Hello from Winston Salem NC

[Kipawa]

Great to have you here with us! I'd love to see pictures of Gunther!

[sharronhurlbut]

We all look forward to Gunther stories.

[Patty]

Welcome to the three of you.

[lisasocal]

Thanks so much for a such a warm welcome! Gunther's breeder was Sarah Lee at Nocturnal farms in Roxboro, NC. She was great, we met the parents while she was pregnant, then visited again shortly after he was born then she sent us a weekly photo until we brought him home. She was a very responsible breeder.
I was nervous about a puppy since I've always had dogs from shelters and fostered greyhounds for a few years. having a puppy is a whole new experience!!
We are having a couple of issues right now, he is eating his poop…all of the time! and it's not because he's hiding or bored, he really loves the taste of it! So, I started adding pumpkin to his food yesterday, but it hasn't worked yet...I'm going to wait a few days before I try anything else. Any suggestions?
Thanks a to everyone!

[tanza]

@lisasocal:

Thanks so much for a such a warm welcome! Gunther's breeder was Sarah Lee at Nocturnal farms in Roxboro, NC. She was great, we met the parents while she was pregnant, then visited again shortly after he was born then she sent us a weekly photo until we brought him home. She was a very responsible breeder.
I was nervous about a puppy since I've always had dogs from shelters and fostered greyhounds for a few years. having a puppy is a whole new experience!!
We are having a couple of issues right now, he is eating his poop…all of the time! and it's not because he's hiding or bored, he really loves the taste of it! So, I started adding pumpkin to his food yesterday, but it hasn't worked yet...I'm going to wait a few days before I try anything else. Any suggestions?
Thanks a to everyone!

Hopefully your puppy's parents were DNA tested with the Direct Fanconi Test. Their website still shows some of their breeder stock as P.Clear and P.Carrier, so not tested yet with the Direct Fanconi Test. It is highly recommended by the Basenji Club of America that all breeding dogs be tested before breeding with the direct test to assure that Fanconi afflicted dogs will not be produced. If they were not, I would encourage you to have the direct test done. And in fact, I would encourage you to do so regardless.

As far as the poop eating problem, have you taken him to your Vet? Here is a link that gives some illness that can cause a puppy/dog to eat poop.
http://www.dogpoopdiet.com/eating-poop-coprophagia-illness/

[lisasocal]

HI Pat,
Yes, both parents were cleared for Fanconi, I made sure to find a breeder that did that.
I haven't taken him to the vet yet for the poop eating, but was planning to do so if the pumpkin or pineapple doesn't help. Thanks for site, Wow! there's some great info in there!!
Lisa

[lvoss]

Make sure that you contact your breeder. I sent you a private message but the direct test results that she got are not the same as the marker test would have predicted so you may want to get Gunther tested. We are seeing that mutations in the markers that lead to changes from the marker results to the direct test results are inherited so a whole family of dogs can have incorrect results with the marker and need to be retested with the direct test.

[lisasocal]

Wow! Ok, I'll definitely do that! Tests can be done at the vet or is there a specific lab?
This is great to know..I certainly don't want any surprises, although we wouldn't give him back, he's part of our family now.

[tanza]

@lisasocal:

Wow! Ok, I'll definitely do that! Tests can be done at the vet or is there a specific lab?
This is great to know..I certainly don't want any surprises, although we wouldn't give him back, he's part of our family now.

They are done via a check swab that you order at www.offa.org. You then swab the inside of his cheek, transfer that "spit" to the test form and mail it back in. Cost is 65.00.

You may want to reconsider a Vet visit for coprophagia and not wait to see if home remedies work. Just my opinion.

[Patty]

I agree that it's best to get him checked out by a vet for his poop eating before trying additives to his diet. I think it's quite rare to have a medical cause but always best to check.

Not to cast aspersions, but I've seen poop eating develop in puppies of this age in litters that have been reared in less than hygienic conditions. It can get to be a habit and quite difficult to stop. Clear up after him instantly so that he doesn't have time to get to it first. Be vigilant with this and hopoefully he'll lose the habit (if it is one).

Have you consulted his breeder about the problem?

[lisasocal]

@Patty:

I agree that it's best to get him checked out by a vet for his poop eating before trying additives to his diet. I think it's quite rare to have a medical cause but always best to check.

Not to cast aspersions, but I've seen poop eating develop in puppies of this age in litters that have been reared in less than hygienic conditions. It can get to be a habit and quite difficult to stop. Clear up after him instantly so that he doesn't have time to get to it first. Be vigilant with this and hopoefully he'll lose the habit (if it is one).

Have you consulted his breeder about the problem?

No I haven't consulted with the breeder because the problem didn't start until 3 days ago. My nephews basenji was here and Gunther ate her food that entire day, his stools changed and became softer and obviously tastier. I eventually stopped him from eating her food, but the problem had already started. Fortunately, today he hesitated when he smelled his stools so something changed, I'm hoping he'll be back to normal and we won't have this problem again!

[eeeefarm]

I've had a couple of poop eaters…...my current boy, who apparently learned it from his mother, and a Shepherd/Husky cross I once owned that ended up with my sister. (he liked his poop frozen, current boy likes it hot and tasty, right from the source!) It is a nasty habit and hard to break once started. Best to remove the temptation immediately, and/or remove the dog from the area. BTW, I don't know any dogs that don't love cat poop! Good luck with that!

[Patty]

I had assumed that this was an old habit niot just recently. My apologies for the assumption. However the advice is the same watch when he poops and clear up immediately. The habit is probably not yet ingrained and I'm sure won't take as long to cure. Have you seen your vet by the way?

[Buddys Pal]

My new B was eating his poop for awhile too. After two small chunks of pineapple per dinner for about 10 days, he stopped. I think it may have something to do with the pineapple enzymes changing the 'flavor'. He would sniff it and finally leave it. See if it helps….

[tkt]

Hi Lisa,
My husband and I live in Winston Salem, NC and have a 2 year old basenji. We have been trying to find other basenji owners in the area as well, as well as a basenji friend for our dog to play with. I am really excited to know that someone else nearby loves basenjis!