Pooping Match Trick Safety?

[JWU1684]

Hi all,

Question I was wondering if you could all help shed some light on (especially any vets on the forum). My brindle boy who I got 2 months ago is amazing in every single way… EXCEPT in the pooping department. He is soooo stubborn and refuses to go unless it is at the dog park (which isn't close by). He has gone 2-3 days in the past without pooping unless we took him to the park.

So we asked a breeder what should we do and they mentioned a trick was to moisten a match and insert it in the rectum so the sulfur stimulates his bowels - a trick they use frequently at dog shows before going into the ring is what I heard. I've tried that and it works pretty magically! However, sometimes he is stubborn and I'll have to use 2 matches or so. He sometimes goes by himself now but i'd say 4 days of the week he needs the match assistance to poop.

Does anyone know if this is safe for the dog? Can it lead to any problems? Any advice on how to make my dog poop??

Thanks again for your feedback everyone

[nobarkus]

Does he not go on walks? I've never seen a dog not go while on a walk. He's eating regularly? How many meals per day? Is it raining there so he does not want to go?

[tanza]

It is safe, however as you found out they can even resist that….. how old is this boy?..

[renaultf1]

@nobarkus:

I've never seen a dog not go while on a walk.

My girl Ruby never goes while on a walk - 6 mile walks at that. She always holds it until she is back in our yard. On the flip side of that, Brando never goes in the yard - he always needs a walk to get his poop moving. Liyah goes whenever, wherever the mood suits her - except in her own crate and in the house.

[JWU1684]

He's almost 2 in December. He eats regularly (once a day at 5pm), hasn't rained lately, and I walk him at least 3 times during the day (before work 9am, after work 3pm, night 10pm) and sometimes even more often. He just smells things when we walk and marks occasionally (doesn't even do that a lot) but that even takes some time before he finds the right place to pee.

I think he has enough to eat cause when he does poop it is a good size pile.

[JWU1684]

He's almost 2 in December. He eats regularly (once a day at 5pm), hasn't rained lately, and I walk him at least 3 times during the day (before work 9am, after work 3pm, night 10pm) and sometimes even more often. He just smells things when we walk and marks occasionally (doesn't even do that a lot) but that even takes some time before he finds the right place to pee.

I think he has enough to eat cause when he does poop it is a good size pile.

[nobarkus]

@JWU1684:

He's almost 2 in December. He eats regularly (once a day at 5pm), hasn't rained lately, and I walk him at least 3 times during the day (before work 9am, after work 3pm, night 10pm) and sometimes even more often. He just smells things when we walk and marks occasionally (doesn't even do that a lot) but that even takes some time before he finds the right place to pee.

I think he has enough to eat cause when he does poop it is a good size pile.

Maybe break the 1 meal into 2 smaller meals.

[Rita Jean]

I must be lucky or something is wrong with Jaycee because she poop's in morning and again in the evening.

Rita Jean

[Shaye's Mom]

I think I'm far TOO lucky - Shaye poops on her morning walk, then a couple more times when we take her for a run during the day - even sometimes on her late night walk. She is truly a Poopydog. She does eat twice a day, but mostly in the late afternoon, just nibbling a bit in the morning.

[renaultf1]

@JWU1684:

He's almost 2 in December. He eats regularly (once a day at 5pm), hasn't rained lately, and I walk him at least 3 times during the day (before work 9am, after work 3pm, night 10pm) and sometimes even more often. He just smells things when we walk and marks occasionally (doesn't even do that a lot) but that even takes some time before he finds the right place to pee.

I think he has enough to eat cause when he does poop it is a good size pile.

Hey, are you Domingo's dad by any chance?

