My Needlenose Poops A Lot For The First Few Minutes When I Walk Him

[rossfox]

I take my hound for a 40 minute walk most days on a pedestrian and bike path trail - The Silver Comet Trail, that winds along thru Georgia. He has to poop almost immediately as soon as we get going, and then at least 3 more times as we travel along. And at least that many times to pee. The trail is paved and he will pull off onto the side in the grass and start sniffing and then poop. I can understand the first time and maybe 2nd, but not the 3rd, 4th, or 5th time. By the third or forth, he has nothing much to give. I don't mind it, except it is aggravating to clean up. Anyone else experience this and will it diminish any? We have had him for 5 weeks, and he has been off the track for 4 months. He is 2 years and 4 months old. Otherwise, he is an absolute wonderful boy in every way. Well - except he wakes us up every morning at 5:30 and is ready to eat. Not sure how to fix that too early in the morning, except maybe time?

[HeyRunDog]

Just a thought but when he was in the racing kennels the only time he saw grass was when he was taken out to poop and pee including the parade ring before a race so he has learnt that grass means poop and pee. I don't know if it will diminish but hopefully given time he will get used to the idea that grass isn't just for the toilet.

 

As for waking early over time he will get used to your time table and adapt. Grace sleeps downstairs and when I first got her I could hear her getting restless between 5 and 5:30. Now she doesn't wake up until I come downstairs at 6:30 ish and then only to open an eye to see who's put the light on.

[XTRAWLD]

Be grateful it's all outside and not in your house! Walks get things moving, so his system is working normally. Trails are wonderful places to walk. I can think of perhaps 2 reasons why there is so much. Overfeeding and not enough opportunity to go prior or otherwise. Provided you have developed a routine, I would say there is nothing really wrong. If he is straining at the 4th/5th he might be connecting that the walk is ending and it's really his last chance to clear his system until the next time you do this walk again. He's still learning your routine, but also knows his previous routine that out means do your business. It would be normal that at the 4th/5th time it is "watery" and not much left. The longer it stays in the system, the longer it has to form. As far as time goes, use an alarm clock and advance it a few minutes each day to get it to the time you want. Again, he's still learning and adjusting to you and his new home. Enjoy your walks! He's very lucky he gets to explore!

[3greytjoys]

The first three stool eliminations are fairly typical for a large, healthy dog on many typical kibble varieties. Different dog foods definitely create more or less stool: the cheaper foods have more fillers = larger volumes of stool to eliminate. Urinating often during walks is common, especially with males who like to mark their territory. It's important for him to completely empty urine from his kidneys, especially if he's left alone for a while during the mornings. Hounds who have fenced yards at home tend to urinate more fully in one or two eliminations since there is less desire to mark territory (leaving pee-mail for other dogs).

 

I assume your hound was given a fecal test to ensure he is free of parasites/worms? If not, a fecal test is recommended.

 

Racers are used to awakening early in the mornings. Try setting an alarm clock for the time he awakens, then slowly set the alarm 5-10 minutes later every couple of days until he begins to adjust to your schedule.

[DaintyDutchess]

I second making sure your guy is parasite free. Are the stools very loose? Maybe he is being overfed? Otherwise maybe his digestive system is still getting used to the food.

Long walks always stimulate more #2 for my girl. And she pees like crazy to mark on walks but it isnt a health issue.

My hound needs a small meal before bedtime which ends up being around 10pm. This helps her to sleep in and not have an upset stomach in the morning. She gets 3 small meals a day and started sleeping in later and later over time.

[EllenEveBaz]

I conducted a week-long research project on my first two greys. The average distance we walked was 1 to 1-1/2 miles every morning and a half-mile in evenings. (They also had a fenced-in backyard so walks were just for fun.) On the morning walks, the male averaged 13 pees and the female 6. Evenings were just 2-3 pees each. My theory was the morning walk was the primary marking time to communicate with all the other dogs in the neighborhood. The male and female hardly ever peed on the same place, as opposed to the two males I have now who lift their legs on the same spot 99% of the time. All this to say the 4-5x peeing for your dog doesn't seem excessive, although the pooping does.

