disgusting habit

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A FEMALE MALTESE FROM A BREEDER IN TUCSON ARIZONA. WE BEGAN NOTICING EVIDENCE THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY CONSUMING HER OWN SOLID WASTE. I WITNESSED THIS IN PERSON LAST NIGHT MUCH TO THE DISGUST OF OUR HOUSE GUESTS. HOW HUMILIATING FOR ALL! (EXCEPT THE DOG). IS THIS BEHAVIOR CONSIDERED DEVIANT AMOUNG YOUNG DOGS OF THIS(OR ANY OTHER) BREED? COULD IT BE A RESULT OF HAVING SPENT THE FIRST 10 WEEKS OF IT'S LIFE IN A PEN WITH 3 SIBLINGS AND PERHAPS NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION DUE TO THE BREEDERS 30 OTHER DOGS TO CARE FOR? I HOPE SOMEONE OUT THERE CAN HELP ME FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
jmcdx

• Of all of the Maltese I've ever owned and raised I have had one that was insistent on perpetuating this behavior despite everything I could do to deter it.

  We've had vets tell us it was due to partially undigested food left in the stool. We've had vets tell us it was due to a dietary or hormonal imbalance. We've even had vets tell us it was a learned behavior that arose because the breeder left the pup in with the mother well past the age at which the pup should have been weaned inviting the pup to "learn" this behavior from its dam.

  Whatever the reason, it is a challenge that can be overcome through training and positive reinforcement. If you must, for now, watch the the dog closely and as soon as it "performs" immediately remove the stool - replace it with a toy or a treat and praise the dog for playing with the toy or taking the treat. I know you can't do this forever and we have tried dietary additives, vitamins, etc. along with the supervision and eventually we achieved the results we were seeking.

  Follow up on the advice of others here and seek out professional advice - just don't be suprised when you end up running through a number of treatment alternatives. Keep us posted - this IS a common problem and you may be able to help someone else along the way.
  Larry Divine Maltese

• I wouldn't worry to much about what your dog is doing. In fact it is quite "normal" for a dog to do this. So long as your dog is checked out to be healthy and normal in every way the best thing you can do is pick up the stools right after he give you them. He could be doing this 1) out of bordem 2) trying to keep his "den" house clean and cleaning up after himself etc. Some dogs will actually play with their homemade toys. Whatever you do DON'T scold him for doing this you could say NO! and then take it away from him. But nothing more or he will start hiding when he goes and for sure eat them all the time because he does not want to get "caught" and make you angry. He should outgrow this and so long as you do not make a big issue out of this he will not become neurotic about what he thinks is "normal."
  PUG

• My dog did this when he was a puppy. My pet book told me puppies do this when they are bored and/or you are not paying any attention to them. It suggested I add 1-2 tsps. of Accent favor enhancer to his food each day. I did and it took a few days, but I got great results on a day-to-day basis. He eventually grew out of this habit. Hoped this helped
  -- Linda