Nicola O Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Oh great and wise ones, I'm in need of some advice.... Approx 9 months ago I adopted Rosie, a 5 year old ex-breeding Scottie. A gorgeous, sweet natured girl who has settled in with us (me and two other small doggies) so well. She had lived all her life in a kennel so I new some serious house training would be required. This was surprisingly easy and she was completely clean within 3 - 4 weeks But recently, the last month at the most, she seems to have lost her ability to be clean (and I'm talking about no. 2's ) She still goes in the garden but, to give you an example, there was 2 deposits in the kitchen when I got up, she did nothing before I left for work (not surprising) and there was another when I got in from work, and she went again in the garden !! I'm doing the usual things of staying out in the garden and giving lots of praise when she does go (which is what I did before) but it is just not working this time. My next thought is to keep some of her kibble in my pocket and give her a couple when she goes in the garden as she is VERY food oriented, and see if this is more exciting for her than simple praise. I've had several rescue dogs over the years and most needed toilet training so some extent but this time it seems so difficult. Any advice or tips would be VERY gratefully received. Thank you, and sorry for the long post and having to talk 'poo'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 You're doing the right thing with respect to the training when she does perform. It's unusual for the to start to mess again after being clean, so I would take her to the vet with a stool sample for them to check. If she is pooing that often, then I would be tempted to feed her less, or looks at the type of food that she gets. Hope you get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Leia Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 We had a similar problem with our first collie-cross rescue about 20 years ago. We were told to restrict his space whilst he was alone, which we did - he basically stayed in his bed in the downstairs toilet overnight and when we went out. That worked; apparently dogs won't intentionally soil their own beds, so restricting the available non-bed floor area is the trick. This was before the days of dog crates, which would probably be the way to do it now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Sorry that reminds me that I forgot to ask if she is crate trained - that's brilliant for helping with house training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Yes Princess leah I was just going to suggest crating at least overnight.My mum got a dog that had been kept for breeding and therefore kennelled all the time.She was very hard to train,preferring to do no2s on hard surface,I suppose similar to what she had been used to.She frequently pooed on the hearth!I would also as said look at diet.She does seem to go a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola O Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 You're doing the right thing with respect to the training when she does perform. It's unusual for the to start to mess again after being clean, so I would take her to the vet with a stool sample for them to check. If she is pooing that often, then I would be tempted to feed her less, or looks at the type of food that she gets. Hope you get it sorted. Hi. We did go to the vet as she had about 3 bouts of the runs (really bad ) and had loads of tests. She's had vit B (or was it B12) injection, antibiotics and anti-inflamatories in case of infection, stool samples checked, several blood test for all sorts of medical conditions and all came back negative so vet concluded it must be a food intolerance or IBS. She has been on Wainrights grain-free for quite some time and has not had the runs since she started it - apart from when I tried to change her diet to something else (on other peoples recommendations) and back came the raging trots, so really want to keep her on the Wainrights as it does seem to 'agree' with her. She has the appropriate amount for her weight and is mot overweight, but does seem to be permanently hungry and would eat till she explodes given the opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola O Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 Meant to say also, that I agree she does seem to go a lot - a lot more than any other dog I've got/had but with her food intolerance/IBS I'm worried about changing her food again as it would probably set of a bout of the runs again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I'd avoid anything with chicken in it too Nicola... Processed chicken seems to upset some dogs. Try a salmon and potato feed if you want to give kibble, most companies will send you a sample if you email them to explain the problem. Strangely, raw chicken doesn't seem to have the same effect; mine have always been raw fed and never ail in that direction. I hope you get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola O Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 After her last bout of diarhea (spl?) I was told to put her on the old favourite of chicken and rice until it cleared up, but she continued being bad for several more days and only returned to normal when I put her back onto the Wainrights. And strangely, she is never 'ill' when she has the runs - she's as happy, lively, and still has the same huge appetite as normal. She's a bit of a puzzle, but we love her..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Has she got an upset tummy this time, or is it simply that she seems to have forgotten her house training? If it's an upset tum, you could try either something like pro-kolin paste or tree barks powder to help soothe the digestion. If it's a house training issue then I agree with what everyone else has said - go back to basics and restrict her area when she's left, make regular trips outside for toileting and praise like crazy when she does go. Hope she's all back to normal soon - perhaps after 5 years old habits die hard, but I am sure she will get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola O Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 Hi LB. No. tummy/bowels are normal, I think what you have said is right - she has 'forgotten' to be clean. I was up this morning at 4am for a wee myself, so took the opportunity to let the dogs out to give her a chance to go, but after waiting in the garden for 20 mins - nothing . But fortunately nothing when I got up again later. I think a crate is a good idea but unfortunately don't have the funds for one at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 You can often see crates coming up on Freegle, so it's worth asking for one. Shame you're not nearer or I could loan you one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Hi Nicola, I am no expert on poo, have only had our puppy for a couple of months....however re a crate, I have had one lent to me from a friend who's puppy is now 1 year old so