Pet Product Review - Solid Gold SEP (Stop Eating Poop) 3.5oz

Today is Wednesday and I was going to start what we call in the blog world "Wordless Wednesdays".  This is when you post a cute picture, etc to alleviate the blog communty from ones digital banter.  Well, I decided to do some shopping on www.onlynaturalpet.com , one of my favorite eRetailers for healthy pet products and I came across Solid Gold S.E.P. (Stop Eating Poop).  So much for wordless, I became speechless.....

Yes, Virginia there is a product that is supposed to stop dogs from eating poop.  No, I did not buy it, I did not taste it, nor would my dog Champ, who by the way has never eaten his own poop.  But, I was intrigued, so I did some reseach.  This is what I found on www.pet-comfort-products.com an amazing site: there are 20 reasons why a dog may eat his poop. Here is what the sites editor wrote:

Why Dogs Eat Poop: 20 Reasons

1. Your dog might be hungry. If your dog doesn't have access to food, he might eat poop.

2. Some dogs will eat poop to clean up an area like a housekeeper. This is most likely if your dog is confined to a crate or kennel, or when he's chained up or otherwise restricted. He's taking care of his space.

3. If your dog likes to carry poop, and then eat it, it could be genetics. Some dogs have instincts to carry stuff in their mouths.

4. Your dog might be eating poop because of parasites or worms. They can suck nutrients out of your dog, driving him to eat poop. It might also leave him extra hungry because of the lack of proper fuel.

5. Your dog might be eating cat poop or other animal poop to get key nutrients and minerals not available in his own food.

6. Some dogs will simply eat poop to pass the time. Dogs will eat poop because they are bored or lonely. It can be a sign of neglect.

7. Your dog might eat poop because he's anxious, nervous or otherwise upset. Stress will drive animals to do odd things.

8. Some dogs will eat poop to hide the evidence. If you punish your dog for pooping, he might eat it to stop you from getting angry.

9. If your dog has puppies, she might eat puppy poop. This is an instinct to hide the poop from predators. Poop is evidence. Getting ride of it keeps her puppies safe.

10. Some young dogs and puppies will eat poop as a novelty. That is, they'll eat poop as an experiment. They don't know better.

11. If your dog watches you pick up poop, he might learn to do the same. This is called allelomimetic behavior. Your dog observes you and learns from you, by putting the poop in his mouth you put poop in a bag.  (This I think is a very silly reason)

12. Your dog might see others dogs eating poop . From this, they learn to eat poop too.

13. Many dogs simply like the taste of poop. This obviously doesn't make sense to dog owners but that's irrelevant. Some dog like to eat it and that's that. It's warm, moist, and very much like what your dog was given as a very young puppy.

14. If your dog food lacks key nutrients, he might eat poop. Your dog is trying to get "food" with nutrients any way possible, even from his own poop.

15. Sometimes dog poop seems like dog food. This can happen when dog food is low quality and includes materials that are easily passed and not absorbed by your dog. When the dog poops, it seems to be very much like the food he just consumed!

16. In some cases, dogs will eat poop if they are given too much food. This is especially true if your dog's diet is high in fat.

17. Some dogs will eat poop to gain attention. Many dog owners get very upset when their dog eats poop, which means the dog gets attention. This is a wonderful opportunity for your dog to interact with you, although it is because of negative attention.

18. It is possible that some dogs will eat the poop of other, more dominant dogs. Your dog might be more submissive than other dogs, resulting in strange poop eating behavior. This seems to occur more in households with multiple dogs where dominance and submission is a factor. Obviously this doesn't explain much about dogs eating cat poop or other animal poop.

19. It is possible that your dog wants to eat more than one time per day. If you only feed your dog once per day, and your dog eats poop, it could be an indication they want to eat more frequently.

20. In some cases, your dog will eat poop by accident. Dogs are curious and will try to eat almost anything, including poop. Dogs explore the world through taste and smell, much more than humans.

Summarization: Why Dogs Eat Poop

So, now you have seen 20 reasons why dogs eat poop. It could be a signal for higher quality food, more food, less food, or more frequent meals. It could be related to your dog’s desire for more attention and interaction. Your dog might be eating poop out of instinct whereas in other cases it might a learned behavior from you or by watching other dogs.

Yes, I'm speechless.  I have no comment except that when I read the 26 product reviews on www.onlynaturalpet.com almost every comment mentioned that their dogs still ate their poop and that the Solid Gold S.E.P. did nothing.  At $13.99 per container, that is tough.

