Potatoes to discourage coprophagia??



Member Since
Barked: Tue Oct 23, '12 2:05pm PST 
Two out of three of my dogs are hard-boiled poop-eaters. Especially in winter when they ar nice and crunchy. Booo! Years ago an old farmer hanging around at the Co-op suggested adding cooked potatoes to their food to curtail the behavior. My question is, are potatoes a suitable starch to add to homemade food, and has anyone had success with this?

Mr. Personality
Barked: Fri Dec 14, '12 6:25am PST 
There are two supplements I recommend for Coprophagia: Only Natural Pet Ultimate Daily Canine Vitamins Plus and Only Natural Pet GI Support. Eduardo is on both of these supplements. They help a dog to better digest and absorb the nutrition in their food. I do not see how potatoes could possibly help with this problem. Dogs have absolutely no need for starch in their diet.
Vance CGC

You kids g'off- my lawn!
Barked: Fri Dec 14, '12 7:30am PST 
You can feed potatoes, but they aren't the best thing... They're pretty sugary and a lot of people report worsening of joint problems on potato-based diets. You should also be aware that if they have sprouted at all, the sprouts are extremely poisonous.

The only reason I've fed potatoes is if they're leftover and no one wants them, or they're cheap - I've bought potatoes for less than 25 cents/lb. But I don't make a habit of it.

I don't see how it would do anything for coprophagia. If anything, you're adding more indigestible matter that's going to make their poo smell even more appetizing.

ETA: Wow, sorry, didn't realize this was a wicked necropost...

Edited by author Fri Dec 14, '12 7:32am PST


Toto, CD, RN, CGC

We don't do- doodles!!!
Barked: Fri Dec 14, '12 12:42pm PST 
Vance, guess you forgot it's Friday, beginning of the Zombie weekend???

How You Doin'?
Barked: Fri Dec 14, '12 2:15pm PST 
Toto, Friday is when the "experts on everything" come out. wink
Tiller- (Skansen's- Ira in the M

I DO Exist...To- Drive You Batty
Barked: Sun Dec 16, '12 4:07pm PST 
I think that is because we have an "Only Natural" sales rep on board laugh out loud

Chihuahua +- Shiba Inu =- Chiba Inu???
Barked: Tue Dec 18, '12 3:31pm PST 
Potatoes are a good starch to add to a home cooked diet. They aren’t exactly THE BEST thing in the world to feed a dog, but they are much better than grains. I’ve never heard of them preventing coprophagia, however. There are many different reasons why a dog might consume feces, so it’s not really a one size fits all approach.