Running and pooping (not runny poop)

[pupper-lover]

I have a pooper prob with my 1 year old golden retriever.

I love to take my dogs for short jogs a couple of days a week. I don't have a yard, so this is a neccessity to drain some of the puupy energy.

The dogs do everything before we leave the complex. Jake always has to poop, at least once, while we are actually running. I have tried stopping at the halfway point. He won't go then, but 5 minutes later, he will be either dropping presents on the sidewalk or pulling me over to the grass. The problem has become so annoying, I have thought of not taking him with me, but he seems to need and want the exercise. I'm a fairly patient person, but our fun runs seem to usually turn into pooping battles.

Why is he doing this, and how can I make him only go where he's supposed to? If anyone has any constructive advice, I could really use it.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Exercise actually stimulates the dog into pooping if there is anything in the colon. Perhaps you can try to feed him in conjuntion with the jogs. You would need to make sure that there is ample time after eating for it to work itself out before jogging. Or jog and then feed him a little later. NEVER feed a dog directly after exercising. They need to cool down first.

Personally, I would just take a bag along with me and clean it up. As the old saying goes.... SH_ _ HAPPENS! It's better than being constapated.

[pupper-lover]

We usually run at 6 am and he usually eats at 6pm. He poops twice or thrice on the morning run/walk, and once at lunchtime, but rarely in the evening. Most of the time, it's in smallish amounts. Is this normal?

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by pupper-lover
We usually run at 6 am and he usually eats at 6pm. He poops twice or thrice on the morning run/walk, and once at lunchtime, but rarely in the evening. Most of the time, it's in smallish amounts. Is this normal?

Does he only get fed once a day? You could try giving him his food twice a day and perhaps that will encourage his bowels to work several times a day instead of only once.

Each dog is different. Dixie is a morning pooh dog. I know I can't leave for work until she exercises and poops. She only poops once a day.

Dusty on the other hand poops about 3 times a day. Usually once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once in the evening. My previous dog Taffey would poop every evening but only once.

It sounds like your boy is like my Dixie and is on a morning schedule. But it also sounds like he is like my Dusty and goes more than once a day. If they need more than one elimination per day, I would suggest feeding twice a day.

Again though, I would take a bag along just to be sure. It is better safe than sorry.

I'm sorry I couldn't offer anything more. Perhaps someone else on the board has some other suggestions.

[pupper-lover]

As far as eating goes, Jake has access to food, when I am home. That's in the am, at lunch, and after 5pm. He just chooses to only eat once a day, usually around my dinner time. Come to think of it, he may actually be eating while I'm asleep. That would definately lead to a full tummy/bowels in the morning.

I have to say that the thing that bothers me most, is not the poop, it's the screeching to a halt to poop. It's very jarring on my body, plus my other dog is choked by her collar. If he were better trained and we ran/walked in a place where there was less traffic, this poop issue wouldn't be such a prob. He could stop to go and then catch up with me. I could clean up on the way back.

All of the others dogs, I've had, have been trained to poop at home and at a special destination. No other place is acceptible. I'm not sure why this works with every other dog, and not him. It may just be his body or maybe he is eating at night. I may try putting the food away at night. Maybe that's the prob.

Thanks, Dixieland Dancer for all your imput. Jake thanks you, too.