[rsieg]

Sounds pretty normal to me. My Logan drops up to 5 BMs in a long walk, front-loaded to the beginning of the walk, though 2-4 is more common on shorter walks (under 2 miles). Six or more probably is getting high, but if the later ones are diarrhea-like it can happen. As for urinating, keep in mind a male dog (any breed) uses urination to mark the trail, that is, to say "I was here!". So they will "mark" in this way many times. You may notice he will smell a spot for a while, then mark-urinate it and immediately leave. As far as I can tell, he is first reading the other dog's messages and then leaving his own at the end. (And BTW, you may not notice in Georgia, but if you live where we have snow you will discover that every time he sniffs around hunting down a scent, it ends up at a spot of yellow snow :-)

 

Another behavior I have observed, back when I had Max he would follow Logan around in the yard, and as soon as Logan would urinate Max would head over and go on the same spot. Pretty sure Max was trying to cover up Logan's scent with his own, so that it is clear from a dog's point of view that it is his (Max') yard.

[MaryJane]

Your dog is still relatively new so, some of this is due to being anxious and nervous. As you continue the same walk, your dog will smell his last markings and will continue to find newer ones until, he finds that there is less to mark overall and then will settle into one or two to do a "refresh". As to the poop, he's nervous and he's just not getting it all out. I would expect that as he gets used to his "new normal", he will settle into a one or two poops on a walk. This will not resolve over a week or two, will probably take 3 to 4 months.

[rossfox]

Thanks everyone for the input. I will use your advise and go from there.

[rossfox]

OK, so an update to my original post. My hound is still finding it necessary to poop 5 to 6 times during our 30 to 40 minute walk. The trail I normally walk is usually quite crowded with walkers and bicycles. It is a paved trail with grass on each side and landscaped nicely. It is quite aggravating is some ways to clean up so many times. Is there a way to break him from pooping say after the 1st poop? I don't mind cleaning up the first one, maybe two, but after that it gets so runny, that it almost can't be picked up. Just wondering.

[NeylasMom]

Small possibility he is also poop marking. It's less common, but some dogs do it.

 

What are you feeding him, how much, and what does he weigh?

[cleptogrey]

My crazy Welsh terrier marked like a mad dog! First every erect surface with per then eventually up trees with poop. Of all the dogs that I have owned he was #1 at marking.

 

It doesn't sound like marking, just rich food. I saw a drastic reduction in waste volume when I changed to pro plan focus large breed. Some walks were even poop free and I'll be out walking for a good 3-4 miles. My females have always marked more than the silly boys(except for Willie wonka the Welshman)

Edited January 31, 2019 by cleptogrey

[IndyandHollyluv]

Hi there. I feel your pain - and mess. I'm on my seventh grey. I adopted my current girl four years ago (she just turned nine). She is a serial pooper/marker on a walk. I have never experienced this before. She squeezes poo out like a Play-Doh Fun Factory. She is healthy, not overweight and her male roommate rarely poops when we walk. I think it's just her -- she does because she can. I have to take at least ten poop bags when we walk as her final poos are nothing but Hershey squirts and almost impossible to clean up.

 

BTW, my girl has NEVER pottied in the house since I adopted her -- but outside? All bets are off! I have a fenced yard so it's not that she doesn't have ample opportunity to poop outside.

 

Good luck to you!!!

[rossfox]

He us 2 years and 6 months old and he weighs 72 pounds. His track weigh was 68 pounds. We have had him 11 weeks. We feed him Cosco Kirkland Salmon and Sweet Potatoes. I think the protein level is around 24. We feed him 2 cups in the morning and 2 in the evening - plus he gets a one carrot, one apple, and a few treats during the day. He seems to be extremely healthy, and very, very happy. Needless to say, he is loved on multiple times per day. He is as sweet as can be and nearly perfect - if that can be said. I just wished he didn't find it necessary to poop so much!

[NeylasMom]

I might consider stopping the carrot and apple for the time being (dogs can't really digest uncooked veg like that) and add in a probiotic. If he's not gaining weight, that amount is probably fine, bit consider cutting back a little if he's gaining. I dont find that food one that will cause excessive stool, but it's been while since I've fed it.

 

The other option, switch to raw. Tiny firm poops, one of the many perks.

[rossfox]

OK on that, and thanks all for the advice. Will try those suggestions.

[HeyRunDog]

He us 2 years and 6 months old and he weighs 72 pounds. His track weigh was 68 pounds. We have had him 11 weeks. We feed him Cosco Kirkland Salmon and Sweet Potatoes. I think the protein level is around 24. We feed him 2 cups in the morning and 2 in the evening - plus he gets a one carrot, one apple, and a few treats during the day. He seems to be extremely healthy, and very, very happy. Needless to say, he is loved on multiple times per day. He is as sweet as can be and nearly perfect - if that can be said. I just wished he didn't find it necessary to poop so much!

