Dog poo and young children?

[mummyof2kidsx]

We have a 14 week old puppy and he always does his business on the grass! I clean it up straight away and actually spray it with anti bacterial stuff ( probably killing my grass at the same time) but I am absolutely paranoid about my kids catching something like worms from it. I always clean straight after but I am still stressed about it. For example, today the weather has been great so we had the paddling pool out, my dd (4) and ds (21 months) were playing in the garden bare footed. I tried to make them wear sandals or pumps but they just kept taking them off and running about on the grass. Am I over thinking this? I love the dog, but I am terrified of the kids getting ill because of him.. i keep reading things about all different types of worms and how they can blind children and other horrific illnesses caused by bacteria in dog poo. Ever since I got the puppy I have been extra careful with hygiene, mopping constantly, I even wipe the dogs with baby wipes ( maybe i'm insane??) it just terrifies me... iv become obsessed with cleanliness and I wasn't like this before the puppy. I love the puppy so much, but I feel like I have to wash my hands everytime I touch him. I know i'm probably over reacting and there is probably nothing wrong with him, he has been dewormed deflead etc but i still don't feel comfortable. I can't stand that he poos where my kids play! I was hoping to take him on regular walks throughout the day so I could just pick it up in a bag and throw away, without worrying about my kids walking in bare feet throughout the summer through the remains of dog poo..but he wont go on a walk, he is terrified to go even out the driveway.... Am i overreacting???? he's just done the biggest sloppiest poo in my kitchen too, i think its sloppy because he is obsessed with eating the grass and has eaten big chunks of it today!...my kids are in bed and I have cleaned it up but i bet as soon as the wake up they'll be downstairs in their bare feet walking right over that spot.. I'm not complaining about having a puppy with young children or anything. That is a difficult task, but I can cope with that, it's just the poo and wee business. I wish he would just go in one spot but he won't! i have a lot of patio but he doesn't want to do it there, he wants to do it on the grass ANYWHERE on the grass.. Iv tried spraying that liquid that attracts them to and area to wee, he just ignores it... :(

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Are you worming the puppy with a good quality wormer?
Are you all washing your hands before eating?
If the answer to both these questions is yes then you have practically reduced the risk to zero firstly by killing the worms and secondly as they actually need to be ingested to cause problems.

[mummyof2kidsx]

Hi thanks for that, well I got a deworming tablet from the vet, I think it was milbemax.. He had that a month ago. They said he should have it every 3 months, and he has been given a deflea treatment 3 weeks ago..which they said I should do monthly.. I hope this is correct.. Yes we always wash our hands before eating (i actually no have really sore hands which have become really dry because of washing) BUT...my youngest puts his has in his mouth quite often for no reason...my eldest understands that she needs to wash her hands and seems to get the point but sometimes will just go ahead and eat something without thinking...

[ithasgonetotheopera]

As a vet I recommend puppies under 6 months to be wormed every month, and for people with young children to continue worming every month.

He will poo less frequently when he's older and eating less frequent meals, you could also try training him to poo in one particular area (have him on the lead on that area when u think he needs to go, then lots of praise and a treat when he does go).

[ithasgonetotheopera]

oh and you need to work on socialising him so he is happy going on walks, little and often, he might be scared of traffic noises, ask a local trainer for help if necessary cos he can't go on like that

[Time2Nap]

Also look at what you are feeding him, cheap foods and brands filling supermarkets are usually a false economy as you have to feed more (which equals larger poos) and they are made with a small percent of meat or normally meat derivatives and bulked out with unnecessary fillers like wheat and coloured foods also cause sloppy poos as dogs are usually sensitive to these. A bit like us eat a lot of junk food =poo a lot and soft.

Foods like wainwrights, natures diet, arcana (found in pets shops not supermarkets) are high quality and have natural ingredients, nearly all actual meat rather than meat derivatives!

Washing hands regularly and worming / fleaing regularly with proper high quality stuff from vets like you're doing will be fine.

I understand how you feel, since having my child I'm always a bit cringey about these things when I think about them but then realise it wouldn't be healthy to be wrapped in bubble wrap and I grew up with & working with animals and never had a problem. I think it's our natural hormones and instincts kicking in to protect our child.

[mummyof2kidsx]

Thank you everyone, I am going to ring my vet today and ask for another worming tablet.. unless I can buy milbemax, but i think it is prescription only... I feed him science plan (< 1 puppy) this is what the vet gave me a free sample of and told me would be best for him... to be honest, as soon as i give him anything apart from that he has runny poos but he obviously doesnt like the science plan cos he never eats it all... he loves chicken and would eat that all day..I think he has quite a sensitive stomach as when he had runny poos a few weeks ago i was giving him chicken with boiled white rice and he wasnt digesting the rice.. it was coming out the same as it went in! With regards to walking, he will go to the park and run around and absolutely loves it but we have to drive him there.. to be honest, I think it is the lead that he dislikes. Even when I am in the park he will be running round one minute then as soon as I put his collar and lead on he will just refuse to walk and lie down, even when I havent got hold of the end of the lead... I have tried different collars, leads, harnesses.. still no luck but I think I am going to take your advice and see If I can get a local trainer to help xxx

[Time2Nap]

It's an unual experience for a puppy to have a lead on. Pop a flat collar and lead on in the garden / house and treat / praise him for wearing it. Then build up to walking him on it in home, then slowly progress outside you front door. I found taking my dogs favourite toy out with me worked.

You can socialise him in the mean time by taking him to park, town, vets (for weigh in, just say hi so he has positive experience there), village fetes are now in season, car boots are also great. It's good to go to these places so he meets a range of people (and equipment like buggys, walking sticks) and dogs. It also teaches them that they cants say hi and jump up at everyone so hopefully with training they learn to stay calm round crowds.

When he does start walking on lead try not to over do it, it's more experience and socialising under 1 than long walks as they are growing.

Vet recommend feeds are not necessarily the best, read the ingredients on the side, vets will recommend what they sell as they get profit from sales. Unless there is a veterinary need for him to be on it then I would advise you to do some research on a dog forum or Internet. If he is showing sensitivities it is highly likely highly processed food will make him worse. Like IBS in humans, high processed and high wheat foods make worse reactions.

Just as an example look on internet at the ingredients of wainwrights, and compare to your vet diet and say pedigree. You will be surprised and the less ingredients and chemical names the better.

I had my first giant dog like that and was feeding James well loved as it said sensitive and everything else made him very ill, although he was still sloppy on what I was feeding and barely ate.

After a few years of experience, research and speaking with other giant owners I started feeding natural and never looked back. He wanted to eat, put weight on for first time in 5years, had firm poos only once or twice a day and the size of them were smaller than most spaniels as he was eating so what he needed rather than filler therefore less waste!

[mummyof2kidsx]

I will have a look at his food again, time2nap, when you said you feed him natural, what sort of thing do you give him?

i have just rang the vet and they said he cannot have a deworming tablet for another 2 months as its only every 3 months...
ithasgonetotheopera - is this correct, it was the milbamax... is there anything i can get over the counter since my vet will not give me anotehr tablet? I explained about having young children etc but they stil said no he can't have another one...

[ithasgonetotheopera]

That is bizarre but must be their policy, ours is as stated. You could ask to speak to a vet as they may be more flexible than reception, or places like pets at home will sell things like Drontal from a locked cupboard. Don't use Bob Martins as i've seen nasty side effects.

Hills science plan is a good quality diet but sometimes it needs soaking while a puppy is still small and teething. As they get older their poo tends to firm up.

[Time2Nap]

Well it used to be raw meat and bones as in BARF diet, whoch worked wonders and with 4 giant breed dogs worked out very economical but you probably wouldn't want to go down that route.

The good news is since then there is a lot more maunfactuers making convenience dog food naturally. I now use wainwrights meat, which is Turkey meat, rice and seaweed & vitamins / minerals.

You would be surprised that many leading dog food companies that we assume are good pedigree, JWB, Bakers etc are actually manufactured by same companies as chocolate - nestle and mars

Although you don't probably live near this pet shop, look up Scampers and speak to someone there as they now only deal in natural and highly nurtient food so they will be able to help then you can buy online or find locally. Pets at Home to my surprise do stock quite a few natural pet feeds to and wainwrights is actually there own brand.

Dry foods that have natural ingredients and high nutrition are Acana, Origen, Wainwrights- they are more expensive but you feed a lot less as there are no fillers of wheat etc

Wet foods there is natures menu, wainwrights, Lily's kitchen

With regards to wormers yes Milbemax is prescription only but is 1 of the best wormers at the moment. it is strange of your vets as all our breeders and vets I've dealt with do puppies 4wks, 6wks, 8wks, every month until 6months and then every 3months but I'm pretty sure you will be ok every 3 months from when he was last done if he is not amongst high risk situations - sheep and farm animals, dogs already infested, eating rotten animals!

What breed or size of dog is he anyway? I'm happy to help if you have anymore questions :)

[mummyof2kidsx]

Thanks for the advice..He is a sheltie, so is only small. I actually go to the vets within pets at home "companion care"... i have an appointment with my vet on 19th may so i will see if they can give him another tablet then xx

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I also recommend Milbemax monthly till 6 months of age unless your spot on is Advocate in which case your doing roundworms (the ones you need to worry about with children) monthly.

[mummyof2kidsx]

lonecatwithkitten - He had advocate 2 weeks ago and is having it again on 19 may so does that mean I have nothing to worry about? xx

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Yes you covered for the roundworms so yes you have nothing to worry about. Relax, enjoy your puppy and your children.