As posted last week, Phod spent some time in the crate while we sort out his poop issues. After a successful day in the crate Tuesday, I, the Lady worked from home on Wednesday. This meant Phod had to be in the crate on Thursday.
To further prove no good came from a Thursday, he managed to open the crate (cutting his nose in the process) and get out. Then he used the games room as his bathroom. (I am grateful I am not the first one home). The Man was very upset to say the least. To quote him "your dog is going to drive me to drink!"
Friday, the Man arranged to work from home so that Phod would have access to the great outdoors when nature called.
Now, unfortunately, we can't work from home every day. This week, Lady is home Tuesday and Wednesday, but that is it as she has to see clients in the city and attend a conference. In effort to finally sort this out, as clearly it is not safe to keep him in the crate, we have finished totally transferring him to the new food. We have reduced the amount of food he is getting in the morning (having researched in general it takes 10 hours for a dog to process food) and increased his evening meal a bit. We also hope now that hopefully the very, very cold mornings are behind us and we can get back to walks (which it was too cold to do for 2 weeks) this will help. If we don't see improvement in another week, we will have to consult a V-E-T.
If anyone has suggestions on how to break the using the floor as a toilet we are all ears. We know he can hold it from 7:30-5 because with the exception of Friday, when we have been home, he hasn't had to poop during this time.
Oh dear, poor you and poor Phod. Touch wood, I have not experienced this problem with either of my dogs, and the only other suggestion I have (and I'm sure you've already thought of this) is can you arrange for a neighbour to let him out during the day when you're not there. Not so easy I guess when you live 'out in the woods'.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, wishing you best of luck.
Gail.
Oh we hope there is a solution.. poor man and poor phod... that is not the "welcome home" we ant so see when we open the door...
ReplyDeleteCould putting a pair of undies on him help maybe?
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteOh dear... the problem is that there can be a form of negative reinforcement as Phod learns his behaviour keeps you at home... do you have sealable bathroom? I did once put Jade through a regime of 'guardy loo' and she learned that, if for any reason she couldn't or wouldn't go outside, she used the bath to deposit. Easy to clean up and only used in an emergency. (Interestingly, Jasper cat copy-catted this behaviour!!!) It's perhaps not the ideal, but at least contained in a manageable space. However, I was also thinking it might be worth a V.E.T. trip just to ensure there is not something else going on. YAM xx
what about a door out into catio attached on to the house but one big enough for a dog instead of a cat.That way everybody is safe but he can still go to the toilet outside with no mishaps,xx Rachel and Speedy
ReplyDeletebless his sweet heart, his nose photo made my heart hurt. Jake hurt his hip escapeing the crate. our first dog, Max the one that looked like Phod, had the same issues. we did not feed him when he got up. he ate once a day and that was at 4 when Bob got home from work. since then, all of our dogs are fed at 3 or 4 pm not in the am. when we started that, no problems. when we adopted Big, I asked what time they feed the shelter dogs. her answer was 4 pm. so we left him on that feeding schedule.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I do hope your Poop issues settle down Phod a visit to the V-E-T is nefer a funs thingy
ReplyDeleteAnd your poor nose!!!! *mwah* healing licky kiss fur you
Loves and licky kisses
Princess Leah xxx
We're sorry to hear Phod is still having problems and hope it resolves soon.
ReplyDeleteDarn it Phod good buddy I know this is almost as aggravating to you as the Man and your Lady.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had an answer/suggestion. I send loving hugs to you all
HiC
This seems to be a relatively recent occurrence. I'd take him to the vet to make sure there wasn't something physically wrong with him.
ReplyDeleteWe hope Phod feels better soon. I had a bit of a stomach/pooping problem last week. It scored me some home made chicken and rice soup. Yum! I'm all better now!
ReplyDeleteWish we had some suggestions. Poor Phod and poor you.
ReplyDeleteDear Phod,
ReplyDeleteWe are glad the food helped a little bit, but sorry you are still having issues! I do not like being left in Crate either, although Ojo doesn't mind.
Our person wants to say that she is not a Vet. She works with Dogs in a training capacity, not a medical one, but she agrees with the comment above to speak to Vet. We know Vet is very stressful for you, friend - maybe there is something they can do over the phone, or by taking in a sample of your poop?
Also, my person wants me to mention that sometimes poop changes can happen when there is stress or change to routine or the environment. She has known Dogs that poop when something scary or stressful happens and their people are away. She has also known Dogs that have started pooping funny when something else got changed up in their lives.
Friend Phod, it sounds like maybe you were trying to get out of your crate because you had to poop so badly, and none of us Dogs like to poop in our dens. Sometimes we just cannot hold it! This doesn't mean we are Bad! I don't think you are Bad at all, and neither does our person! When a Dog who didn't poop in the house starts pooping in the house, there is a reason - either a physical thing going on, or else a change or a stress. (Or it happens when we get old too, but I do not think you are that old yet!)
We hope your Lady can help you figure out what's going on and get this settled. I have had bad house-poops before, and it's very upsetting and stressful and awful for me! I bet it's the same for you. So I hope this gets figured out soon!
Good luck, friend! Feel better soon!!!
Cobi
Pee Ess I'm sure your Lady knows this, but please tell her that us Dogs do not have the cognition abilities to poop on purpose to keep our humans at home. I wish we did! But sadly we do not. Things are much more simple than that with us. I think the person above who said this must be what you're doing thinks very highly of Dogs, which is pawesome! But we're just not able to think like that!
Sadly we don't have any advice, but it does sound like it is becoming more of a behavioral issue than just food related. His poor nose - looks sore. Lightning does not like crates either. We wish we had a good suggestion for you, but we do have lots of good Sibe vibes headed your way.
ReplyDeleteWoos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Poor Phod....hang in there buddy, hopefully you can get back to your walkies soon and that will help the problem!
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Rosy, Jakey & Arty
I wish I had something you could try, butts sounds like the peeps have tried everything I have thought of. I hopes it clears up my pal ~ maybe the walkies will help. not only to relieve yourself, butts to gets out any pent-up energy you might have so you can sleeps while the peeps are at work. sendin' POTP for your snooter too.
ReplyDeleteKisses,
Ruby ♥
We sure hope your peeps can get you back on track Phod
ReplyDeletehugs
Hazel & Mabel
I think you should just poop wherever you want and your peeps should be grateful that you are there at all. Momma disagrees and has been trying to break ME of the same habit.
ReplyDeleteUh, oh. Sorry for the accident and the nose injury. Hopefully with more walks when the weather cooperates, everything will resolve itself. Paws crossed.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry you hurt your nose getting out of the crate.
ReplyDeleteMitzie does poo on the hardwood floor by the front door when
she is left at home alone. Ma puts down big pads she brings home from the hospital.
I wish I had answers to this problem.
♥ Astro and Mitzie & the mom