How do I stop my dog from eating poop?  Believe it or not, I’m asked this question A LOT.

It’s one of the grossest parts of raising a dog… especially when they try to lick your face (yeah, gross!).

Most pet parents assume it’s a symptom of a vitamin deficiency, but experts haven’t found any evidence that dogs look for minerals left behind in their droppings.

The truth is, it’s probably an ancestral behavior.

In the wild, mothers will eat their stool — as well as their pups’ — to avoid leaving a scent that could tip off their prey. Meanwhile, male dogs will eat other dogs’ poo to keep the scent off their territory and maintain dominance.

Now for the good news: I can help you stop this stinky behavior!

First of all, I recommend picking up after your dog as quickly as possible. In some cases, this will be enough, and they will simply grow out of it on their own.

Another option is to try sprinkling something spicy, bitter, or sour over your dog’s poop in the yard.

What are your thoughts on raw food?

As you know, wolves and other ancient dogs weren’t living in cozy three-bedroom homes with a full kitchen and stove.

Raw food is their natural diet.

In a domesticated world, though, it can be dangerous to feed your dog a raw diet.

Think about how you prepare chicken for your family. Everything you do — from the way you store, prepare, and cook the meat — is done to avoid getting sick from bacteria like salmonella, E. coli and listeria, right?

Well, the meat in mass-produced raw diets run the same exact risk for your dog.

In fact, many brands have posted multiple recalls of their raw recipes for this reason.

That’s why I formulated Optimum — to deliver a high-quality raw diet that is safe, 100% of the time. My team developed methods to freeze-dry and use high-pressure processing to ensure every morsel is safe for your dog.

You see? When done properly, a raw diet can be healthy and beneficial.

Like most things in pet parenting, it just comes down to doing your homework.

Can dogs be gluten-intolerant?

Ah, gluten. It’s a big topic right now — when it comes to the health of humans AND the pets.

Here’s the thing… Any dog can be allergic to anything. So it’s possible that your dog is allergic to gluten.

However, it’s not as common as you’d think.

When it comes to grains, dogs are most often allergic to corn and/or wheat — not gluten.

If you’re concerned about your dog experiencing the adverse effects of allergies, talk to your veterinarian. They’ll likely suggest that you try an elimination diet to narrow down the potential allergens.

From my pack to yours,

Dr. Jeff Werber, DVM

Join Dr Jeff’s Facebook Group!

P.S. As I write this, I realize that I’m NOT done talking to you about grains. The truth is, grains and gluten have become a hot topic in the last few years, and there’s a lot of misinformation going around.

Stay tuned for my next newsletter, where I’ll break down some of the most common myths about grains and gluten in pet food…

…and I promise, some of them WILL surprise you.

We love Dr. Werber!  Woof, Remy and Louie
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