[Rio Girl]

Rio (13 mos. old) has recently become quite uncooperative on leash, (not paying attention, pulling away, darting toward the street) and it's getting me nuts. Also, when she squats to poop, she gets distracted, stops pooping and walks away. She'll do this two, three times in a 40 minute walking session. Then she won't poop ALL day thereafter.

I'm at a point now where she's going on nearly 30 hours since she last pooped. I'm a single guy who works and I can't spend my entire life dealing with this problem.

I even spent over $5000.00 getting my backyard in condition for her to roam as she pleases, without fear of escape and she flat out refuses to poop in the yard. As a younger puppy she never denied the backyard to do her business.

I'm at my end. It's frustrating and am getting very angry. She usually has full run of the house while I'm at work but I've crated her recently because I don't want to come home to a "special delivery".

HELP!!!!!!

 

[Murphys Dad]

I understand it's frustrating, but under no circumstance you should take your frustration on Rio... is it possible that she has a problem? Maybe something is bothering her, you should check with the vet. Also, when all was fine during walks, did you turn around and terminated the walk short after she pooped? It's possible that she learned the trick and poops in small doses to make sure her walk lasts longer...
I would check with the vet, and combine excercise once a day (or at least a few times a week)... as with us, it helps with metabolism, and helps with the dogs behavior...
Good luck and keep us updated :thumbup:

 

[Rio Girl]

We run free in the yard first thing in the AM for about 5 minutes. From there, the walks run from 30-45 minutes. She normally poops 15 minutes in and I continue our journey for a time thereafter. If I have enough time when we get back home, we play fetch or chase for 5-10 minutes. (I need to leave for work by 7:00am).

She's not being deprived of her time of exploration.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Well... it sounds like she is getting her exercise... that's what I do with Chloe in the mornings and when I get back from work I take her for a long walk, and later she plays with her friends for about an hour.
I would just check with the vet, and see if he/she has any other idea (or a medical condition that you weren't aware of)... /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif

 

[angelaH]

I know its difficult, but try not to let your frustration show when she doesnt succeed in pooping. Could be she has got the wrong message and thinks she is doing something wrong by pooping. If she hasnt dont it soon, then please take her to the vet to make sure there is no obstruction.

 

[Gingergoose]

My beagle-mix, Jake (now deceased) used to refuse to potty in the small yard that I had when I first found him. I had to take him out on a leash.

So I bought a house...with a yard...and he still refused to go potty in the back yard. I had to walk him around the front for him to go. Ugh!

That was years ago and it all worked out eventually.

Like they mentioned, don't let Rio know you're mad and frustrated.

Hey...weren't you "RocandRio" or something like that? I was wondering how you all were doing.

~Denise

 

[Gingergoose]

Speaking of Jake, I remembered something I used to do when he was straggling and hadn't pooped yet.

Don't laugh...

I would wrap the leash around his hiney and under his tail so that it literally laid over his poop-hole. That small amount of stimulation would almost always make him poop.

It might be worth a try.

~Denise

 

[patama1004]

Quote:Originally posted by Gingergoose:
....Don't laugh...

I would wrap the leash around his hiney and under his tail so that it literally laid over his poop-hole. That small amount of stimulation would almost always make him poop.

It might be worth a try.

~Denise

I'm laughing now, Denise, because that's what I sometimes do to Boeing too (just to pester him :evilgrin: ) Thank goodness, he's not a difficult pooper and can go up to three-four times a day, all solid /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[Gingergoose]

3 to 4 times a day? You go, Boeing! :thumbup:

That little move made my life alot easier once I figured it out. It was almost comical. After the "move" with the leash, he usually would do a half-turn and squat almost immediately.

~Denise

 

[Rio Girl]

Quote:...Hey...weren't you "RocandRio" or something like that? I was wondering how you all were doing.

~Denise [/QB]

We are one in the same. My home computer crapped out (pun intended) and it was some time before I was able to get another one. I decided to re-register from my office and get back in the game.

Update:
Rio pooped yesterday afternoon at lunchtime. Not an enormous amount like I'd expected but at least she went. But last night she once again started to poop, got distracted by a passing car and pulled it back in and walked away. I then proceeded to continue our walk for another hour until she went. It was a bit of punishment for not paying attention. Unfortunately the message didn't get through because she never did poop again. She went this morning without incident.

