# Pooping problem



## DebbieT (Oct 25, 2006)

I was lucky enough to adopt two beautiful babies from a couple that could no longer care for them. My boy, Mikey is 9 years old and his sister China is 4. I have had them since October and I think they have adjusted well to the move. I give them so much love and attention, my kids and husband swear I love the new babies more than I do them (they are right some of the time). But lately in the morning I have found that one of them has pooped in the basement. It doesn't happen any other time but at night, or if I leave in the evening to go out. They both sleep with me (as that is what they were used to) and they both go out right before bed and will wake me up if they have to pee, even if its the middle of the night. But one of them is a midnight pooping bandit and I don't know who to punish and I don't even know if punishing either of them in the morning after the fact will even work since I've been told they have no sense of time and don't understand what you are doing unless it is an immediate response to the bad behavior. But when I call them both downstairs, they both know I am mad and will tuck their tails between their legs and dart upstairs. Since they know they are in trouble, and they know they shouldn't poop in the house, what more can I do? I don't want to gross anyone out, but I thought maybe they were both pooping so I took a close look at the poop and couldn't see any differences, it all looks like it came from the same pooper. Its solid, not runny - so I don't think they are sick. I don't feed them dinner past 6:00 and I've cut back on treats. It is a recent problem (sparatic when I first brought them home but has become a daily problem in the past 2 weeks). Help? I'm taking allot of heat from the husband who wasn't totally onboard with taking on two adult dogs (he has the "someone elses problem" mentality). I need to fix this and quick.


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## louis' mom (Jul 7, 2006)

Hmm - are they on a schedule - eating, walking and pooping? i have found that with louis - he is best behaved if he is on a schedule - not an exact time of day, but the order of things. 

general rules:

1. you can't punish them if you don't catch them in the act.
2. our babies - like us, generally have to go after they eat
3. always have them go out to do business before you leave the house and immediately when you return
4. daily walks are great for being regular - twice a day - doesn't have to be long walks - even just walks around the block

Good luck.


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## lorraine (Jun 24, 2006)

Louis' Mom's is right there - routine, routine, routine. Have you asked their previous owners about the timings they are used to ?


> But when I call them both downstairs, they both know I am mad and will tuck their tails between their legs and dart upstairs. Since they know they are in trouble, and they know they shouldn't poop in the house, what more can I do?[/B]


Just a thought - their running away behaviour may be a reaction to your tone of voice rather than "Uh Oh she noticed what happened last night".


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## DebbieT (Oct 25, 2006)

Thank you for the replies. I do keep them on a pretty strict routine. They get their daily walks and things from day to day rarely change. That's what has me stumped. I have been leary about calling the past owners because they had quite the separation problem and I didn't want to bring them to mind if they had found a way to move on. It was a difficult decision for them. My feeling though, is that they didn't do things of any kind on a regular basis. They are definitly living the high life now. They are pampered babies who are regularly groomed, bathed, clipped and loved and really behave very very well, which is why I am stumped on the poopy issue. And to further the problem, they don't poop in one spot, they walk and poop so cleaning up after them is not a quick thing. And being that they do it in the middle of the night, it sits on the carpet until it is found and it makes it really tough to get up. I have confined them to my bedroom but whomever the pooper is, left the present in our master bathroom and when hubby woke up and went to shower he stepped in it (because the room was dark) and wasn't at all happy.


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## NewMom328 (Apr 15, 2005)

I've been having a recent problem with a pooping bandit in my dining room! What I did, was basically start potty training all over again (very annoying, I know) Mine are pee pad trained so it might be a bit different from what you need to do, but I keep them in the e-pen till they do potty on their pad and then reward them like crazy. The I let them roam, but I keep the dining room blocked off since that is where they are having a problem. Maybe put up a gate to keep the dogs in your bedroom and night and see if this helps. Also, make sure that you clean those rugs in the basement.


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## Maltese_NH (Jul 23, 2006)

I was having a problem with my yorkie pooping & peeing in the living room in the middle of the night....YUCK....I hated waking up to that every morning!!!

Petey now sleeps with his harness & a leash on which is attached to my leg. He can't get off the bed without me knowing about it!!! It's working out great for us....and my carpeting is very thankful

Nancy


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

You have to cut off access to that area. Put a baby gate up or close a door. Usually if they have picked a spot, but can't get to it, they will stop. 

I would clean the heck out of the area- vinegar is good because it kills odor, and they hate the smell of it. And block them from that area. If that doesn't work-- put their harness and leash on them at night, and "tie" them to you- when one or both tries to get up you will know it and be able to take them outside. Depending on how heavy of a sleeper you are, you could just put a bell on the collar or harness.

Good luck!









ANd please post photos if you can, I would love to see them!


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## Julie718 (Feb 17, 2006)

<Sigh> I have had and still have this same problem with Tango.







He can be running around the house and will stop to pee on his pad, but will not poop on it! Instead, he just goes on the carpet!