If you've got a product that you think will pass the Secret Shopper Test, send an email to secretshopperblog@gmail.com .

Pet Products Review - Pounce Cat Treats

Are you always searching for that treat, toy or gadget that will help get more attention from your kittie?  I am.  I would love to spoil my cat Stinky with treats galore, if he only wasn't so supercilious to every thing I give him.

When I saw Pounce Cat Treats in my local supermarket, I thought "why not? It's only $1.49, let's try it". Knowing that Pounce is made by Del Monte Pet Products, I thought they surely must know what cats like.  Well....they sure didn't have Stinky as a taste test panelist.  Stinky took one finicky sniff and walked away.

Why are cats so finicky with food and treats.  No one knows for sure, but their sense of smell is incredible.  I read that a cat has a smell and taste capabilities that are far superior to we humans.  Their olfactory organ allows them to actually taste something just by smelling it.  This protects the cat from bad chemicals, spoiled food and helps them identify their kittens.

Now, I have another theory why Stinky my cat is so finicky towards Pounce Cat Treats.  I figure it is because Pounce tastes like Play-Doh.  Yes, I tasted one of the precious heart shaped morsels.  Yes, it tasted like Play-Doh with essense of bland chicken.  Champ my dog liked Pounce Cat Treats.  In fact I am training him to be ambidextrous and shake with his right paw, not just his left.

If you'd like to try Pounce Cat Treats, nearly every supermarket carries the product.  The price is affordable, so do try it.  If you're looking for endless, imaginative fun check out www.play-doh.com.

If you've got a product that you think will pass the Secret Shopper test, send an email to secretshopperblog@gmail.com.

Pet Products Review - Drinkwell The Original Pet Fountain.

Do you snuggle up to a potty mouth?  Seriously, a potty mouth.  If your cat or dog is anything like mine, they drink out of the toilet - yuuuuuck!

Both my pets love the toilet.  I can flush the toilet, and they have it timed until the old water is gone, and the new water has trickled in.  It's got to stop!  So, like Ponce De Leon, I'm on the search for the right fountain.

My local pet store guy said, you have to buy the Drinkwell!  Out of the 3 varieties of fountain bowls he sells, the Drinkwell was the most popular, and worked the best.  Considering Drinkwell is "the original pet fountain", and the box says "a waterfall of health for your pets" I said sure, why not, but let me start with the small version, not the big one.

This is a cool little product.  The Drinkwell takes a reservoir and pool of water, about 6 cups, circulates it through a filter and literally creates a fountain! Yes, with a free falling waterfall.  The idea is that the water is aerated and adds oxygen and freshness to the water.  Thus bad odors and tastes are removed.  A veterinarian actually invented the Drinkwell and recommends the fountain to reduce urinary disease in cats.  You see, cats instinctively like to drink fresh running water so the idea is they drink more water and pee more often.

Day 1, both my cat and dog looked at the Drinkwell like some spaceship and me a Martian.  Day 2-7 my pets still will not go on the side of the kitchen floor where the Drinkwell sits.  On Day 8 I figured the best I had was a $46 Zen water feature for my bedroom.  Then I quietly spied Stinky lapping up the water with delight. 

This is a great little water bowl and my animals have learned to love it.  Just give it some time for them to get used to the noise and flowing water.

If you have a pet product you think will pass the Secret Shopper test, send an email to: secretshopperblog@gmail.com

Pet Products Review - Tidy Cats Scoop Small Spaces

So imagine this, your friend who lives in a one bedroom apartment in the city with three cats invites you over for dinner.  And rather than the welcoming allure of baked bread and savory grilled meats, you smell .... Well you smell cats.   What is running in your head are a million and half disgusting thoughts, non of which are appetizing.

Do not let this happen to you!  Don't. 

If you have cats, especially more than one cat, you owe it to yourself, your neighbors, your friends and your kitties to have a clean fresh smelling home.  Lucky for you Purina recognizes too that there is no room for stinky kitty smells.

Tidy Cats Scoop Small Spaces is a premium litter that should be top of your list if you have multiple cats and live in a small space.  It works.

 It is a premium litter at $8.79 for a 14lb container; I figure that is 3 weeks of litter.   Cost aside, the litter smells great.  There is no dust.  The litter conveniently clumps upon pee contact.  It's a no brainer.

Tidy Cats Scoop Small Spaces can be found in any major grocery store or at www.petco.com. 

If you have a pet product you think will pass the Secret Shopper test, send an email to: secretshopperblog@gmail.com