Hi, new member from Brampton, Cumbria

Hi all, I've recently rehomed a 5 monthd old black shih tzu, hes so cute, great with my daughters and wants to play with my cats but they just don't get him!! He's called Buddy. I was told he was housetrained but he isnt, he was kept indoors and papertrained. Any tips on how I can move from paper as it doesnt even register to him to do it outside. Also he eats poo which is revolting to see, is this common and if so, how can I stop him?

Sorry but poo eating is normal for puppies who see their mother do it in the nest when she keeps her babies clean. It does stop with effort. I had the same with my youngest and she is just over a year now and doesn't do it any more as long as I pick ut up as soon as she goes (it helps as she goes on walks). I used to shout when she did it but it only served to make her rush to gobble it fast before I could stop her

There is a house training section on here for you to have a look at and I would be tempted to try again from the beginning. If he is using the paper perfectly then you could try and move the paper outside - then make sure you take him out to it at the times he needs to do a pee.

The cats will probably end up enjoying tormenting Buddy - I know my cat did and when I lost him my dogs were devastated!! It is early days yet - takies them all a while to get settled together.

You are going to have so much fun!! Love the name and alwasy wanted a black but never managed one. Look forward to seeing pics of him!!

Welcome to the site btw Lesley xx

Hi there and welcome to the Group!

My shih tzu is a poo eater as she came from kennels at 14 weeks old so learnt this bad habit and thinks its ok. She has been very hard to house train so I never got her out of the habit.

Unfortunately I have to watch her all the time when she is out as she not only eats her own but Rooneys as well......not sure she has realised yet that Pippa goes to the toilet lol!

The only thing I do is as soon as any toilets are produced I remove it straight away. Although I have learned that she only likes it when its warm.......i tried to get her out of it by rewarding her for leaving it and then when she went out again she would find it and leave it.

I just think that she thinks it is right and no matter how many times you shout at her it hasn't registered.

Hopefully with Buddy on his own you can get him out of the habit.

Wispa was a poo eater but I have managed to stop her, Poppy still does if she gets the opportunity I never leave them alone in the garden until they have both done their business and I have picked it up quickly! x

Hi Linz, you are so lucky, black is a lovely colour. I got panda when she was 4 1/2 months and had no housetraining at all!!!! she did not even wee on paper. she would wee and poo any where she happened to be and sleep in it too. I had never experienced anything like it before, on the floor, in her bed on my sofa and my bed!!!!!!!! She is 15 months old now and ALMOST house trained. If it is raining she may wee in the kitchen, but I can handle that. I'm sure you will get there with a bucket load of patience, antibac and kitchen roll!

Oh the joys of a poo eating puppy! Simba used to be exactly the same, and would eat any poo he could find, even when out on walks! My daughter came up with a solution, which was to take a toy with us on walks, and use that to distract him from any piles he found. You can tell when he has something he shouldn't because he stands there with his head down, as if to say 'I know I shouldn't have it, but I have and you aren't getting it back'!

Thanks for all the replies and useful info, glad I am not alone with a poo gobbler!! It is his only fault, his nature is fantastic and I would love to get another as a playmate for him.

If you do you won't regret it

Hi and welcome from me and my two girls Mali & Tasha. I didn't realise how lucky I am, neither of them have ever done that. By the way as Lesley has said you will never regret having another one. It took a lot of time and patience before hubby agreed to have a second, I haven't been so lucky in having a third though.They are perfect soul mates to each other, and you never know getting second one it may just take Buddy's mind off eating pooh if he has another to play with.

Or in my case having to watch Roxy does not eat Rooney's poo - I would try to resolve the poo eating issue first as it is hard work making sure two, now three, go to the toilet before I can leave them to play.