I know this seems like such a trivial condition but I've been doing everything by the book in raising Rio, keeping the schedule the same time every day for the past year. This is a behavioral problem I don't understand and am running out of patients quickly.

It's frustrating as hell and I really shouldn't have to dedicate that much time to tend to this dog. I need my time too. When I get home from work (around 5:30pm) I take Rio out in the yard and let her snoop for a while. We then walk for 30 minutes or so. we get back home and I feed her and we play on the bed for 15 minutes. When I decide I've had enough I go and do my own thing. Rio has other plans for me though. She won't let me be for one minute. I have to actually leave the house to get some "me" time. I don't want to do that because I have house chores to do.

I'm at a loss for ideas.

 

[Gingergoose]

Hi, it's good to see you all back!

Keep in mind that while you are out all day, you see people, talk to people, go places, have lunch...routine stuff but you still have those diversions.

Rio only has you. She is alone all day, probably bored, napping and saving all of her energy. The highlight of her day is when you come home. You are her life. And when you come home she makes up for loss time. PLUS, when you come home, it means that she gets to go outside for awhile. That's alot of excitement for her.

It might not be a solution to your problem but seeing it through Rio's eyes may help your frustration.

Have you tried the frozen Kong? Maybe after you come home, walk her, give her some play time, when it's time for you to do other things, you could give her a frozen Kong filled with peanut butter or something that will keep her busy. The Kongs are those big rubber things, usually red that look like two balls welded together. It has holes on either end where you can put treats or food in. When they are frozen, they present more of a challenge for the pup. My Henry isn't interested in his Kong but there are BW members here who swear by them.

Also, maybe another suggestion although I don't know how viable it is. Is doggie daycare an option? Or a professional dog walker, at least part time?

Just some thoughts.

~Denise

 

[Rio Girl]

Gingergoose,

Thank you for the good suggestions. Rio has owned a Kong since 8wks old and really pays no mind to it. I'd only give her a peanut butter filled Kong after she has eaten her food but there are days when she goes without eating so the offering of a "treat" is counter productive.

Doggy daycare or pro-dog walker is not a financial option for me.

Overall, I agree with your assessment about life through her eyes and will try to be more cogniscent of that in the future.

She's really a great dog at heart and I love the poop out of her. I do feel the summer heat and humidity is having a physical effect on her system. I'm going to start walking her later in the evening as a start and see what happens from there. Thanks for the help.

 

[angelaH]

I think Gingergoose gave you some good advice there.

Dogs do need a lot of attention, particularly when alone all day. However, once you have played and walked her just get on with your house chores, stop now and then to give her a cuddle or go out in the yard and play a bit with her. Think of her as a child.She'll settle down eventually but she'll never be a toy that one can switch off.

 

[sarahc]

I know you mentioned that you have done everything by the book and so forth. I think our pets are like people not one book fits for every pet. Zeus had to drop out of doggie kindergarten because he (and my husband and I) were getting no where with the type of training we were doing.

It took us a few weeks to get a down and system of pooping and peeing, eating, sleeping, and playing. At this point (10 months old) we are happy and so is Zeus.

Our lifesaver was a doggie door (our dog trainer was totally against them). We are lucky enough to have a completely fenced in yard and he comes and goes as he pleases. From the first day the door whet in we have had only one mess.

This may not be the solution for you but I just wanted to let you know that you need to figure out what’s good for you and Rio and not rely what the trainers or the books say.

I honestly think Rio may be board all day and everything in the world excites her when you come home or take her for a walk. Try and giver her some stimulus during the day, maybe a TV or Radio and other busy things...

 

[Rio Girl]

Zeus,

I have TWO doggie doors and ramps for unencumbered access to my fenced yard where there's a few of her favorite toys, a water bowl, an umbrella for shade over the 60"x30" sand box and plenty of birds and bugs for her to chase. I'm not sure she goes out when I'm not there because I've set "traps" to see if she'd "take the bait" but no sign of life (I put treats in certain areas). I do the TV and radio thing. She has a pillowed platform at the front bay window. My princess has the run of the roost. Is she bored? Probably...most dogs are. I have a pretty good understanding that you can't raise a living being from a text book and expect perfection but I have followed the basic rules of scheduling and discipline.

Most days are good for us but there are those days that become overwhelming. It's tough and since my first posting, I'd say things are getting back on track. My gut instinct tells me that the weather is playing a big part in her recent personality quirks.

I'll keep you posted on her progress.