doesn't need it at the moment and the one we use in the car I bought from a table top sale for £5..so just a suggestion if you have any doggy friends who might not be using theirs any more it might be worth asking around. My friend was only too pleased to get rid of hers out of her shed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola O Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 Hi all. I agree a cage seems to be the way to go so I will ask on freecycle/freegle, as the only friends with dogs don't have cages either. I hope the kibble treats are working, as today there was nothing when I got up and when I got in from work (though it may just be a coincidence as I've only been doing it for a couple of days). I'm really taking rosie back to basics, and going out in the garden every 1/2 hour, waiting for 'something' from her, give treat and back in. In a couple of days we'll go out every hour and slowly extend the time between toilet breaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 (edited) Nicola. Have you considered raw feeding? There are couple of threads on here about it. It's completely natural, with no cereal/wheat etc so brilliant for doggies with intolerances. Also because there is no cereal in it, it reduces the amount on poop by around 80% as there is no waste to come out! They use it all the good stuff for the energy... I use a local supplier to you in Basildon, it's made by hand with meat, veg, fruit, bone and some natural supplements e'g nettles and spearmint. It's a complete food that comes frozen, you feed at 2% of her body weight. If you think it may help let me know and i'll whizz you over a number, no more expensive than other good quality foods..... Edited August 31, 2014 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 I'd totally agree with that (as you'd expect ) as would Lavenders_Blue and LBB. My Cyrus is now roughly 10 years old, and was a mangy rescue when we got him from Ireland; he was about 2kg underweight, bald in places, and had rather worrying digestive issues, not to mention the manky teeth and gum disease. The vet was rather concerned about him, but agreed to let me get him on a raw diet to get his condition up before he was able to have any jabs, and to see if the bones could clean his teeth up without the need to remove the lot! 3 Months later, he looked like this picture below.. his tummy problems were long forgotten, his coat is lovely, and his teefs cleaned up a treat - no more gum disease, although he did have to have three teeth removed due to 'historical cavities'. The Power of Raw! Lots of lurcher owners feed their dogs raw because it seems to suit them better and out of all types/breeds, they are less tolerant of gluten or filler in their food. It really is easy, and you can get as much into it as you like, or take the easy route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I'd totally agree with that (as you'd expect ) as would Lavenders_Blue and LBB. Yes, definitely Tango went for her annual jabs and MOT a few weeks ago, I caught the vet having a cheeky squeeze of her thigh (I can't blame him, I do the same thing myself) and declared her to be in beautiful condition, really athletic and fit. I am sure that's as much down to her diet as exercise levels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 my vets gave up trying to sell me their complete dried food ages ago - they can see for themselves how fit my two are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola O Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Hi guys. I have been thinking of a raw diet (and was following the other post on here about it closely) as so may of you obviously rate it very highly. I did discuss it with my vet who thought it would be too rich for her and set off the projectile poo-ing again, but I gather from your comments that most vets don't seem to like it. I think I will give it a try, her coat is also poor (she moults constantly) so it should also help with that as well. If I introduce it very gradually into her diet......... Quickcluck - if you could give me the number I would appreciate it Dogmother - Cyrus looks beautiful, a real picture of health The training has been going well, only one accidental poo in three days so I think the kibble reinforcement is helping her to get the message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 DM- Cyrus looks FABULOUS! Looking forward to less poo here, we are on day 3 of introducing raw, taking it very slowly...day 1 was "what is that?" stare at it stare at it again (all 1 teaspoon of it) then she ate it. Since then, GOBBLE! I presume?? when you feed them bones with meat that might slow down the gobbling rate, can't put it in a kong at the moment as I would have to defrost then refreeze it. Just typing this, I have realised I could put it in the kong as raw not frozen raw. Sorry for ramblings and don't think this should be on this thread, but anyway....I am off to fill a kong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Yes crunching bones does slow down the gobbling It's best to give something of a decent size to get their teeth into so they get a nice facial workout from it (no wrinkles in our house) and stops any attempt to try and swallow it whole. BTW you can defrost and refreeze meat for dogs. I do it all the time for stuffing mince into kongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Thank you, i will pass that on to Cyrus. Yes it does slow them down, although if you start with smaller bones lie chicken legs, it helps to hold the end of the bone to get them to take it slowly rather then try to inhale it. Ruby is still crunching at a lamb neck that I gave her half an hour ago. Yes, as L_B has said, you can refreeze dog meat - their digestive systems are far more robust than ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Yes gorgoeous dog DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Thanks. The photo doesn't show that he has a gleaming ginger coat; I have started to add coconut oil (as well as the usual salmon oil) to their breakfast mince, and they seem to love it, and are very shiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola O Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 Oh dear, we had been doing so well.......... In the last week of back to basics toilet training there had only been one indoor poo...but this morning I got up at 4am to let them out and there was two poo's, then got up at 7.30am and there was another one!!. I was fortunate to be gifted a large crate from freecycle, but had not set it up as we were doing so well, but now it's in the kitchen and Rosie has had a couple of 2 or 3 mins shut in it, and she seems quite happy and settled in it. I'm popping out for about 20 mins shortly so she can have a little bit longer in it. I'm happy for her to be in it overnight but what about during the day when I'm at work? I've never kept a dog in a crate before and worried that she wont be able to get up, stretch her legs and have a drink etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