[agilebasenji]

Jet the try-ing basenji has always had issues finding the exact right spot to leave his precious poop. I don't know why; I tell him it isn't gold. And as he's approaching 12, the whole poop drama hasn't really gotten better. His poop is always rock hard. And lately, there will be small hard turds in his bed in the morning. It's like they escape when he doesn't notice. <sigh>The whole poop drama with Jet the try-ing is rather comical. I try to make sure he goes in the evening but yes, when I really need him to poop, I'll use a match. He isn't too fond of that idea, but really if he'd poop like a normal dog . . .

I think the thing to do is try to clicker train him to poop. (both yours and mine! you should have better luck because Jet's had almost 12 years of this sort of behavior ingrained into him.)</sigh>

[JWU1684]

@renaultf1:

Hey, are you Domingo's dad by any chance?

yeah! good guess! i posted a pic of him if you want to see a recent of him

he's really an amazing dog in every single way except the pooping (or lack thereof).

I'm just trying to find an alternative way of getting him to go without having to use the matches!

He's been having some diarrhea lately (past week) and I was worried that it might be due to the matches but it could also do with having to crate him more (9am-3pm) and him getting stressed out from the separation since when we first got him last month I was pretty much home with him all day up until last week - so maybe the initial stress is causing the diarrhea?

Is there anybody else that regularly uses matches to make their B go? Has it ever caused diarrhea?

[Basenjimamma]

I don't know of safety and all, but I do know for humans using devices or laxatives and the likes will make your body loose the control of pooping on your own, in other words, you will become addicted to the help needed. That would be my biggest objection in doing it on a regular basis. I would see if I could maybe feed him two smaller meals or mabe give him som emore fiber, like veggies and see if maybe it goes better.

[Quercus]

I have used the match trick at shows, or while traveling, but I usually only need to do it one time, maybe two in a row. And I also NEVER use the sulfur side…but I know breeders who do. The stick side will produce the same result without burning the mucous membranes inside the rectum. I have no idea if there can be any damage done by the using the chemical end of the match in the bottom, but I, personally don't want to risk the possibility. There is definitely no risk to using just a plain stick...I have even used a stiff blade of grass before, with some success.

[renaultf1]

@JWU1684:

yeah! good guess! i posted a pic of him if you want to see a recent of him

he's really an amazing dog in every single way except the pooping (or lack thereof).

I'm just trying to find an alternative way of getting him to go without having to use the matches!

I saw your pic! OMG…That is so cool that you have Domingo...love, love, love that dog!!! In fact, after I borrowed him to take with me to a handling clinic in NY this spring I wanted to keep him! :D:D You are so lucky...he is a WONDERFUL sweet dog!

I think Agile has it right about clicker training him to poop. All three of my basenjis go on command, you could try that. Or I bet a clicker would work even better because he'd catch on to that faster. Have you done any clicker training before...it is really easy.

The diarrhea could be because of the stress...or it could be a bug of some sort. Have you changed his food lately - that would also do it. I don't seem to remember any diarrhea as a result of matching, but then again I don't do it too often.

If separation anxiety is the issue (I seem to remember him being great in his crate), maybe you need to add a friend for him so he has another basenji to keep him company during the day! He played with my girl Ruby that whole weekend in NY and loved her - they were maniacs in the hotel room. :D:D

[tanza]

@Quercus:

I have used the match trick at shows, or while traveling, but I usually only need to do it one time, maybe two in a row. And I also NEVER use the sulfur side…but I know breeders who do. The stick side will produce the same result without burning the mucous membranes inside the rectum. I have no idea if there can be any damage done by the using the chemical end of the match in the bottom, but I, personally don't want to risk the possibility. There is definitely no risk to using just a plain stick...I have even used a stiff blade of grass before, with some success.

Your right Andrea… I forgot about the sulfur side, I don't use that side either.. (and usually used when traveling or at shows...)...
And I usually carry with me the little wooden matches.

