he is a free time. When he is working or playing he can run right over a pile and not look at it.

My Dal was a poop eater too when I first took her down to the barn at ten weeks old!

I worried about worms....and learned that everyone else on the farm with a dog was worming their dog every two weeks!

I am not sure if that is what other people with this problem do or even what the recommendation for a puppy would be on this issue. As it was, I trained "leave it" and always had treats on hand to substitute for the poop! She learned very quickly that liver was better than poop!

Last week I did take stool samples to the vet just to have a check and she was clear of all parasites.

Look on the bright side. I had a sheltie years ago that would roll joyously in cow patties, then eat horse poo. When she'd get back in the house, she tended to vomit the horse poo. Heaven forbid I'd be stupid enough to put her in the truck before she purged. (I learned a valuable lesson - frisbees can catch vomited poo and clean up better then cloth truck seats).

(I'm gagging on the memories of it!)
RIP, Chatter - I still miss you.

I live on a farm too. My puppies have always eaten horse poop. I certainly discourage it, but micromanaging the consumption of every little thing they find on a farm, from dead stuff to stool to sticks to spilled feed etc. etc.is impossible.
Eventually most learn for themselves. Sometimes there is some vomiting in the process.
Part of becoming an adult farm dog is learning what is edible and what is not.

I dont live on a farm but when my gsd was walked near a horse riding center he used to eat the horse dung to.That was back when he was a pup,i think he stopped doing it when he was just under a year old. He never looks at it now,i think its just a puppy thing and your gsd will grow out of it.

Thank-you so much for sharing your information It is a relief to know that I'm not alone with some kind of crazy dog!

Unfortunately they don't all grow out of it. Mine is 2+ and the other 11+ and they still like to eat it. Pastures are off limits, and we keep it cleaned up from anywhere else when the horses come out. That takes care of the majority of it.

Mine is also 2 and she just thinks that chicken poo looks and tastes like candy. Than she want to kiss me...