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Original poster

Please help me with this stupid dog

105 replies

Goshdarndog · 14/07/2023 19:27

Sorry posting for traffic but I’m at the end of my tether. This post is super outing but I don’t care I’m desperate

my mum has gone on holiday and I’m dog sitting. Fine. Her dog is high maintenance, he was originally got as his breed is a classic apartment dog and apparently doesn’t need much exercise. Not this guy.

he won’t eat dog food, has to eat meat, has to be cooked that day won’t eat left overs. I knew this before, so whilst it’s annoying, fine I can deal.
until today. I made chicken last night for him, but he had left over beef, so gave him the chicken today and he’s not eaten it-fine whatever.

but today he’s shitting in the house. The dog is fully toilet trained and been on 3 walks of at least 30 mins each already. He also has access to a garden if he needs it. He’s done is 3 times. I’ve two young children. So I’ve cleaned and vax’d my carpet 3 times today! 3! Aka more than I do in a year! He’s not poorly. Absolutely fine in himself. Not eaten anything off or dodgy.

what can I do? I’m worried about tonight that he’s going to soil in the hall and my 4 year old will tread on it if she goes for a wee in the night.

he can’t be left downstairs alone because he barks and barks and barks if alone.

OP posts:
Radiodread · 15/07/2023 10:54

Def sounds stressed. Ours only poos in house if she is very stressed or ill. Let him sleep in the spare room where he can smell your mum.

Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 11:35

Please to report he was fine last night and today. I took him for an hr long walk last night so that probably helped. He’s been out for an hr this morning too and pooped twice. I called his vet at home and they gave some tips if there’s a chance he’s got a dodgy tum. Rice and chicken basically.

ive got a baby, so I definitely need to vax the carpet

OP posts:
Isheabastard · 15/07/2023 11:40

If it’s a funny tummy then I guess you would have to revert to taking him outside every 30 mins like you have to do with a puppy. Could he even have constipation from the all meat diet? Have you seen him attempt to poo but been unsuccessful?

i read that like many humans dogs digestive tract work to a routine if feeding and walks are held at regular times. Are you feeding him and walking at the same times as your mum? Could that have put him out of synch?

As it’s only just started and you mention he doesn’t like rain, could that be part of the problem? The rain yesterday, and today is torrential where I am.

You say he’s a typical apartment dog, perhaps he’s small and fairly low slung? If so then going out in the rain will pretty much soak him and all his undercarriage- could this be the reason? If like me you have let your grass grow, perhaps he doesn’t like peeing/pooing in wet grass.

Can you think of anything different that you or your mum are doing different that could indirectly be affecting his digestive tract.

I have been known to go out with a dog with an umbrella to make sure things got done before bedtime. Does your mother use any kind of litter tray for him, could you use that?

Im wondering if when he’s with you he’s low level stressed (very normal), and it’s just taken one event to tip him over.

I hope things improve. I regularly look after my DDs dog in my own home and would be flummoxed if he started pooing in the house.

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 15/07/2023 11:43

I'm glad he's doing better!

Lots of dogs get unsettled away from home and their owners, even if it's somewhere they're used to being. If his poo is solid and healthy I wouldn't worry too much.

KitchenSinkLlama · 15/07/2023 11:51

You do realise that the poor dog won't understand why it's being told off. It just hears anger - he won't know it's about something that happened even a couple of minutes ago. You reinforce good behaviour to achieve your goal.
Poor thing.

Mischance · 15/07/2023 11:52

Say a firm NO next time - kennels.

StevieNicksfan · 15/07/2023 11:58

The title of your post says a lot about your attitude to this poor dog.

Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 12:18

StevieNicksfan · 15/07/2023 11:58

The title of your post says a lot about your attitude to this poor dog.

Yes I was incredibly frustrated that despite working a 40 hr week, with a child that has started sleep walking and is up 4 times in the night and a baby who is being woke up by the sleep walking and then taking hrs to settle. Then having to vax and clean my carpet 3 times whilst working on very little sleep. I was beyond stressed- it broke me. Sorry

OP posts:
Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 12:23

Isheabastard · 15/07/2023 11:40

If it’s a funny tummy then I guess you would have to revert to taking him outside every 30 mins like you have to do with a puppy. Could he even have constipation from the all meat diet? Have you seen him attempt to poo but been unsuccessful?

i read that like many humans dogs digestive tract work to a routine if feeding and walks are held at regular times. Are you feeding him and walking at the same times as your mum? Could that have put him out of synch?

As it’s only just started and you mention he doesn’t like rain, could that be part of the problem? The rain yesterday, and today is torrential where I am.

You say he’s a typical apartment dog, perhaps he’s small and fairly low slung? If so then going out in the rain will pretty much soak him and all his undercarriage- could this be the reason? If like me you have let your grass grow, perhaps he doesn’t like peeing/pooing in wet grass.

Can you think of anything different that you or your mum are doing different that could indirectly be affecting his digestive tract.

I have been known to go out with a dog with an umbrella to make sure things got done before bedtime. Does your mother use any kind of litter tray for him, could you use that?

Im wondering if when he’s with you he’s low level stressed (very normal), and it’s just taken one event to tip him over.

I hope things improve. I regularly look after my DDs dog in my own home and would be flummoxed if he started pooing in the house.

