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Rain, Rain, Please Go Away


Guest Literaqueen

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Guest Literaqueen

I thought we'd mastered leash issues, and then it rained. I got Fly in her raincoat, grabbed her treats, and headed out the door for her to potty. Nope. My usual "Let's go!" and brisk pace got her out the door, but not off the porch. Eventually I could get her trotting with bits of hot dog, and eventually she peed, but it's still raining and thundering and she hasn't pooed since noon yesterday. Do I wait her out? She will go eventually, right? I mean, a colon can only hold so much. On the bright side, the storm is supposed to pass in about an hour.

 

We're just starting week three of her being home. Please tell me this gets better. I can't imagine how she'll respond to snow, and I live in Iowa. . .

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With Monty, rain was way worse than snow (though he hates stepping into snow over about 1/2 inch high). He also would refuse to do anything when wearing a rain jacket so we considered that a failed experiment after having to walk him for hours and his refusing to do anything until we'd take off the jacket and then he'd do something. I think it took about a week for us to learn that he hated it that much and to just give up and give it to another dog.

 

Stress can cause constipation, merely through a huge desire not to go where it is yucky. If you can handle it, just keep her out with you and do a lot of walking and walking and walking which will help get the bowels moving no matter how much she doesn't want to go. If you don't leash walk, just take her out regularly enough and watch her like a hawk while in the house, so it will end up outside.

 

It does get better! It took about 2 months with Monty to be really comfortable going to the bathroom while he was leashed, and then he had seizures and seemed to unlearn everything but his name and we started again in November when it was colder and would rain/sleet/snow/be freezing when we had to train him to do it again. I can totally relate with your frustration! If at all possible, try to keep yourself calm because any tension on your part (even if you don't think it is obvious) can cause doggie-elimination-lockdown. Monty still has this trouble with my husband who will get frustrated during the latest walks of the night and Monty is a "delicate flower" who wilts if you even think of getting upset at anything - not even him.

 

I promise it will get better! Eventually you can look back on this and help another person through this frustration!

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They like snow. Though you have long heard about Beth's issues finding a spot when there is no soft snow.

 

Keep walking till she poops, then have a big party with treats. It could take half an hour or whatever. I've done that half hour in subzero temps. She'll go eventually when she needs to. They can hold it a pretty long time.

 

You should also work on conditioning her to a designated "go potty" word.

With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)
And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad

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Guest Literaqueen

I can't even get her to move at this point. We're talking hauling on the harness and she practically sits down rather than move her feet. I know if she would walk she'd poop.

I even tried to run and she locked her knees.

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I've had Johnny nearly four months and most days he poops at about 5pm and then not again until about 7am, and his poops are often quite soft but he manages to hang onto them! They're fun to pick up when he does go, he's not keen to go if it's raining either, I have walked up and down the street in the pouring rain during his first couple of weeks convinced that he had to need to go eventually, but to no avail. I suppose they are all just different.

<p>"One day I hope to be the person my dog thinks I am"Sadi's Pet Pages Sadi's Greyhound Data PageMulder1/9/95-21/3/04 Scully1/9/95-16/2/05Sadi 7/4/99 - 23/6/13 CroftviewRGT

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Zeke is very thunderphobic so I feel your pain :(

 

we've had good luck with a Thundershirt, Melatonin every 8 hours (when needed) and also oils (don't know the name, lavender maybe?) rubbed onto his head/ears/chest.

Kim and Bruce - with Rick (Rick Roufus 6/30/16) and missing my sweet greyhound Angels Rainey (LG's Rainey 10/4/2000 - 3/8/2011), Anubis (RJ's Saint Nick 12/25/2001 - 9/12/12) and Zeke (Hey Who Whiz It 4/6/2009 - 7/20/2020) and Larry (PTL Laroach 2/24/2007 - 8/2/2020) -- and Chester (Lab) (8/31/1990 - 5/3/2005), Captain (Schipperke) (10/12/1992 - 6/13/2005) and Remy (GSP) (?/?/1998 - 1/6/2005) at the bridge
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." -- Ernest Hemmingway

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If she refuses to move, but is standing on her feet, give her a firm push on her shoulder area or her side with your thigh/knee area and that should get her feet moving. So you shove, and immediately start to walk so she doesn't have a moment to think about it. Another way to get her moving is to hold her head close to your leg (via a very short leash) and push on the shoulder area with your thigh and walk in a circle. As you come out of the circle, straighten out and keep on walking.

 

I'd skip the raincoat. My Annie hates hers. She rather get wet. What a waste of money.

 

She will poo eventually. :-)

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Guest Literaqueen

She finally pooped! Yay! Only when the storm was completely gone, and she was super happy to walk/trot. In fact, she wanted me to go even faster than usual. The walking in a circle or pushing on her shoulder does NOT work. Usually I can get her moving, but the rain freaked her out. Now she's on the couch, happily chewing her stuffie. Sigh. . .

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I don't remember Fly as being very afraid of thunder, and she doesn't mind snow, but my contact with her was limited to once a week.

Some new dogs at the kennel settle in rapidly, but she seemed to take a little longer than some but less than others.

Almost 3 weeks is almost no time.

I have a 10 year old that can hold it 24 hours because she doesn't like to get wet.(i don't either :) )

Just remember she is a Greyhound but she is still a dog.

 

Bill

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Yeah Fly so glad you did all your potty business.

 

I can get Brady out in the rain and he usually pees but does not poop all the time. The first heavy snow we had here, Brady was greatly confused. Moma where did the grass go??? How do you expect me to potty. I can remember telling him please just go for mommy and I will clean it up... Took a while but he backed up to a stop sign and just went...

 

It has gotten better through the years.

 

Debbie

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The handsome boy Brady, mid-morning nap. The sun, the sun feels so, so, so good.

I can't keep my eyes open ... ... Retirement agrees ...

... and the Diva Ms India, 2001 - 10/16/2009 ....

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