Yet another problem with my newly adopted dog. Jack is a 5 yr old, neutered, lab mix. He rarely poops on walks. As soon as we go out he'll pee. After that he's constantly stopping and staring at...anything (and sometimes nothing). He and my other dog poop in the back corner of the yard, so I'll take him there and walk him back and forth. This means that I'm trying to walk him and he's stopping every five seconds to stare at whatever. The first walk in the morning usually only lasts 20 minutes. The later walks last anywhere from 20 minutes to 45. It doesn't matter what time of day or how long we walk, he gets so distracted staring at things (it's pretty rare that there are any dogs, wildlife, or people visible or audible to me) he won't poop. Recently I've started putting him in his crate when we get in, then a few minutes later take him out again. Never works. The other dog has a cue to get on with things ("Hurry up") and I'm trying to use that for Jack as well but I don't often get the opportunity. On the rare occasions that he does poop he gets lots of praise and we do something fun outside (so he doesn't associate pooping with having to go inside immediately).
I have no idea where the poop is going. He's not going on the floor, so unless he's eating it during the day, I have no idea. He checked out fine at the vet so he's not constipated. He gets fed twice a day. Once at 3:30 am and once at 5 pm and he's walked around 3 am, 4:40 am, 6:30 am, 11 am, 3 pm, 5:30 pm, 7 pm, and 9:30 pm.
How can I get his attention on the business at hand?
Dog not pooping (too distracted)
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Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
I'm a new dog owner, so, just take my advice for what it's worth Our dog used to do the same thing. We take him out and he'd run left, right, roll in the grass etc. etc. Everything but poop. So what we started doing was taking him to the area where we wanted him to go and then we'd just stay in that one area, letting him sniff to his heart's content. After a few minutes of sniffing every nook and cranny, he'd finally go. When we'd walk him around, he'd be too busy looking around and everything and he wouldn't go. But once we got him in his area and he sniffed out everything there, he was able to get to the business at hand and go. Then, we'd finish the rest of the walk.
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
It's certainly worth a try! Thanks for the suggestion!
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
in your other thread you mention you have only had at least Jack for about a month. Like with your other question, a month isn't all that much time for dogs when it comes to settling into a new home.
Jack is probably very stressed still, unsure what the rules, expectations are, is he in a safe place etc. these things take time for him to figure out 100% .
squatting to go to the bathroom is a pretty vulnerable position. Jack really doesn't know you, and probably isn't feeling very secure right now. it took my dog well over a year to not spook over every little noise, be distracted by smells etc so that he went to the bathroom fairly quickly after getting outside. and heaven forbid another dog showed up, passed us, was even in visual range...it would take him ANOTHER 20-30 minutes to calm down and feel safe and remember he had to go.
so, keep things calm, give him a little space, be patient.
Jack is probably very stressed still, unsure what the rules, expectations are, is he in a safe place etc. these things take time for him to figure out 100% .
squatting to go to the bathroom is a pretty vulnerable position. Jack really doesn't know you, and probably isn't feeling very secure right now. it took my dog well over a year to not spook over every little noise, be distracted by smells etc so that he went to the bathroom fairly quickly after getting outside. and heaven forbid another dog showed up, passed us, was even in visual range...it would take him ANOTHER 20-30 minutes to calm down and feel safe and remember he had to go.
so, keep things calm, give him a little space, be patient.
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
We never had this issue, but I wonder...
What if he was on a longer leash? Perhaps you being so close to him, towering over him in fact, is what makes him a bit uncomfortable in the vulnerable position?
Is this worth a try - say, for example, tie 2 leashes together when on a poop-walk, or use a longer line, to give him a bit more space? (Just thinking aloud here)
What if he was on a longer leash? Perhaps you being so close to him, towering over him in fact, is what makes him a bit uncomfortable in the vulnerable position?
Is this worth a try - say, for example, tie 2 leashes together when on a poop-walk, or use a longer line, to give him a bit more space? (Just thinking aloud here)
Last edited by Ari_RR on Thu May 03, 2012 5:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
ARI, that is a good point.
