Freaking out at her own poop!

[love_Leeloo]

Hello Everyone.

I have read a few posts of people having issues with their B's being picky about how where and when their pup's poop. But Leeloo (who's 5 months old now) tends to get scared at her poop and it becomes a massive issue because she will whip around and spin and then sometimes even end up rolling around in it. Which means many baths after walks. Today for example she finally decided to poop after 20 minutes of walking and as she started a bird flew by and chirped so she got distracted but freaked out partially at the bird and then partially at her butt, then sprinted to a whole new patch of grass but tried running onto the road. When I didn't let her, she sprinted back and forth until FINALLY started pooping again, freaked out at that poop, and so on... this was about a 10-minute ordeal. So usually, when she poops, I have to immediately grab onto her harness so she doesn't freak out and step or roll in her poop, while she tries to bite her butt. I thought it might be pain but her poops are really healthy, so she's not constipated at all. She has a pretty healthy pooping schedule, twice a day.

Does anyone else have this issue, and maybe have some advice? Please tell me she will grow out of this

[tanza]

I think you need to have a visit to the Vet. Could be that her anal glands are the problem? In all the many, many years I have had (bred and raised) never had that issue....

[elbrant]

Hair could be an issue as well. I shed when I brush my hair, toss and turn at night, etc. Every once in a while, doodle will ingest a stray strand of hair... when she "eliminates" it, it will often times result in a bit of solids dangling from her backside. It kind of freaks her out. I simply use the ever popular poop bag to assist in removing the dangling solid and any tether to it.

(that was the most polite way I could think of to describe it)

[eeeefarm]

@elbrant said in Freaking out at her own poop!:

Hair could be an issue as well. I shed when I brush my hair, toss and turn at night, etc. Every once in a while, doodle will ingest a stray strand of hair... when she "eliminates" it, it will often times result in a bit of solids dangling from her backside. It kind of freaks her out. I simply use the ever popular poop bag to assist in removing the dangling solid and any tether to it.

(that was the most polite way I could think of to describe it)

I have seen this with my own dogs from time to time. If any stool is dangling it does seem to upset them, sometimes resulting in frantic spinning to try to get rid of it.

[Jerseygirl01]

Our Rosie would do anything to avoid stepping into an area where she had peed or pooped before. We got her at approx 6 months, a mixed breed. She would almost levitate to get away from stepping in places that she might have peed in two weeks before. Sometimes she'd do this and almost yank my arm off because it was such a violent leap. Eventually this behavior wore off (phew!). Ditto for the only going in the tall weeds. That took me standing with her in a confined area, on a leash, until she had to go. She is now almost two years old and mostly these behaviors are behind us. I would suggest that making a walk the reward for going potty is a viable way of encouraging a dog to go potty. You are correct about the ease that a pup gets distracted. Leaves, birds, cars, etc. I put a chair out in the dog yard and just sat in it with the dog (previous and current) on a regular 6' lead. Than I just waited. It was tough in the snow but in a way bad weather helps motivate a pup to get their business done. Just a suggestion that I found very useful. Once they went potty, then a game of ball or a walk was their reward.

[DonC]

I start with the suggestion made by elbrant and eeefarm. If they feel like anything is stuck there it can be a tragedy, with no end to circling and frantic movement. And at a young age some fascination with their own poop isn't unusual. But usually you can see something dangling and it's not all the time. So ... if you can't see anything you might take tanza's suggestion and see a vet. I'd say there is something going on back there.

[love_Leeloo]

Thanks everyone for the responses, I think hair definitely plays a factor in this. But maybe worth mentioning to the vet anyway for those odd ones that did not have hair in it. Good to know other people have the same issue with hair, not sure how I would manage that, maybe worth vacuuming more often so she doesn't eat it.

[RugosaB]

@elbrant That was VERY polite and I wish I could say you took the words out of my mouth, but no, I know I could never be as polite while saying the same thing!

[Zande]

Out in the woods, I try to find a big leaf to use as a glove to pull the offending whateveritis away. All too often its hair (mine) or paper tissues.

[chenke]

Teki would act like that when her anal glands were bothering her or something like a hair’s stuck also