[bdub]

Hi -

I have two french bulldogs that are just over a year old. Both are potty trained. However, one (the slightly younger one) has an issue with going to the bathroom at night in their sleeping area - laundry room. The dog has shown the ability to wait till 6am before being let out in the past, but recently it seems that his accidents are occuring almost every night. There has been no discernable change in their schedule.

We feed them once during the AM with appropriate amount of food...vet indicated that it was alright to feed them at this interval. My wife works at home and lets them out regularly during the day. No food or water after 6pm. They are let out again right before bed and do their business. I'm generally up at 5am - 5:30am to let them out and lately clean up after him. Whats worse is that the dog has taken to eating the poop to hide it.

I'm at wits end. I've tried putting the one dog in the crate, but he poops in it. I have not yet tried reducing the size of the crate or geting a new one, but fear that given his eating habit, it won't make a difference. Does anyone have any ideas...I really want to solve this problem!

Thanks.

[german sheep]

hi bdub,

you say he is eating his poop to hide it...
Does he eat it when outside during the day or does he want to eat any other kind of animal excrements?
was he once punished for the accidents? I need to know that, because that is an important hint.

Where do both dogs sleep? Do you have your bedroom door closed?
When they are outside are they on or off leash? Is your wife outside with them together or does she only open the door for the dogs to let them in the yard?

It seems that your dog is overstrained can not do its business outdoors because he fears to be attacked and can not relax to do it. Inside with the safety it is ok and everything works.

Watch your dog in the next few days if he feels unsure and when you think it has to do with it, then take him on the leash and don't leave it too long.
If you want him to do what is needed, let the leash long and stay at one point. When everything is done shorten the lead again and go home. Don't let him in the yard alone an don't leave too much space for him where he can hide when frightened.

Where does he normally lay? Under the table, behind the sofa under the stairs? This will profe the theory.

LG
gs

[bdub]

Hi German Sheep -

Thanks for your response. Answers to your questions below...

Does he eat it when outside during the day or does he want to eat any other kind of animal excrements?

He has eaten poop in our yard outside - either his own or our other dog. I have not seen him do it with other animals.

Was he once punished for the accidents?

When he was being potty trained he was scolded, but not since then.

Where do both dogs sleep?

Both dogs sleep in our laundry room, which is just down the hall from our bedroom. Prior to the accidents, they both slept in a dog bed. Now with the accidents, I have tried to put the one back into a crate to see if I could change the behavior.

Do you have your bedroom door closed?

The bedroom door is closed

When they are outside are they on or off leash?

We have an electronic fence so we typically have them off leash.

Is your wife outside with them together or does she only open the door for the dogs to let them in the yard?

Most of the time we are outside with the dogs. However, there are occasions when she will just let them out.

Where does he normally lay? Under the table, behind the sofa under the stairs? This will profe the theory.

When we are in the house he typically is lying near the bacl door on a mat or a dog bed that we have downstairs. Also, he lays on our laps in a chair occasionally. He is a pretty confident dog, much more so than our other Frenchie.


I can try lesh approach to see if that helps. If you have any additional thoughts after the responses to your questions, please let me know. Thanks again for your response.

Bdub

[german sheep]

Hello bdub,

thank you for your fidelity

He has eaten poop in our yard outside - either his own or our other dog. I have not seen him do it with other animals.

When he eats excrements regularly it could be a deficit of minerals...
or he overtakes this attitude to his accidents in the night

When he was being potty trained he was scolded, but not since then.

If your frenchie is very sensitiv it sometimes happens as a result that a dog only can poo in the absence of the human or when the holder has enough distance. You have to find out, if he can do its business, when you have him on the lead.

Both dogs sleep in our laundry room, which is just down the hall from our bedroom. Prior to the accidents, they both slept in a dog bed. Now with the accidents, I have tried to put the one back into a crate to see if I could change the behavior.

some dogs are fearful at nights or become fearful at night and it could cause the pooping, for example when the owner is present all the time during the day all situations are clear and all of a sudden the dog is alone (during the night) he has to sort things out of himself could be the next reason.
Does he try to enter the bedroom?

We have an electronic fence so we typically have them off leash.

without the leash a dog carries the responsibility for its life of his own, some dogs feel overburdened with all the external stimuli and need the lead and the holder who automatically assumes the leadership through this little gesture.

Please don't let him lay in the near of doors or between two rooms or in the corridor, all this spaces leave too much room for controlling.
If he lays there, squat down as an invitation to come to you and show him where he can relax, give him a treat and look if he stays there. If he stays praise his behaviour from time to time with a little treat.

A last question I have to you: how is the behaviour or the relationship between your dogs? Maybe the other dog causes the pooping during the night. If your "confident dog" feels uncomfortable to stay alone with the other...

But this is something you should watch for a while and try to seperate them during the night. Just a thought.

The first thing you should know is: does the dog feel better with your presence or not.
Please tell me what you are trying and if it worked

LG
gs

[Lara's mom]

I don't know if you want to go this route but, I had a friend who's dog developed the habit of eating excrement. The vet gave her something to put into the food that apparently makes the poop taste bad.

Before you laugh, I was just as astonished. I figured, "it's crap! How much worse could it possibly taste?" However, it worked. I don't know the name of the stuff but you could ask your vet about it.

[bdub]

Hi German Sheep -

"How is the behaviour or the relationship between your dogs?"

I think it's pretty good. The both get along very well. Sleep in the same bed in the laundry room. The only time I have ever seen an issue is on the rare occasion that one got possessive of a chew toy.

This has been a real challenging problem as the dog has had no problem pooping off leash during the day and even at night. I'm going to try to walk him on a leash at night to ensure he goes. Also, try to get them a bit more exercise in the evenings as they have a tendancy to just lay around, which may not be helping. I may try alternating the feeding schedule as well. I've got figure something out. I'll let you know how it goes.


Hi Lara -

We've actually tried putting meat tenderizer in their food as well as pills. Unfortunately, it didn't work. This dog has strange tastes...he doesn't mind tabasco sauce or the bitter lime stuff we've put on wood to keep him from chewing. He's a tough nut to crack.


Bdub

[german sheep]

the juce of pineapple does the same

This has been a real challenging problem as the dog has had no problem pooping off leash during the day and even at night. I'm going to try to walk him on a leash at night to ensure he goes. Also, try to get them a bit more exercise in the evenings as they have a tendancy to just lay around, which may not be helping. I may try alternating the feeding schedule as well. I've got figure something out. I'll let you know how it goes.

you are doing good. At first it seems uncomfortable and maybe it will take two days for the dog to understand but if it helps with the problem the work wasn't a waste.
Please let me know if something has changed...

gs