Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Flip

Original poster

How do I stop my dog needing a crap at night?

25 replies

VivaLeBeaver · 07/04/2013 17:34

Dog wakes me up most nights about 4am needing to go out. I put her out in the garden about 10pm for a last wee/poo.

Funny thing is she can definitly go longer than six hours in the day. Sometimes she wakes me up at 2am, so not even six hours.

I didn't wake up last night and came down to a poo in the hall, not her fault as I'm sure she whined. I just didn't wake.

She eats dry food and tends to graze on it, she's never eaten her food in one go. I've just filled her bowl and she's not touched it. At some point today she's eaten the food I've put in her bowl this morning.

She normally eats her tea at 10pm when she comes in. This is the problem isn't it? If I take her bowl up tonight shell be hungry....but will she start to get the message and eat earlier? What time should I take her bowl up?

OP posts:

PartyFops · 07/04/2013 17:38

Feed her at about 4 pm and make sure she does one before bed.

Lilcamper · 07/04/2013 18:07

I think fixed meal times are in order. Put the food down and if she hasn't eaten it in 15 min, pick it up again. Put down at next meal time, she won't starve herself as she will soon learn.

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 07/04/2013 18:12

Thanks, ill do it. I'm too soft with her at times I think!

OP posts:

macreturnofthe · 07/04/2013 18:15

defo feed earlier, mine regularly doesn't eat a meal, I leave it down for her during the day (fed twice) but if she hasn't eaten it by 8pm it goes away. If she eats it later then she needs to go out in the night.

I also find that if the walks are short on a particular day she is more likely to need to go out at night. Try having a quick energetic play a couple of hours before bed time - kinda gets things moving IYSWIM!!

I just have a dog who isn't hungry, odd since the last one would have your food off your plate if you looked away for two seconds.

The best thing my vet told me was not to worry about grazing or missing meals - some breeds naturally aren't as greedy.

Good luck

poachedeggs · 07/04/2013 19:28

I would (as a vet) caution against ad lib feeding of dogs. The majority of overweight dogs I see have free access to food throughout the day. Their owners think they "aren't greedy dogs" because they don't eat it in one go. In truth they just aren't hungry as they're consistently being given too much food!

NotSoNervous · 07/04/2013 19:30

Feed her at set times but pick the food up about 7ish. She's not going to starve over night

Floralnomad · 07/04/2013 21:26

Feed at set times ,once or twice a day ,and pick it up after an hour if she hasn't eaten it .

PseudoBadger · 07/04/2013 21:31

Sounds like you might be feeding too much. Definitely 2 meals, weigh it out according to the lower limit on the pack for your dog's weight and split it in 2. Then see how she does weight wise (if she loses and she doesn't need too then increase slightly and so on).

Debs75 · 07/04/2013 21:37

I used to feed our dog at 6pm as that was what her old owners did. She was a nightmare as she wanted to go out after we had gone to bed. I have moved it to about 3.30-4pm and she wolfs it down and asks to go at about 9pm.

I agree don't leave it out, if she doesn't eat it all within 30 mins then she doesn't want it all. Measuring the amount is a good idea to make sure you don't overfeed her. remember to measure what she leaves as well.

My mums old dog would of happily had a tin every hour if you let her she was so greedy she has had raw pork joints, bread loaves and chocolate logs as 'snacks' before. She only got to go twice a day as that was the only times mum walked her.

macreturnofthe · 07/04/2013 21:48

apologies poached.

ive got a border who really doesn't eat, she has less than the total amount recommended for a dog her size, half in the morning half at night (and still skips about three meals a week, with no treats in between) mine is just odd, i will leave the food all day and if she hasnt eaten breakfast at least 4 hours before tea time she doesnt get anymore that day, and tea gets removed by 8pm.

Clearly if you are giving your dog more food in treats and more in total meals per day - don't, be strict and regimented with food.

So if you don't have an odd collie don't listen to me!!!

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 07/04/2013 22:55

I removed the bowl at 7pm. She hadn't eaten her tea and now keeps wondering into the kitchen and staring at the floor. Poor girl.

She's not overweight at all, typical skinny greyhound.

I'm having a late night tonight so just off to put her in the garden now. If she wakes me up tonight I won't be impressed!

OP posts:

needastrongone · 08/04/2013 09:39

How did it go last night Viva?

Rikalaily · 08/04/2013 09:54

Our boy gets fed at 9.30am and 5.30pm then has a snack at around 8.30pm (a misfit or a handful of bonios or a small rack of raw lambs ribs) so he's not hungry through the night. He gets let out before we go to bed which can be anytime between 9pm and midnight.

austenozzy · 08/04/2013 10:04

My dog often does two (or even three) poos when on a walk - maybe your dog simply isn't pooing as much as she needs to in the evening? Might need to go a walk to let her get it all out!

needastrongone · 08/04/2013 10:24

austenozzy - Our puppy has done 6 (SIX!!!) poos already this morning. That's a record even for him All normal, solid ones too (tmi poss!)

He did have a lamb neck before going to bed and he was fast asleep by 8pm having had a very busy weekend indeed (we lifted him for a wee at 10pm), didn't wake until 7am but still - 6 poos!

Lonecatwithkitten · 08/04/2013 11:41

I would agree with the feeding meals, but also would consider what do you feed her. Some foods such as Bakers are very bulky and so dogs need to defaecate more often - feeding a better quality food that is less bulky gives smaller poos less often.

needastrongone · 08/04/2013 11:49

Lonecat. Interesting. Thanks. Our puppy gets Taste of the Wild kibble in the morning and raw in the evening. We are phasing out the kibble and moving to raw exclusively but TOTW is grain free and high quality and I am certainly not wasting what we have left at that price! . He's lean too, can feel his ribs etc. Think puppy was a little poo machine this morning!

needastrongone · 08/04/2013 11:53

Oh that post wasn't directed at me so will get my coat

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 08/04/2013 11:58

I wasnt woken in the night, nor any acidents. Though i was up at six am and as i put her out late she had a short night.

Fingers crossed for tonight.

She was sulking tbis morning, am sure she was. I got the cold shoulder treatment, totally ignored when i came downstairs!

OP posts:

TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersFiancee · 08/04/2013 17:35

That's Greyhounds for you, if sulking was a Crufts competition Greyhounds would take every place :o :o

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 08/04/2013 19:08

She's eaten most of her tea already, maybe she's not as dim as she looks.

OP posts:

TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersFiancee · 09/04/2013 23:13

How's it going Viva?

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 09/04/2013 23:15

Another good night last night thanks and she's definitly got the idea already about eating her tea when its put out now which is great.

OP posts:

TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersFiancee · 09/04/2013 23:22

That's great news! A greyhounds brain consists of 4 main sections, 1 for food, 1 for sleep, 1 for walks and 1 for cuddles. The food and sleep ones being the bigger sections of course :o

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 09/04/2013 23:41

I've just been and let her in the garden as I'm still awake. She came bounding back in and went and looked hopefully at her empty bowl. Was wanting seconds, no chance!

OP posts:

Flip