My mum has no routine for him at all, like nothing.

the rain might be the problem, luckily he got a good walk in before it poured here.

he’s an apartment breed dog, so a toy breed but he’s got energy for days bless him. He could do a marathon a day.

our grass is fairly short but my mum says he’ll only go in the garden if hes utterly desperate.

only thing I can think he’s that he ate one soft carrot stick that my kids dropped on the floor. Everything else is that same. He’s normally good as gold with my mum so she’s not needed a litter tray or anything.

we look after him regularly too and he’s never ever done anything like this before. A very close rel of my husband died this week and we were going to pay our respects as a family but guess we won’t be able to now as the dog can’t be left alone

OP posts:
Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 12:29

^think you’re right about his tummy getting wet when it’s chilly

OP posts:
StevieNicksfan · 15/07/2023 12:41

@Goshdarndog Ok, I can appreciate you are at the end of your tether. I am involved with an animal rescue and I come across people who call their poor animals stupid on a, sadly, very regular basis so, unfortunately, your title hit a nerve with me. It's far too stressful for you to have to look after this little dog with your already hectic life. Get your mother to home board him somewhere next time, if she really has to go away without him. The dog will be happier and so will you. Best of luck for the rest of his stay.

Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 12:48

StevieNicksfan · 15/07/2023 12:41

@Goshdarndog Ok, I can appreciate you are at the end of your tether. I am involved with an animal rescue and I come across people who call their poor animals stupid on a, sadly, very regular basis so, unfortunately, your title hit a nerve with me. It's far too stressful for you to have to look after this little dog with your already hectic life. Get your mother to home board him somewhere next time, if she really has to go away without him. The dog will be happier and so will you. Best of luck for the rest of his stay.

he seems better today. But I can’t look after him again. To ease your mind, I/ we don’t actually call him stupid, it was an end of my tether MN post title in the hopes people would read it.

he can’t board in a shelter he gets far too stressed. She can’t leave him with other friends as he cleared a 6 ft fence to escape so they won’t have him back. He’s very very needy

OP posts:
Artycrafts · 15/07/2023 13:07

Clymene · 14/07/2023 19:54

Well you crack then. We all know that telling a dog who shits in the house 'no' in a firm voice totally works 👍

Don't forget telling a stupid dog...
Charming OP

StevieNicksfan · 15/07/2023 13:17

@Goshdarndog I understand how stressed you must be feeling hence the use of the word "stupid" This week we had a poor spaniel reported to us whose owner's teenage son had been seen kicking it in the face whilst calling it a stupid dog. That's why your title got my heckles up, but I realise now that this is an entirely different situation and you aren't actually calling the dog stupid. When I say "home board" the dog will actually stay in someone's home, not in a traditional kennels. Obviously, you have to pay as you would in kennels but there are lots of people who offer this service. It's an alternative for dogs who wouldn't settle in kennels, they and their owner can get to know the person first and you can specify a pet free home. Your mother should sort this out, its not fair to put all this extra work on you. Good luck for the rest of his stay and I hope he gets better.

unsurereallyx1 · 15/07/2023 13:19

do you think he's pooing in the house just to piss you off?
he's all out of routine, now on day 5 without his owner and can probably sense he's an inconvenience to you.

ReadtheReviews · 15/07/2023 13:21

Walk him.half hour after feeding and don't come back in until it happens!

OrwellianTimes · 15/07/2023 13:23

Cut out the chicken. Give him rice or potatoes and scrambled eggs (no oil/butter) for next few meals. He’s probably just stressed.

Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 13:33

Artycrafts · 15/07/2023 13:07

Don't forget telling a stupid dog...
Charming OP

Show quote history

I don’t need the pile on, my husband said no sternly to a dog that pooped on the floor and I put stupid on a mn title in pure desperation.

we’re dealing on very little sleep and grieving. Yes not our finest moments but end of tether, don’t need a pile on.

OP posts:
Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 13:36

OrwellianTimes · 15/07/2023 13:23

Cut out the chicken. Give him rice or potatoes and scrambled eggs (no oil/butter) for next few meals. He’s probably just stressed.

The vet said chicken and rice though?

i think he was stressed and because it was a manic work day, call after call, maybe he picked up On the work stress?

OP posts:
Chasingadvice · 15/07/2023 13:41

Lock it away on a mop-able floor.

It's a dog not a human and doesn't need to be treated as such. Put it in a bathroom or kitchen and close the door. If it cries ignore it. I know the dog fanatics will cry animal abuse and wail about the dogs rights but it's an animal. It'll survive. Don't look after the shitting machine again. It's not fair on your kids.

Chasingadvice · 15/07/2023 13:42

Issuefroth · 14/07/2023 19:57

He may settle down again. If he is distressed tomorrow ring the vet practice and see if a behaviour nurse can offer any advice.

Behaviour nurse for a shitting dogGrin

madroid · 15/07/2023 13:42

It's okay if you call him stupid - he doesn't understand because he is a dog.

villainousbroodmare · 15/07/2023 13:46

Sorry you're in this situation.
Does this dog get fed bones, bone meal or commercial food at all? Because if not, its diet is disastrously unbalanced with an extreme calcium deficit. Please tell your mother.

Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 13:47

madroid · 15/07/2023 13:42

It's okay if you call him stupid - he doesn't understand because he is a dog.

You’d think from some of these replies not only can he understand English, but he can also read and has access to a computer/ smart phone to check this thread on mumsnet

OP posts:
Original poster
Goshdarndog · 15/07/2023 13:50

villainousbroodmare · 15/07/2023 13:46

Sorry you're in this situation.
Does this dog get fed bones, bone meal or commercial food at all? Because if not, its diet is disastrously unbalanced with an extreme calcium deficit. Please tell your mother.

My mum utterly dotes on him so she’s gone to the vet with him lots because of his faddy eating concerned he might not be getting all he needs. They’ve basically told her to get this specific type of dry food and to chop the meet up small and put it in and try and put some juice on the cobbles to get him to eat it.

he won’t eat bones either

OP posts: