New Dog - Pooping In House

[greydad92]

Hi All,

 

"Zero's Daddy" here. Good news - I got a new greyhound. He's a 5 year old brindle named Mr. Spock. I picked him up in the beginning of November. He's a mellow, friendly good boy......except he's learned a bad habit. After a month + of pooping outside consistently he's learned to poop in my dining room and does it often, but not in my sight and usually when I'm not home. He still poops outside and I praise the heck out of him when he does. I'm well aware of catching him in the act thing, but so far I haven't caught him in "the act".

 

Solutions? First off, he does not do well in a crate. When I first got him I video taped him and he was biting and scratching to get out. I do not want him to hurt himself or worse, so the crate is out. I was baby-gating him in my bedroom for the first month and he did great being home alone. He was doing so well, I gave him run of the house. FYI, I have a very small ranch house, it's not much. Now I honestly cannot leave for an hour now without him pooping in my dining room and thats after a 1 - 2 + mile walk...and pooping on the walk. With Winter here, in New England it's going to be hard on the both of us with the snow, ice and cold. Help. As always I appreciate any (positive) input.

 

I included a photo of Mr. Spock below.

 

Sincerely,

Spock's Daddy

 

Edited December 31, 2013 by aryon92

[Guest Giselle]

So, he usually poops when you're away and shows distress at being crated/left alone?

 

It sounds like a separation anxiety problem, not a pooping-on-walks problem. Did you do Alone Training with him? If not, I'd start now Search this forum for Alone Training, and you'll find hundreds of threads explaining how to do it step-by-step.

[greytluck]

I have no advice but I just wanted to say congratulations. Mr Spock is adorable. I'm so happy you were able to open your heart and adopt another grey.

[Guest Doggone]

If Mr. Spock did well being baby-gated in your bedroom, would you consider doing that again?

 

Although I've had other dogs before, Autumn is my first greyhound, and I'm hardly the expert, so this is just my anecdotal experience with her:

When I got her (last March), I started baby-gating her in my 2nd bedroom when I was gone. She has another bed in there, plus I'd put her water and various small treats in there ( a Kong maybe, a dog biscuit broken into 3-4 pieces, a Himalayan chew, etc.). She's been fine with that, and although I've sometimes thought of giving her the run of the house, I've decided there's no reason for it. When she sees me getting ready to leave, she gets just as excited to stay home as she does to go out with me. She seems to sense that whatever my plans, it'll mean something good for her.

 

I know every dog is different, but since Mr.Spock was happy with your previous arrangement, why change it?

[greydad92]

So, he usually poops when you're away and shows distress at being crated/left alone?

 

It sounds like a separation anxiety problem, not a pooping-on-walks problem. Did you do Alone Training with him? If not, I'd start now Search this forum for Alone Training, and you'll find hundreds of threads explaining how to do it step-by-step.

 

I did alone training with him for a week when I first got him.....one hour first day, two hours the second day, three hours third day, etc. For the past month he has been alone all day when I was at work with no issues, no pooping, no destruction. I've been very careful with this guy, getting him used to the house and being alone slowly and he's been doing very well. The pooping thing started as soon as we had our first major snow storm. He didn't like waling on the hard crusty snow and didn't want to poop on the blacktop, which he actually learned to do after a while. Again, this pooping inside thing has only been going on for the past couple of weeks. This first month and a half there was no pooping in the house.

I have no advice but I just wanted to say congratulations. Mr Spock is adorable. I'm so happy you were able to open your heart and adopt another grey.

 

Thank you Zero and my previous dog Echo would want another dog to have the same upbringing and love.

If Mr. Spock did well being baby-gated in your bedroom, would you consider doing that again?

 

Although I've had other dogs before, Autumn is my first greyhound, and I'm hardly the expert, so this is just my anecdotal experience with her:

When I got her (last March), I started baby-gating her in my 2nd bedroom when I was gone. She has another bed in there, plus I'd put her water and various small treats in there ( a Kong maybe, a dog biscuit broken into 3-4 pieces, a Himalayan chew, etc.). She's been fine with that, and although I've sometimes thought of giving her the run of the house, I've decided there's no reason for it. When she sees me getting ready to leave, she gets just as excited to stay home as she does to go out with me. She seems to sense that whatever my plans, it'll mean something good for her.

 

I know every dog is different, but since Mr.Spock was happy with your previous arrangement, why change it?

 

I just thought giving him run of the house would give him a little more freedom, a different room to sleep in and more space to walk around. I may have to revert to baby gating him in just my bedroom. Thank you for your post

[GreyPoopon]

Just a thought:

 

I have two girls who are having a hard time with pooping on walks: they don't like wearing coats or the lack of access to grass. I haven't had a problem with them pooping in the house because I'm around a lot, and they're crated when I'm not. I'm wondering if Mr. Spock is still uncomfortable enough with winter that he's not cleaning himself out fully. He's now figured out that he can finish the job in your dining room. Perhaps if you go back to confining him in your room, he'll adjust (without finding a new poop spot there). I hope.

 

He is _very_ handsome. Congratulations!

[greytpups]

Perhaps you need to clear a space in your yard free from snow and ice and train him to poop there.

[greydad92]

Perhaps you need to clear a space in your yard free from snow and ice and train him to poop there.

 

Thought about that, but now we have no snow on the ground and he's still doing it. I think Greypoopon may have hit the nail on the head. It's a work in progress, heck I've only had him two months this Friday, which is not a long time at all. He's a very good & smart boy. I have confidence that he'll figure it out eventually.

[macoduck]

Spock is adorable!

Any correlation or changes in meal and walk times? Same volume of poop on walks now as when he didn't poop in the house?

It would be nice if a Vulcan mind meld would let you too communicate. (I just couldn't pass up a Star Trek tie-in).

[greydad92]

Spock is adorable!

Any correlation or changes in meal and walk times? Same volume of poop on walks now as when he didn't poop in the house?

It would be nice if a Vulcan mind meld would let you too communicate. (I just couldn't pass up a Star Trek tie-in).

 

Thanks. I give him a tablespoon of wet food in his dinner. I changed from Blue Buffalo to Purina Pro Plan because Purina is lower protein. I wouldn't think a product change of tablespoon a day would make a change. Over the holidays yes his schedule definitely changed because I was at my mother's with him for almost a week and then back home. The pooping inside thing started before that though, but has gotten worse.

 

About the same volume of poop inside and out, yes.

 

Vulcan mind meld, never thought of that, great idea. I often tell him to "live long and prosper as well"

[Batmom]

Can't recall if you have a yard or if you leash-walk only for potty. If you have a yard (or, I guess, if he's an easy walker who doesn't need to be a mile away from home to potty), you might try taking him out for a quick pee/poop @ half an hour after his big walk. One of mine would want to go out again fairly soon after a long walk, even though it seemed that all potty had been done on the walk ......

 

Mr. Spock is very handsome.

[greydad92]

Can't recall if you have a yard or if you leash-walk only for potty. If you have a yard (or, I guess, if he's an easy walker who doesn't need to be a mile away from home to potty), you might try taking him out for a quick pee/poop @ half an hour after his big walk. One of mine would want to go out again fairly soon after a long walk, even though it seemed that all potty had been done on the walk ......

 

Mr. Spock is very handsome.

 

I have a big yard, but no fence, so we go on walks. We go on e quick one when we first wake up and then a "long" one before I go to work. The long walk all depends on weather. If it's pouring rain or freezing cold with snow it's not very long.....but we go until he poops. If it's nicer out, we could go as long as 2 miles +. Thanks for the compliment.

[phall]

Congratulations! I'm so glad you have Mr. Spock. I would do the same as someone else mentioned - revert to baby-gating him in your bedroom for a while. One of my previous greys was like this. I let him out his crate after a month or so, and began baby-gating him in one room. He did fine so I gave him free run after a few weeks of baby gating. He didn't destroy anything but would poop/pee in the house. I went back to baby-gating in a room and he was okay. It took a number of months (3-4) before he could handle free run of the house.

 

Good luck! Can't wait to meet him at a GA walk (once it warms up!).

[greydad92]

Congratulations! I'm so glad you have Mr. Spock. I would do the same as someone else mentioned - revert to baby-gating him in your bedroom for a while. One of my previous greys was like this. I let him out his crate after a month or so, and began baby-gating him in one room. He did fine so I gave him free run after a few weeks of baby gating. He didn't destroy anything but would poop/pee in the house. I went back to baby-gating in a room and he was okay. It took a number of months (3-4) before he could handle free run of the house.

