Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Shameful, dirty, humiliating, disgusting - ☺BURP☺ - but someone has to talk about it


OK, I'll admit it, my dogs have been known to nibble on one of these delightful, crunchy, delicious winter treats. The colder the weather the better to freeze up just the right amount of pop and crackle when the jaws of dog-srtuction chomp down into the rich flavor of their homemade aromatic goodness. Better than a dozen cat turds, most dogs can't pass up a delicious, wintertime snack when it's right there in front of their snooters. Over the years I have tried everything to get mine to stop their winter snacking competitions short of holding a plastic bag right under their soft-serve machine before the nummy tootsie poops hit the snow.

I've been on dog lists long enough (15 years) to know that mankind has tried a variety of remedies to discourage canine outdoor snacking. What has worked best for me to keep Scout and Freyja on a diet of dog food BEFORE it is recycled is a meticulously clean yard plus Fig Newtons cookies. Yes, you heard me, FIG NEWTONS! I had no idea why they work or how they work but they do, and have cut down the in-between-meal-snacking by about 85%.



It was clear to me that something in the Fig Newton treats makes the poop less appetizing. I looked into this a bit and it turns out that fig plants produce ficin, a protease enzyme that aids digestion by breaking down amino acids and works similarly to the enzymes in papayas (papain) and pineapple (bromelin). And yes, all three enzymes can be used as meat tenderizers. As it turns out, the item in the Fig Newtons that is at work is the figs themselves. Interestingly, there are urban legends out there about feeding dogs pineapple to resolve this problem as well.

For the most part, if I keep my pantry loaded with what the dogs think is the most delightful snack, imagining that mommy has lost her mind to give them people food, I can keep their Dairy Queen excursions down to an acceptable minimum. Why am I blogging about this horrible topic, you might ask? Well, my son's dogs have now picked up (in more ways than one) a love of this wintry doggy  buffet. I suggested the Newtons, which they have purchased and are feeding, but I am asking all of you for your tried-and-true remedy to keep a dog's mouth sparkling clean with the gas coming out of both their ends from smelling less like a community septic tank just in case Cody and Suzie are hard-core Poopsicle eaters!



So, if your dog eats poopie (if you want to say it's your neighbor's dog for identity privacy issues, that's OK) and you have found a great remedy that curbs their obsession/addiction, please comment. I'm sure my son and his wife and their kids and all of the collective noses in their house, both resident and guest, will thank you - and honor your name -  whenever one of their dogs comes inside with sweet-smelling breath and a grin that doesn't look like they have just consumed a Hershey Bar☺


National Canine Cancer Foundation

26 comments:

The Oceanside Animals said...

Well after all, a cookie is just a cookie, but Newtons are fruit and cake and anti-poop-eating aids.

Erin said...

One day years ago our Willow came to the door to be let in carrying one in her mouth like a bone to bring in the house. Her tail was wagging & she looked so happy until I recognized the prize she as trying to bring in. Thankfully only a few of our dogs had an appetite for these.

Golden Samantha said...

Oh thankyouthankyou my mom seems to be sort of woofing!!! GREAT tip as I am a doggy to stop at nothing when I'm out and about. If there's even the slightest chance that what I spy on the ground, in bushes, under leaves - is puttable-in-my-maw, I will help myself to it - ANYTHING!!! Beautifully written and seemingly, a simple solution!!! Big amounts of gratitude! Is on Mom's shopping list!
Hugs xo
Sammie

Anna the GSD said...

I've gotten over eating my own poop, which moms says is a good thing. But kitty poop?!?! Ain' no newton strong enough to stop me from that, plus I don't think kitties like figs, or newtons. :)

Anonymous said...

I think that should be a part of Fig Newton's marketing campaign!

I feed my dogs a mix and variety of raw: meat, bones, veggies & fruit (avoiding the toxics, like onion, grapes, etc.) I vary the menu all the time. they don't poop as big or as much because the ingredients are used. and due to the bone, the poop can at times be "chalky" (cuz raw bone gnawed down is chalky). neither one is interested in poop, but i could have good dogs. but my theory on this is that dogs eat poop because the poop is unabsorbed food or nutrients and likely tastey stuff (like wheat...oh my dogs LOVE wheat) but i don't feed them grains, only a bite once in a while. so it could be tastey due to the food you're feeding isn't getting absorbed and it has ingredients that are delicious that are just getting pooped out instead of broken down. just a thought.
wags-n-wiggles,
wild dingo

Salinger The Pug said...

OMG OMG OMG!!!!!! You made mom laugh so hard that she's snorting and sounds like me now!

