Pooping Issues In The Home

[Guest zsinger25]

My dearest Mazi has been having issues pooping in the home while my boyfriend is there. I've been with my boyfriend for over seven years and I think my dog thinks he is more of the alpha figure then I am. He will let her outside when he gets up for work (we both work nights) and there will be times that he will walk into the living room and she will be squatting on the floor ready to make a mess. Or she will will just go with no indication that she needs to go outside. And trust me, when she needs to go outside she surely lets you know!

 

Plus, she will urinate and poop in her crate when we are gone. She always gets let out before we leave the house. I have been having these issues for so long, I know it is behavioral but I just don't know what to do about it. I have tried the DAP with no luck. I just don't know what other options to try. I'm hoping someone on here will have some advice for me and my Mazi!

[KickReturn]

There are others on this forum that may be able to get into deeper psychological issues. My dog behaviour knowlege is limited to asking a simple question: Has Mazi ever pooped in the house after a vigorous one hour hike?

 

Also have you filmed her in her crate when you are gone? Soiling the crate is somewhat unusual and it may be that Mazi can no longer handle being in a crate.

[Guest zsinger25]

No she does not poop in the house after vigorous walks.

 

I have never filmed her in the crate. But we have to crate her because if we leave the house and she is not crated, she will urinate and poop on the floor. There will be times that I may be able to sneak out of the house and leave her alone without crating her. But that only happens when she is sleeping and doesn't know I have left.

[KickReturn]

No she does not poop in the house after vigorous walks.

 

 

So problem solved.

 

Seriously, without knowing Mazi's full schedule, I will only say that if you are not walking her adequately, then of course you should expect her to eliminate in the house. For many Greyhounds at least two solid walks per day are needed, plus multiple turnouts. If you have a normal work schedule (9 to 5 or similar) then there is no reason that Mazi shouldn't get the better part of an hour walk before you leave in the morning, plus a similar walk when you return home. A nice walk around the block or longer before bed helps to make for a peaceful night. I have yet to see a Greyhound that can fully empty itself of feces in a turnout. The dog may be able to hold what is left for several hours, but its not empty or comfortable.

 

If you are already walking her a lot and she is having this problem then then her problem is out of my league - sorry.

 

It is also important to clean all pee and poo thoroughly using Natures Miracle. Follow the instructions. You must get rid of the smell.

Edited April 20, 2015 by KickReturn

[Guest zsinger25]

I love Natures Miracle. It is the best!

 

I take her for walks but unfortunately, because of her age and arthritis (which we are seeing the vet about) she can't take long walks anymore. Sometimes I am afraid I am going to have to call reinforcements to help get her home.

 

Her hind legs are giving her more issues. She woke me up in the middle of the night because she couldn't get up. She was dragging her butt on the floor trying to stand up and her hind legs were not functioning.

 

I could leave her outside longer for her turnouts but when she is ready to come in the house, she stands at the door and whines to be let back in.

[GeorgeofNE]

You didn't mention her deteriorating condition in your intial post!

 

First off, forget about alpha nonsense. Poop is not weapon to a dog. It sounds to me as if she has some lumbar stenosis and cannot control her poop long enough to get outside.

 

It also sounds like she doesn't have a regular schedule. MOST dogs don't do as well being "turned out" as they do being walked on a schedule.

 

Most dogs need to be walked within an hour of every meal. Most dogs need to go out after a long period of inactivity. Five minutes in the back yard alone won't do it.

 

Get her to the vet, and have her hind end evalated. There may be medications that can help (Gabapentin) but if she's already progressed to fecal incontinence, there is no turning back, and you're just going to have to make accomodations in the form of pads all over the place.

[KickReturn]

Yes, her age and physical condition is highly relevant. So take her for whatever length and number of walks that she can handle. It's all you can do (along with the Vetrinary intervention of course).

 

You can also look into her diet. Don't overfeed. There are some foods that result in less poop. Raw fed can result in up to a 60% reduction in output. But this will require significant education on the subject before you go that route.

[Batmom]

When you say "let out," is someone staying out with her to make sure she does the things she should? It can help to keep a little diary of what she does when, so you know what to expect her to have done before you leave. That way, you know better whether to take her out again before you depart. And, it can clue you in to other things; she might not be capable of much walking, but you might need to wander around with her even just back and forth across the yard before poop will occur.

 

The food can also help. One of our elderly pups who no longer had full control did much better on a lower residue food. That can be as simple as changing to a kibble with less fiber or substituting some chicken/beef for some kibble.