Hi, Izzy has been having stools in his bed since we first got him at age 8 weeks from our breeder in SC but now he does it every night! Sometimes he will have a stool on the carpet but most of the time it's in either his or his sister "Whippet's bed". My husband and I got him from one of the top breeders because we had a B 3.5 yrs ago that died with fanconi so we wanted to make sure this time. Nothing has changed in his environment that I am aware of. I do know the breeder had the pups use the bathroom in kitty litter while we are at home and go out with him outside he doesn't do this, but when we go somewhere or to work, when we get home there are stools in the beds. Izzy is a very sweet loving little boy, we have a wooden 6ft fenced in back yard and a whippet to go outside with him. Yes, I realize you have to think "a head of a B" we even had to put child protector locks on our kitchen cabinets because he got into them. No Izzy isn't crated and goes in/out whenever he wants to. Do you think he's afraid of the dark? We even put night lights out which he removes from the wall sockets. Does he think he's in the jungle and lions are in the back yard due to his heritage? Thanks Vernette
Izzy has been eating Wilderness Holistic duck food for about 6 months he does have a sensitive stomach and was on pro plan but kept vomiting so our breeder suggested Blue which has been working very well. Vernette
Have you discussed this with the breeder? Have you had his eyes checked by a Ophth Vet? And if this has been happening since you got him, seems to me that he was not ever housetrained
i'd say talk to the vet first.
then, if all is good, i'd say you need to re-train him on his housebreaking skills. do you have set meal times or do you free feed? free fed dogs can be harder to housebreak as you don't always know when they ate last. Just having a doggie door does not mean he understands what it's for. In order to house break, you really need to leash the dog and go outside with him (IMO).
What is the consistency of his stool? It could be a medical problem or a housetraining one. I would go to the vet first for a thorough checkup including a stool test. Is he on any medication for his sensitive stomach or just the food? I would also have an eye exam done by an opthalmologist.
It sounds like he could be having separation anxiety from his humans since he also has accidents during the day.
Jennifer
How many stools does he typically have in a day? Outside or inside? What is the consistency of the stools? If he is having firm stools but isn't fussy about where he has them, I would say it is a training problem. Loose stools are more likely to be "accidents". If it were my dog, I would probably sleep with him for awhile (I am a very light sleeper!) and see if he actually needs to evacuate, or if he is anxious being "alone". (some dogs do not consider a canine companion to be equivalent to a human one…...who knows why?......but I have dealt with separation anxiety and know this is true)
Stools on the bed. Block off the bedroom with a door or baby gate. Start retraining with him, like he was a puppy. Take him out and walk him and give wonderful treats when he "goes" outside.
I don't know about breeders in your area, but I have had 2 "breeder" dogs who were not housebroken, cause they always were in a kennel. Was the breeders dogs house dogs, do you know??
She's had the dog since he was 8 weeks old, if I am understanding her posts correctly. Also, I don't think he defecates on the bed, only the "dog beds". Please correct me if I am wrong. This appears to have been an ongoing problem which has recently intensified…..
Hi, Izzy was just at the vet on monday, no he isn't on any meds for his stomach just the wilderness, duck formula and mixed with id can, I feed him in the mornings dry keebles, then around 5 for his dinner with a small amt of id can mixed for dinner. For example we were just outside and he had a stool but I'll be willing to bet he will knock on the bedroom door again around 2 am. I let him in the bed with us all the time but my husband says his toenails "stick in my back", sometimes I go in the guest bedroom with Izzy. His stools are formed and he usually has 3-4 a day and they were just checked by the vet last week. While he is in the bed with us he has never had the stool problem so I am inclinded to believe it's anxiety, but what do I do about it? I am an er nurse and work 12 hr shifts 3 days a week 7a-7p so I have no choice but thats why we also have the whippet, Zeda, but I didn't realize a animal companion wouldn't be enough to help the separation anxiety.I have been in touch with the breeder who is at a show and hasn't written me back yet. Thanks Vernette
Izzy, was from Russella Wilerson in SC all the pups were in the house. I have tried baby gates Izzy opened the gate. We changed the handle on the bedroom door because he opened the door, now he just knocks around 2 am. We walk on the leash but he won't use the bathroom he'll wait until we get home and go in the back yard.
I would say it is separation anxiety, and the easiest fix is to let him sleep with you. Since that doesn't seem possible, have you tried a bed or crate for him in the bedroom? (I don't hold out a lot of hope on this one, but perhaps worth trying)
Since he is good when he sleeps with you and since he soils his own bed, I would also venture that he is sending you a message! Sometimes Basenjis can be remarkably like cats…..