For my dog, I actually had to step in close and form a "wall" for him to feel safe. BUT in this case as you suggest, maybe stepping away and giving more room is what is needed.
For my dog, I actually had to step in close and form a "wall" for him to feel safe. BUT in this case as you suggest, maybe stepping away and giving more room is what is needed.
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
I had success tonight by accident. He was doing the usual stand there and look off into the distance when I got a text. So I stopped walking (usually I keep walking him back and forth trying to keep him moving in an effort to get him to sniff the ground) and after a few minutes of me just standing there he went. 3 times! I have never been so excited over a poop. So, tomorrow I'm going to use a longer leash to give him space and I'm not going to try to coerce him into walking. I'm just going to stand there for 20 or 30 minutes to see if we can repeat tonight's performance.
I'm really glad I found this board. Everyone has been very helpful, not only in giving training advice, but also keeping me from having unrealistic expectations and reminding me that I need to be more patient. Thanks!
I'm really glad I found this board. Everyone has been very helpful, not only in giving training advice, but also keeping me from having unrealistic expectations and reminding me that I need to be more patient. Thanks!
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
Great success!! Let's hope weather is good tomorrow
Oh, one more thought.. As he masters the art of pooping, I would start changing environment around for him when he poops.
We never had this issue, but I've heard of dogs who can only go in one spot on Earth, in the corner of their backyard, for example.. So if such dog is away from his backyard for any reason and needs to go - he is in trouble.
Oh, one more thought.. As he masters the art of pooping, I would start changing environment around for him when he poops.
We never had this issue, but I've heard of dogs who can only go in one spot on Earth, in the corner of their backyard, for example.. So if such dog is away from his backyard for any reason and needs to go - he is in trouble.
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Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
Yay! I'm so glad it worked for you! I've learned that having patience is always key! You won't have to stand in one spot for him to go forever, just until he gets more comfortable. I think it only took our guy about a week or so before he'd just be trotting along and suddenly, veer over to poop. Just give your dog lots of love (when appropriate) so that he can feel safe and secure and work with him, so that he's confident in what's expected of him.soonerj wrote:I had success tonight by accident. He was doing the usual stand there and look off into the distance when I got a text. So I stopped walking (usually I keep walking him back and forth trying to keep him moving in an effort to get him to sniff the ground) and after a few minutes of me just standing there he went. 3 times! I have never been so excited over a poop. So, tomorrow I'm going to use a longer leash to give him space and I'm not going to try to coerce him into walking. I'm just going to stand there for 20 or 30 minutes to see if we can repeat tonight's performance.
I'm really glad I found this board. Everyone has been very helpful, not only in giving training advice, but also keeping me from having unrealistic expectations and reminding me that I need to be more patient. Thanks!
Also, a longer leash may help initially. We had a retractable leash and in the beginning, he preferred to max it out and hide behind a bush and go. He doesn't care so much now. So, just give it time. It'll all sort itself out!
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
Well, my success was fleeting. The next day he wouldn't poop. The day after he did. Yesterday he wouldn't go. He got to the point where he just laid down (I guess he got tired of just standing there). That was at 9:30 pm. At 11:00 pm he pooped on the floor right in front of my husband. Took him outside immediately and we're back to the whole staring off into the distance, not wanting to do anything else. I'm going to keep going with the long lead and try to wait until his attention comes back to the business at hand, but I'm going to have to start crating him at night if he doesn't poop because I really don't want cleanup duty at 11 pm when I have to get up at 2.
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
exercise stimulates evacuation Can you get him running around/playing? Also... on the rare occasions he's doing it say "toilet" in a cheery voice over and over (as soon as you see him start to stoop)... The association with that cue may help him understand that you want him to 'go' in that area...