 

Good luck! Can't wait to meet him at a GA walk (once it warms up!).

 

Thanks, greyt advise

[Remolacha]

no advice, just wanted to say congratulations, Mr. Spock is very handsome

[greydad92]

no advice, just wanted to say congratulations, Mr. Spock is very handsome

 

Thanks

[tornadosgirl]

Our first greyhound, Tornado, had separation anxiety. But it didn't start until he had been with us for about six months. I think it didn't start until he had really bonded with us and truly missed us. Maybe that's what has happened with Spock?

 

Tornado eventually was able to adjust to being alone- we did the alone training, medication and added one day a week of day care.

[Guest IrskasMom]

Tony, Congrats on Mr. Spock . He is very Handsome :beatheart :beatheart

[greydad92]

Tony, Congrats on Mr. Spock . He is very Handsome :beatheart :beatheart

 

Thanks

[gracegirl]

Spock is very handsome!

 

Another vote for navigating in the bedroom again, or at the very least blocking access to the newly chosen indoor bathroom location.

[greydad92]

Hi All,

 

Another photo of Mr. Spock

 

[Batmom]

He really is a distinguished looking fellow .

[GreyPoopon]

Very handsome indeed. <swoon>

[Guest DogNewbie]

Congratulations on your new pup! Mr. Spock is very handsome!

[greydad92]

Hi All,

 

Update - Spock still continues to go to the bathroom in my bedroom where he is baby gated. The most recent incidents were he peed on my sweat shirt and sweat pants that were on the carpet next to his bed on two separate occasions. For the past week or so he's been doing well. I only found poop once. Pee is harder to find, though I look for it, believe me. On a wall to wall shag carpet no doubt.

 

Our routine is:

5am: we wake up, I take him out for a quick walk to poop and pee. Sometimes he just poops, sometimes he just pees, sometimes he does both.

5:30am: breakfast, 2 cups kibble

7:30am: our "longer" walk which can vary from 3/4 mile to almost 2 miles depending on my schedule, weather, etc.

He's home for 9 - 10 hours after that, baby gated in my bedroom, NRP on the radio and he has two Kongs. I've found no destruction in my bedroom

6pmish: evening walk

6:30pm pr 7pm dinner: 2 & 1/2 cups kibble

10pm: quick walk, though sometimes he doesn't want to go out and stays on his bed despite me calling him to go out.

 

The thing is, most of the time Spock takes a long time to go to the bathroom outside. It's like he walks around and waits for all the stars to be in alignment before he finally goes. He goes into that prancing mode where he looks for a place to go, but could do that for 1/4 mile or more. I'm not sure if I'm communicating my point well enough here. Growing up as a kid we've always had dogs and Spock is my third dog personally. I've never seen or known of a dog who's acted like this. Like at the end of our walk yesterday, after peeing, he was kind of doing that pee prance again, but then stopped and was looking around, sniffing here and there like he didn't have to "go". And of course I came home to pee on my carpet. It gets to the point where I have to leave for work and I don't have any more time to see if he's going to pee or poop a second time, so in we go and I leave for work.

 

I guess the answer is, go for longer walks every morning. As I've said, sometimes we go for almost 2 miles, but usually on those walks he poops and pees w/i the fist 1/2 - 1 mile and that's it. The rest of the walk he just walks and looks around. On those days I've not found poop and pee in my house.

 

Bottom line, I just need him to stop peeing on my bedroom carpet. As I've said, he doesn't do well in a crate, nor do I want to crate him alone for 9 - 10 hours. Plus, he's peeing right next to his bed, doesn't get any closer than that.

 

Does anyone else out there have a greyhound that does this? I mean takes forever to go to the bathroom outside? I praise him a lot when he finally goes.

 

Spock is 5 years old and I've only had him 3 months which is still a short time. I've heard sometimes greyhounds can take up to 1 year to get used to a house.

 

I understand, be patient and work with him. This blog is all part of that. I'm just "looking for a little help from my friends".

 

Again, positive feedback please. Thanks for listening.