[JWU1684]

thanks for the responses so far everyone!!! please continue to respond if this is the first time you are reading this post or if you think of something new

things i plan to do:

• split his meal into two portions during the day
• add more fiber to his diet
• try clicker training
• use the wood side of matches only if i have to
• find him a lady basenji friend I've already been trying and have already made a post in the wanted ads area of the forum - great replies there as well

On a side note - this forum is great! many thanks for the numerous welcomes and being able to voice concerns and get answers on such a special breed

[Kananga]

I have Kananga's meals split up into 3. 2 "full" meals in the morning and early evening, and 1 "small" meal right before bedtime (he doesn't like sleeping on an empty stomach).

I find he will have bowel movement each time I take him out, if I let him. He's taken out 3x per day. Morning, early evening (as soon as I get home) and right before bedtime. Essentially when he's fed. He never complains. If I let him take his time he will have a bowel movement each time he is taken out, although I find if I let him do that, his stools will not be firm. If he only has a bowel movement twice a day, his stools firm up. He rarely ever has less than 2 bowel movements in a day unless he's being fussy and I give him a time limit when we're outside. Now, when we go on a walk he will have a bowel movement when we first get outside, and then another one during the walk. I always have to bring an extra bag with me. I'm guessing the walking and excitement force him to go. They're never firm stools when that happens though.

Oddly enough, I've had plenty occasions where he's taking his time, and then he'll get excited about something (another dog or person) and it will trigger a bowel movement. Anyone else have that happen? It's odd and humorous at the same time.

He's a strange one.

I actually wonder at times if it's an issue like IBS. I've read about how dogs who have anxiety issues can trigger IBS. Kananga is certainly the anxious type and very well could be dealing with that. I'm working on addressing the anxiety itself to help reduce this issue. I also add a probiotic to his food to help the digestion process. I've been using "calming" drops in his water to level his anxiety. It's not 100% effective, but it has been helping.

[Woofless]

In the past I have used the match trick very regularly for both Jibini and Tana. I drove a truck OTR for 5 years, during which time Jibini was with me the whole time, and we adopted Tana about a year before I quit driving.

Jibini is one of those who is PICKY about where he will poop. He has to have tall grass and soft ground. Will only reluctantly poop on mowed grass- and getting him to go out in the desert, or when it's raining….is like pulling teeth.

Being a truck driver, we ran into tricky poop situations quite often. We'd spend a week or so in the deserts of California and Arizona with no grass, no matter where we went (or painstakingly manicured lawns with 'no dogs' signs). Once in a while I'd have an inner-city or warehouse delivery where there was no grass- just concrete- within walking distance. I delivered in downtown Seattle once, where there was "curb your dog" signs everywhere. The match trick ensured Jibini pooped exactly where I wanted him to- in the gutter.

Even now, the match trick is my old standby in the rain or if I am in a hurry- if I know I'll be leaving for 5-6 hours and the dogs are taking their time. My house now is surrounded by mowed grass- and the cow pasture out back had cows in it until a week ago so I couldn't take Jibini there....so waiting for him to poop on his own takes forever.

I've used the match trick frequently since Jibini was about a year old. I haven't seen any evidence that he or Tana is "dependent" upon it the way humans will become with suppositories. Give him the right set of circumstances and he'll poop just fine; give him less than ideal pooping substrate and he'll take all day....he's always been that way.

I also use the wooden side- and I have also found that in a pinch, the stem of a long blade of hay-grass (or those little Y-shaped grass weeds people get in their lawns) will work just fine. Anything stiffer than grass but not rough or bumpy like twigs.

[tanza]

Hey Woofless… exactly right on...ggg.... there are reasons for sure to use the "match" trick... for sure... and certainly you have shown many, many reasons at times that they need a little "help" to hurry them along......

Typically mine will "poop" when taken outside on a leash in the winter when it is raining in California (they get totally spoiled for 7 to 8 months of the year with no rain)... but I have found as they have aged.. they "forget" why they need to go out... and if needed I will also resort to the "match" trick... It keeps their mind on their "business".....