She swears she's not trying to sound all uppity when she says that I've never eaten poop....but I have a few pug friends that do (also right from "the tap"). Their pawents say that a few pieces of pineapple with breakfast does the trick.

Please know that mom will never look at a Fig Newton the same way!

Love,
S-Dog

Kari in Alaska said...

When we living in Alaska we couldn't keep out two away from the moose poop. We havent had a dog poop eating problem and since we now live in LA i hope we wont!

Valerie Cummings said...

Wow! Thats awesome information!!! Its a little gross huh but if Fig Newtons work, well then I say give them some!
My babies get car sick and someone told me once that ginger cookies before travel works with the car sickness. I tried it once but they threw up the cookies!!!
Hugs Joey and Kealani

Dexter said...

Both my female dogs were big poop eaters (but only the poop that came out of my airedale). Curious.

Fortunately, my current pack haven't shown any interest in poopsicles, but fig newtons sound like an interesting cure.

Mango Momma

Sierra Rose said...

Wow!!! What a different topic than your usual items! But, great, and so many great comments.
SR likes deer and goose poop.... Will try the Fig Newtons (might have to borrow some from Golden Samantha...sure her mom is loading up on them! :)) Just kidding Sammie! Heehee.

Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
Sierra Rose and mom

JacksDad said...

I guess I've been very lucky. Jack is of the sniff and move on variety. He hasn't even offered to eat any yet.

Plastic yes, poop - no.

dArtagnan Rumblepurr/Diego Hamlet Moonfur said...

Doggies are weird.

♥I am Holly♥ said...

That is very interesting!! My friend's last doggie ate her poop years ago and nothing she tried would help. So far, Holly, hasn't shown any interest in eating it (yet)...and I'm hoping she doesn't. The cat poop in the litter boxes on the other hand...is like a gold mine if she can get to it. Thanks for the information!!

Linda said...

You cant beat those alfresco treats can you, dont tell my mom I said so though. Prince,Woof

Teddy Bear said...

Fig Newtons, eh? That sounds like a great treat! I'll have to let my Mommy know.:) Thank you for the tip.

Love,
Teddy Bear

ben said...

BOL!!!! BOL!!!!-
My peeps feed us spinach and it seems to have slowed down Coop my poop eatin' bro.

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Since my mom stopped khrating me, I don't get poop anymore...

Believe it or not, I'm not drawn to it but she was pretty sure that evfurrynow and then I did make some of mine disappear...

Mom does think she'll nevFUR look at Fig Newtons the same way!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra & Khousin Merdie
PeeEssWoo: Or the chokholate khovered whiskey soaked figs a furiend sent her fur khristmas!

Tweedles -- that's me said...

I have never had a turd in my mouth.
I am 3 and a half, and I have never tried. I wonder if I am missing out on something. But i did find something furry with a long tail and it was in my mouth and my mommy freaked. She pulled it out and then brushed my teeth before she would kiss me.
I am going to go look for some turds. I may be missing out on life.
love
tweedles

Lorenza said...

All I do is to give a good sniff to every poop I find while on my walkies! But never interested on eating it!
Hmmmm....
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Bandit's Pack said...

We've had nothing but rain here so we have poop soup rather than poopsicles, but only time will tell if Bandit will have a fondness for frozen backyard treats. ;)

Bae Bae said...

Oh...
My hooman says my poop looks like little chocolate chips..

~ Bae

Sam said...

I'm glad I don't have a poopy eater here, though the advice you give would be so helpful if I did :)

Maybe I should start feeding the cat fig newtons, though.. Marge really loves the litter box..

Shelley said...

I just heard my mommy's car peel out of the driveway and her yelling something about "Aha! Fig newtons!"
Hopefully this means more treats for me. Otherwise there is always my frozen poops...... tee hee!
Love,
Scout

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! Happy New Year! Hope you guys had a great holiday. As always, enjoyed reading your post ... Thanks. do you have any solution for bunny poops???? Glad to be back ... Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Now this is one post we are glad we didn't miss - how many Fig newtons and how often does it take to be effective? wonder what Nabisco would think of this discovery?

Woos, Phantom and Thunder

Sue said...

Five of us are poop eaters, the other five don't. Mom has tried pineapple, but some of us don't like it. She bought some pills to stop it, bt she said she'd go broke feeding them to all of us. She and Dad go our about three times a day to scoop the yard, but we still find some poop that they missed. Now Mom is calling Dad and telling him to buy some Fig Newtons on his way home. Let's hope it works for us.