dog eating other dogs feces

Question
I read your answer to the owner of the golden retriever eating its own feces.  I too give my dogs Iams weight control. I give my lab 1 cup in the morning and 1 in the evening and put about a tablespoon of plain fat free yogurt on top.   she has always been a very hungry greedy dog.  I have 4 dogs and she is now eating the other dogs feces.  she will even wait while they are going so that she can go and eat it right away.  but she is defecating a lot more and she has even vomited all the feces, in the house.  There has to be something to do for this.  the things that you can put on their food does not work.  I have thought about getting a shock collar and watching her, I have thought about getting a muzzle so she can go out but not eat the feces.  But, I am at my wits end, I really want to help her. I thought your idea of a different food sounded good.  but i will have to break her from this first, right?  She just has always been such a hungry, greedy dog.  but is very good otherwise.  Please help.

Answer
Hi Lynn,

The absolute best method of stopping your dog from eating feces, is to pick up the waste, and dispose of it. Prevention works 100% of the time.

The increased defecating and vomiting might be due to a couple of factors. The new diet probably have more fiber than her previous diet, the feces that she's eating might not agree with her, and the new diet has corn as a major ingredient. Corn is hard for dogs to digest, not to mention it's a cheap filler that shouldn't be amongst the primary ingredients in a dog's diet.  One weight control diet to consider is Wellness Supermix 5 Healthy Weight.  You can compare the ingredients in different brands of dog foods here:

http://www.naturapet.com/tools/comparison.asp

You didn't mention whether or not you've increased your dog's daily exercise as a way of reducing her weight.  If you just let your dog outside in a fenced yard, rather than walking her, that doesn't count as exercise. Just one extra leashed walk each day can really help!

Getting a lighter food might be leaving your dog hungrier than she was before. Increasing the amount of fiber your dog gets can help her feel fuller, without adding fat to her diet, and might help stop the feces eating.

Apple is high in fiber and other nutrients. Remove the seeds and core (apple seeds contain cyanide which can be harmful to dogs). A spoonful of unsweetened applesauce is a great kibble topper. Start with small amounts and experiment to see what works best with the dog. Too much, especially in the beginning can cause diarrhea.

Add a sprinkle of bran to the dog food. Rice bran, wheat bran and oat bran are all high in fiber, you could also use a bran breakfast cereal.

Spoon unseasoned canned pumpkin on dog food. Use only canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Use up to a tablespoon for a medium to large dog, again start out using less, and work up to an amount your dog will tolerate.

Fix brown rice for a family meal and save leftovers for the dog. Brown rice has three times the fiber of white rice. Spoon a little brown rice as a topper onto the dog kibble.

Mix healthy vegetables in the dog food or use them as treats. Many dogs LOVE carrot sticks, peas or green beans. Do not use canned vegetables as they are often high in sodium which can be harmful. Frozen mixed vegetables low in sodium are handy and can be quickly thawed or cooked.

Best of luck,
Patti