When & Where To Poop

[Guest Fasave]

I've had Thunder for a year. As with all greys, there is always a few issues to work through and Thunder is no exception. We've had a good year and his progress is good except for one particular issue. He won't poop in my yard. I have a large yard with lots of grass but not so many bushes and he likes to back up into things so we walk at least twice a day. Not a huge issue except I live in New England. I live on a busy street and there were a few storms last year where the plows weren't keeping up with a storm and it just wasn't safe to walk. I shoveled a path in the back yard, leashed him up and we walked along the path until we both nearly froze. I finally decided the worst thing that was going to happen would be an accident in the house and I could clean that up. But, he's never had an accident in the house. Instead, he will hold it and has actually gone 38 hours without pooping!

 

So as the weather warmed, I decided I should try to get him used to the idea of pooping in the yard. In the morning, I'd make a cup of coffee and put a chair at the far end of the yard and try to wait him out. I didn't have much luck with this strategy. If he didn't poop, we'd go in and I'd try a few hours later. I finally decided that I was being obsessed about his pooping schedule and that nature would take over and he'd figure it out. Well, nature did figure it out but Thunder didn't. He continued to refuse to poop in the yard and when he finally would, sometimes he would scream, likely because he waited so long, it now hurt. By the end of the summer, he had digestive issues and one episode of scary gas pains. More screaming.

 

So, we're back to a schedule. Two walks a day prior to meals and no return home until he poops. I also started him on a Wysong probiotic. His digestive issues are gone, go figure, but now the walks are getting longer and.....there was snow on our doorstep this morning.

 

I guess in some ways, I've found my solution. He has to be walked until he poops. On the days it's not safe to walk, he will simply won't poop and we'll deal with the results of that issue and we will hope these days are few and far between. However, I thought I would just toss it out on this thread to see if anyone has any experience with this issue and any tricks that I can possibly try with him to avoid future discomfort. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Guest mbfilby]

The first thing is to get him checked for megacolon, or ensure he is not constipated.

 

Our two have different potty preferences. Micky does not like to poop on leash. She must have a dog run or enclosure to do her business. Cy prefers tall grass or brush he can hide behind. When we moved, we purchased a dog run, for Mickey and take Cy on walks. It works for them.

 

If your guy likes trees or brush, you can try putting a few straw bales in the yard for him to hide behind or a fake tree or two maybe?

[Guest Fasave]

Interesting ideas. He's definitely not constipated as he does go and the longer the walk the more he poops. Thanks for the ideas.

[Moonsmom]

Welll..... My Minty is one those... "gotta walk around awhile and kinda get things moving before I'm ready to poop" greys.... and Hoover.. he's more of the "let me outside right now.. I gotta something ready to drop!"

But... both of them take forever to poop on leash.. we walk and walk and sniff and circle.. then continue on to check out another spot.. and another false alarm. Eventually they'll go..but it's so much easier in the fenced yard.. ('specially for me; no sidewalks or streetlights here)

Hoover's actually pretty consistant..almost always going in same spot in the yard..in a corner near a tree. 'Cause that area doesn't have much grass growing under it and tends to get muddy I keep a layer of shredded straw down on the ground..and over the last year he's pretty consistant about making his "piles" there. Minty likes more "private" areas..(girl thing, maybe?) so she usually goes by the back gate. I use a lot of the straw during the winter and spring..to cover the ice in the yard or to sop up the mud..and have noticed that even if Hoover can't get to "his preferred corner" (like last winter when there was just too much snow)he'll still find a straw covered spot and go there... and Minty adds to it.

It makes a lot easier for me.. easy pickup.. I keep a bin of fresh straw to throw down when it get's too thin looking.. and right now...with me hobbling on crutches it's a blessing.

 

Good luck.. hope something works for you!

 

Linda... (who wasn't happy to see stupid snowflakes this morning!)