Ok, here's one...I know this can be a gross subject but it's driving me crazy and I really could use some advice...
My younger dog, Roscoe, (19 month old neutered male pit bull), has this really nasty habit. Only when we are away from the house, he will occasionally poop in the house...and eat it! Yuck!
He has had this habit since puppyhood. When we brought him home at 5 months old we noticed then that he had a habit of pooping in his crate and eating it. The home he came from before we took him in kept him in his crate for long hours and we believe he developed this habit from those days and from simply not being able to hold it that long. Unlike our older dog, Ginger (who is like clockwork), Roscoe is not a really "regular" dog. His stools are often soft (even when he hasn't been eating it) and he has to go at irregular intervals.
When he does go in the house, he always like to go in one general area, which happens to be right near my computer desk! Luckily it's on the tile floor but I'm going through gallons of Nature's Miracle keeping the area clean!
I can't tell if he is doing this behavior simply because he gets to the point that he can't hold it any longer (being irregular there are probably times it hits him all of a sudden) or if, because he always tends to go right near my chair, he is doing this as some type of behavioral issue related to me.
A few pieces of info that might be important to note are:
I walk for a good 30 minute brisk walk with both my dogs first thing in the morning (we use doggie backpacks in which they carry water bottles so they get nice and tired out). They also get a walk in the evening some days.
I take the dogs to use the bathroom before the morning walk, I eat lunch at home every day, so I take them out then, I take them out again around dinner time and once more just before bedtime.
Usually, when he has a chance to use the bathroom outside during the walks, the incidences in the house are much more infrequent.
Often we have to take him for a walk to get him to go, just bringing him outside to his usual area and prompting him with our usual "go poopy" prompt is not enough. It's almost as if he has to "work it out".
I always give him lots of praise every time he goes outside. We never really get the chance to catch him in the act of messing in the house to offer any type of correction at the moment it could make a difference. We always find the remnants of what he's done well after the fact, when we come home, and he won't do it at all when we're present, only when we're gone.
Could this be some type of separation anxiety? Are there any products we can use to deter him from doing this? (for example I use bitter apple to keep him from chewing on things he shouldn't). Other than the schedule I keep them on and the frequent walks, is there anything I can do, or any dietary supplements that might help him to be more regular? Anyone have any ideas on why he is doing this and, more importantly, how to make him stop!
Thank you!
Bookmarks