I always clean it up really well, so I don't know why he does that. Maybe I need to start putting up a gate in whatever room I'm in for now. 

Do you just use vinegar by itself to remove the smell? Will it stain the carpet? Right now I use Nature's Miracle, but am thinking of trying vinegar.


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## louis' mom (Jul 7, 2006)

> Thank you for the replies. I do keep them on a pretty strict routine. They get their daily walks and things from day to day rarely change. That's what has me stumped. I have been leary about calling the past owners because they had quite the separation problem and I didn't want to bring them to mind if they had found a way to move on. It was a difficult decision for them. My feeling though, is that they didn't do things of any kind on a regular basis. They are definitly living the high life now. They are pampered babies who are regularly groomed, bathed, clipped and loved and really behave very very well, which is why I am stumped on the poopy issue. And to further the problem, they don't poop in one spot, they walk and poop so cleaning up after them is not a quick thing. And being that they do it in the middle of the night, it sits on the carpet until it is found and it makes it really tough to get up. I have confined them to my bedroom but whomever the pooper is, left the present in our master bathroom and when hubby woke up and went to shower he stepped in it (because the room was dark) and wasn't at all happy.[/B]


quite the dilema - hmm - try preventing them from getting out of your room. did you try putting a bell on them - so they wake you up when the bandit runs out? sorry - i know this is stressful.

i crate louis at night. he sleeps with me, until i am ready to really go to sleep and then he goes in the crate - so i don't have a pooping bandit at night. sorry. louis is crazy - he falls asleep around 8pm (on my bed) and then gets up at 10 - 10:10 and stares at yme until i get the hint that he is ready to go to his crate







Good luck.


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## DebbieT (Oct 25, 2006)

All good suggestions. I am going to try the vinegar. I hadn't heard that tip before. I may also try the bell trick but I am a pretty heavy sleeper and would probably sleep right through it. But it is worth a shot. Putting a strap on my leg that's attached to their harness would drive them more crazy then me because I've got crazy legs when I sleep. My husbands says I'm all over the place. My poor babies would never get a good night sleep. LOL. I have to laugh or I might cry









I know that locking them in the room with me at night will only mean I'll wake up to poop on my floor and if hubby steps in it again he's likely to kill me or the dogs. I am running out of other options. Its just so darn crazy because they don't do it when we are there and awake or when we are away at work during the day. This only happens at night. Maybe this is a question for the Dog Whisperer....


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## starry (Sep 4, 2006)

If you can't beat them, join them.
Try and put a potty pad where the bandit poops. 
Then later you can remove it. One problem at a time ya know.

My lhasa kept going in the bathroom on the the rug or towels so I just compromised and put down 2 peepads. 
Now she goes in there of course at night when no one can see her, so my nightly ritual is go in the bathroom b4 bed and change pads,clean runoff then go to bed. I also use to call her in and praise her. She would come with tail down but now shakes her tail. I try and give a little treat when I see any pad activity. 
My dtr never trained her chi and it goes on any carpet or rug.UGH! So I told her put a pad by the rug and eventually she will hit it,then praise/treat,etc. It is a lifelong training issue....

P.S. My husband and family said I love my dogs more than them too.








They also HATE it when the poo or pee affects them, but they are getting better about complaining, they don't mind now long as I clean it up.







Uhh do I complain about washing thier underwear or toilets???


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Just a thought.....

Are you giving them enough time to poop when they go out for the last time before bed? They may scoot out for a pee, but some dogs, like my Lady, need to walk around for awhile before they can poop. The only time I would find poop accidents in the night is if I cheated and only took Lady out quickly instead of taking her for a short walk.


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

That's what I did for Sophie. She kept wanting to poop on the carpert upstairs between two of the bedroom doors. When I realized she just wanted her privacy I put a pad up there and that is now her poop pad. Her pee pee pad is downstairs.

Linda



> If you can't beat them, join them.
> Try and put a potty pad where the bandit poops.
> Then later you can remove it. One problem at a time ya know.
> 
> ...


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## DebbieT (Oct 25, 2006)

I'm going to stop at the pet store on my way home tonight and get extra pads to try that at bed time tonight. And you guys may be right. I may not be giving them enough time at night to do their business before bed. I will wait longer tonight and try the pad trick. Hopefully that will be the winning combination. God I hope this works....Thanks for all who took the time to reply. I appreciate it!


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

> Just a thought.....
> 
> Are you giving them enough time to poop when they go out for the last time before bed? They may scoot out for a pee, but some dogs, like my Lady, need to walk around for awhile before they can poop. The only time I would find poop accidents in the night is if I cheated and only took Lady out quickly instead of taking her for a short walk.[/B]



I agree! We crate Duff, and he's been known to wake me up at 4am to let me know he needs to poo...NOW! 

I would suggest that you really get into a schedule of walks, and make sure they go before bed.


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