Toileting is a vulnerable action for animals to partake in... Sounds to me like he doesn't feel safe enough outside to commit to toileting but, if he's slowly coming round then you need to capitalise on every success and reward, reward, rewards (oh... and remember to add the cue)
Toileting is a vulnerable action for animals to partake in... Sounds to me like he doesn't feel safe enough outside to commit to toileting but, if he's slowly coming round then you need to capitalise on every success and reward, reward, rewards (oh... and remember to add the cue)
"Oh what gold there is to find when one is blessed with an open mind" - me, not five minutes ago
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
I do use the cue "Hurry Up" in a happy voice when he starts to go (my other dog, Misa, knows this). Of course, at this point he's pooping so infrequently it'll take a decade before he's had enough repetition to get the association.
As far as getting him to run or play...he is so intent on staring at whatever it is he's staring at I can't get him to even walk. As soon as he pees he just stops and stares. After reading your post I'm thinking he may be looking for anything threatening? You'd think at some point after seeing nothing he'd at least start sniffing the ground or walking, but if I let him he'll just stare for close to an hour (probably even longer if I didn't get tired of just standing there).
At some point (not soon enough though) I will be putting up a privacy fence. Hopefully this will help since he won't be able to see anything but the fence.
If nothing else, adopting this dog is teaching me how to have LOTS of patience!
As far as getting him to run or play...he is so intent on staring at whatever it is he's staring at I can't get him to even walk. As soon as he pees he just stops and stares. After reading your post I'm thinking he may be looking for anything threatening? You'd think at some point after seeing nothing he'd at least start sniffing the ground or walking, but if I let him he'll just stare for close to an hour (probably even longer if I didn't get tired of just standing there).
At some point (not soon enough though) I will be putting up a privacy fence. Hopefully this will help since he won't be able to see anything but the fence.
If nothing else, adopting this dog is teaching me how to have LOTS of patience!
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
if he's a Scanner he'll constantly look worried and always be scanning the horizon for danger even when there is evidently nothing there... If that's the case then you'll find it very hard to get/maintain a trainable frame of mind (in the dog)...
If his radar switches off when indoors then best start there with lots of heel work and focus type games, etc and gradually build up to taking this outside... I had such a dog in for residential last summer and I had to train him in the hallway with the door closed and build up to training in the hallway with the door open (only slightly at first) until (eventually) we could walk outside...
Lots of games like this...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMgTCQbyMpA
Which led to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W66ZnOqQPLM
But even with this dog... If I went outside of the training area you see in the vids it was like stepping back a week in time... I had to do this in a variety of situations...
If his radar switches off when indoors then best start there with lots of heel work and focus type games, etc and gradually build up to taking this outside... I had such a dog in for residential last summer and I had to train him in the hallway with the door closed and build up to training in the hallway with the door open (only slightly at first) until (eventually) we could walk outside...
Lots of games like this...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMgTCQbyMpA
Which led to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W66ZnOqQPLM
But even with this dog... If I went outside of the training area you see in the vids it was like stepping back a week in time... I had to do this in a variety of situations...
"Oh what gold there is to find when one is blessed with an open mind" - me, not five minutes ago
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
would this be a good time to remind you that you have only had Jack for a little over 1 month?
he does sound a bit insecure, it's going to take time to help him over come this. patience is going to be key.
just because Jack is doing what you are working towards one day, but not the next doesn't mean you aren't making progress. remember there was a time Jack wasn't doing what your working towards at all. So you are making progress. one step forward, two back or three forward, one back etc, etc, is NORMAL.
It sounds like things really are going good over all.
he does sound a bit insecure, it's going to take time to help him over come this. patience is going to be key.
just because Jack is doing what you are working towards one day, but not the next doesn't mean you aren't making progress. remember there was a time Jack wasn't doing what your working towards at all. So you are making progress. one step forward, two back or three forward, one back etc, etc, is NORMAL.
It sounds like things really are going good over all.
Re: Dog not pooping (too distracted)
We're getting there, slowly but surely. I'm really wishing I had gone with hardwood rather than carpet.