Dog lovers.. help?

[Krystal]

I have a ShiTzu called Gizmo, he's almost 2. I love him so much and no way I could part with him but i'm at the end of my tether with him.

He occasionally still poops on an evening. He's fine if the weather is nice and the grass is cut, he'll happily go outside and do his business but if the grass is a bit longer or it's been raining he will NOT go do his business outside. He gets taken on a walk morning and night but he only ever wee's when we are out. He'll only poo in our garden (weather permitting ) so if he hasn't been I usually come down to poop first thing I am in most of the time and our living room has patio doors that go right into back garden so we are constantly here if he needs to go out. I just don't know what to do. I never smack him when he has an 'accident' as I heard this can make them fearful of you and can have oppisite affect. I just don't know what to do??? We are moving soonish and I don't want him pooping on my carpets. especially as Jack is all over place now.

Also when people come over he will not leave them alone, he's so excitable and wants to hump them it's really embarrassing and sure it gets on my friends nerves. I usually put him in garden but he just scratches at patio doors and whilst seeing him look like a hamster on a ferris wheel trying to get back in again it's embarrassing with friends.

Can anyone recommend a good book perhaps? Or what about dog training? does it work? Also considering getting his balls chopped off will this stop the humping?

 

[Krystal]

BTW I probably sound like a tramp - my house isn't covered in dog poop or anything I always clean thoroughly

 

[sarafet]

thats such a shame i can sympathse with the pooping everywhere, my cat had problems when he was a kitten that have left him a bit brain damaged, and he can't make the connection to go in his litter tray, he squeaks at either me or my OH first, and then he'll go when we put him in - so obv if we're not at home, it's on the floor

i do think having him neutered will stop the humping btw. and i've heard good things about dog behaviour training - maybe when you move to your new house, you could kind of start over - and take him out at certain times to do the toilet etc? get him into some kind of routine?

really hope you sort something out hun

 

[Krystal]

Thanks hun, I was thinking of startign from scratch in the new home. Treats when he does it in the right place that type of thing.

I'm also wondering about feed times, at mo he has dried dog food and basically it's there for him to have it when he wants it, maybe only giving him set meal times?

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Hi Krystal, m not the most knowledgeable person in the world about dogs, but was always told to give my pets their food at certain times as its maintaining a degree of control over the dog.
Defintely do a routine for when he goes out - one of mine used too poop everywhere before i had the kidsand it used to drive me mad! i in the end took her out at certain times until she got it and never yelled at her so you done great not yelling at him! -tempting though it may seem!

I know Sherlocks and squig are very knowledgable about dogs - they will give a better answer then lil old me!

 

[Krystal]

Thanks Mrstommo, i'll definately give the set meal times a go. What times are best? Morning then afternoon??

 

[Fluffy Bunny]

Defo get him neutered (or pick his cherries ) it will almost definately stop the humping - sometimes it takes a while for the hormones to calm down so can take a few months.

As for his pooping, you are on the right track with treats for doing it outside (something he really loves like chicken?), ignore naughty poops inside - don't let him see you cleaning up if he does go inside and make sure it doesn't smell where he's been and that could encourage him to use the spot again.

A good behaviour book I'd recommend is The Dog Listener by Jan Fennell.

Good luck

 

[x Naomi x]

Getting him castrated will definately stop or cut down on the humping,

As for feeding, some dogs are grazers others will gobble it up so you could try and feed him breakfast and tea no later than about 6 and then he shouldnt really need to pooh overnight, even if you do keep the food down for him if he doesnt want to eat it all at once, still pick it up at about 6 he will soon learn

 

[louxlouxbellex]

As others said getting him done should help the humping and hopefully calm him down a bit. Try to give him set meal times, if possible try and make sure that he eats after you.

When we were training our dog we said 'pee pee' every time she did either a pee or a poo we also rewarded her with praise or a wee treat, she started to associate 'pee pee' with the toilet very quickly. She is 4 now & pee's on demand!

 

[jennywren]

we used to feed out dog at set times, I think it was proper food in the AM when we got up (so say 8-9) then Im sure it was a bonio or 2 for lunch (I dont think it was proper food again could be wrong) and Proper foon at tea time (like 6pm) so same kinda times a human would eat lol.

Apparently after eating it takes an hour and they will need a poop (something I read recently, how true it is I don't know but I know Bonnie ALWAYS used to go about 8pm and then again as soon as she got up then she would just be let out in the day when she stood by the door mostly just wees with the odd poo.

Try googling it im sure there will be some info on a forum or something

 

[Sherlock]

What has been said about his food makes sense and I'd do asap. Set feed times, morning and evening and he should then start to have more regular times for needing to poo. Praise him when he goes outside and poos. Leaving food down will just mean he keeps eating whenever and therefore his bowels will need to do their thing whenever.

I find feeding my dogs morning, around 9am once they have been out, walked and pooped etc and then again in the evening around 6pm and then they go out after that and last thing and are good till the morning then. Encourage yours to eat at set times and take the food away if he does not eat it within half an hour of it going down. Always take them out and have them poop before feeding them though. Might take a few attempts but encourage that.

Also look into a dog crate for him perhaps when you move? New start, new way of dealing with things regarding him. Never use it as punishment, but certainly to put into overnight for sleeping etc. Dogs don't crap where they sleep and it should discourage him from pooing overnight. Make sure he has his bedding and so on in there so he feels safe in there, not frightened or punished.

Castration will probably solve his humping people's legs. Chances are he'll develop some other party trick to fill its place though. Its behavioural and can be solved without castration I would think. You can also look into training him. Often learning how to handle a dogs behaviour is far more simple than people realise. Sounds to me like his has a few issues that you just need to suss out. Be it separation anxiety or some such when you shut him outside. Or being a bit firmer when he humps peoples legs. Shutting him outside does not really deal with the problem of him humping peoples legs, just causes more distress and confusion for him. You need to be the boss and actually deal with it when it happens and teach him its not the done thing. I think training classes or some such would help you and him. It really is a case of perseverance and training him. Its not like he is a huge size and unmanageable. So don't be afraid to take him off someones leg and hold his snout and tell him 'No' or 'Leave' and repeating it. Or restraining him when people visit and making it on your terms he greets people, not on his. Then have him on a lead next to you and make him sit down rather than pester people. Loads of different things to consider trying, just a case of working out why he may be doing this and then the solution is clearer. Or have people more or less ignore him when they visit. No fussing of him till he is calm and then they greet him on their terms, you then have him settle and then he is left alone. It might take a while but you just have to be prepared to put the time into it to solve his issues.

 

[LilysMummy]

We got a retired racing greyhound in December and she wasnt house trained poor thing had urine stains up to he waist from having to sit in her own wast every day for 6yrs

When we got he we let her out every hour for the first week and praised her a rediculous amount when she went and she soon learnt. the we stretched it to two hours and now she only needs every 3/4hrs and doesnt have accidents anymore.

I hope you get it sorted soon hun

 

[Krystal]

Thanks for all your replies girls, given me a lot to work with. Gonna look into obedience classes and see how it goes.