Check the amount of protein. The recommended level for retired Greys is 19%. If necessary give him less Kirkland and add a couple of spoonfuls of porridge oats moistened with warm water to bring the protein level down.

[rossfox]

Suggestions please. OK, so I am now convinced beyond a doubt that my hound poop marks. He is healthy, and at home poops in the morning and then in the evening - firm as it should be. He has no hookworms or other parasites, per the vet. He weighs what he should weigh, and we feed him kibble at around 21%, 2 cups in the morning, 2 in the evening. Here is our walk of today - leave the car and he starts sniffing the bushes on the trail immediately - so he will take a big poop, firm, right then, and pee. OK moving on down the trail, at 50 feet, pee again, 100 feet, pee again, 500 feet, pee again, 600 feet, time to poop again, very soft, impossible to pick up. Moving on 800 feet, pee again, 1200 feet, pee again, 1600 feet, pee again, 2000 feet - looking to poop again, and does, very runny, impossible to pick up. Moving on, now we go into the beautiful historic town of Rockmart to see all of the small shops. My wife goes into a antique store while I walk the hound down the sidewalk, lined with flowers and decorative edging. Uh oh, poop time, on the nice, clean, sunny sidewalk, runny, not too much available but very noticeable, as his poop factory hasn't had time to stock up new supplies yet. So, everyone is looking at me and expecting me to do something about the poop. I am perplexed as to what to do. A garden hose and soap is not available on the sidewalk in front of the quaint shops. This has become the routine. I got him used to a clicker, which he responds to perfectly with other training. So I decided to take the clicker and click it with a nice treat right when he squats over. So he ignores me and the clicker, poops, and then comes to my side to get the obligated treat. He's very smart on this. Also, he can squat and poop in milliseconds, giving me no chance to even blink. I also believe that he can somehow condense air into liquid immediately for his peeing supply. I may look at getting a patent on that. I would prefer that this pooping routine be reduced, but not sure how to do this. Any suggestions.

[NeylasMom]

I mean, if he's gotta go, he's gotta go. There are a lot worse problems to have.

 

If you're in an area where it's going to be tough to pick up, I'd just have the bag over my hand and catch it.

Edited February 24, 2019 by NeylasMom

[sobesmom]

Suggestions please. OK, so I am now convinced beyond a doubt that my hound poop marks. He is healthy, and at home poops in the morning and then in the evening - firm as it should be. He has no hookworms or other parasites, per the vet. He weighs what he should weigh, and we feed him kibble at around 21%, 2 cups in the morning, 2 in the evening. Here is our walk of today - leave the car and he starts sniffing the bushes on the trail immediately - so he will take a big poop, firm, right then, and pee. OK moving on down the trail, at 50 feet, pee again, 100 feet, pee again, 500 feet, pee again, 600 feet, time to poop again, very soft, impossible to pick up. Moving on 800 feet, pee again, 1200 feet, pee again, 1600 feet, pee again, 2000 feet - looking to poop again, and does, very runny, impossible to pick up. Moving on, now we go into the beautiful historic town of Rockmart to see all of the small shops. My wife goes into a antique store while I walk the hound down the sidewalk, lined with flowers and decorative edging. Uh oh, poop time, on the nice, clean, sunny sidewalk, runny, not too much available but very noticeable, as his poop factory hasn't had time to stock up new supplies yet. So, everyone is looking at me and expecting me to do something about the poop. I am perplexed as to what to do. A garden hose and soap is not available on the sidewalk in front of the quaint shops. This has become the routine. I got him used to a clicker, which he responds to perfectly with other training. So I decided to take the clicker and click it with a nice treat right when he squats over. So he ignores me and the clicker, poops, and then comes to my side to get the obligated treat. He's very smart on this. Also, he can squat and poop in milliseconds, giving me no chance to even blink. I also believe that he can somehow condense air into liquid immediately for his peeing supply. I may look at getting a patent on that. I would prefer that this pooping routine be reduced, but not sure how to do this. Any suggestions.

I agree. He's poop marking. After the reasonable poops, that you can pick up, I'm not sure what to do. Maybe just drag him along? Don't let him go? It almost sounds like he's in a habit that you need to break. I applaud your attempt at clicker training, but it's not working for this. You're about to become "that jerk with the dog that has runny poo in public" Not good. Stop taking him places where he's going to cause you an issue. At least until this gets sorted. You really don't want to be "that person".

[fastpointydoge]

You could use a poop bag covered litter scoop to catch the runny poop before it lands. Really helped me when we first moved to the city and my grey was having nervous poops and would have to go in inappropriate places.