my adult dog has started pooing at night

[Sue Durant]

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hi, my year old collie has started pooing at night. We have had her about five months and apart from a few accidents she has always been clean. Now she is pooing probably every other night. It is normal, not loose. She usually poos about 5.30 during her last walk and is fed about 4.30pm. We take her round the garden at 10ish before bed giving her plenty of time to go. She always has a wee, rarely needs a poo. She never barks or anything to let us know she needs to go. She was sleeping from 10pm - 7.45 ish without a problem. Now we are getting up earlier to see if that helps but it makes no difference, the poo doesn't look recent. Any advice please??

 

[JoanneF]

Normally, we suggest a vet visit for any change in toilet behaviour.

If she is pooing at 5.30, that's likely to be from the meal prior to her 4.30 one. So, I'd suggest first adding a few kernels of cooked or tinned sweetcorn to the 4.30 meal -- then you will know if that's the one she is passing overnight. If it is, I'd suggest making it a bit later, so she has more chance of being able to hold it overnight. Alternatively you could make it earlier and try to get her to poo at 10.00pm. Your choice would depend on what time she is having her accident.

Also, try not to show any reaction. Collies are particularly sensitive, and many dogs that are scolded for accidents just wait to toilet whan their owner isn't there. That would clearly make the problem worse.

 

[Hemlock]

Is she fed commercial food? Often manufacturers change ingredients to reflect whatever is cheap and readily available. Sometimes this increases indigestible material bulk and the result is that it takes a different amount of time to proceed through the gut. Which you are now finding on the floor.

After trying JoanneF's idea with the sweetcorn, you could change the amounts fed so that the biggest meal is in the morning.

So good that you are coming here and asking, instead of just thinking your dog is being difficult.

 

[Sue Durant]

Normally, we suggest a vet visit for any change in toilet behaviour.

If she is pooing at 5.30, that's likely to be from the meal prior to her 4.30 one. So, I'd suggest first adding a few kernels of cooked or tinned sweetcorn to the 4.30 meal -- then you will know if that's the one she is passing overnight. If it is, I'd suggest making it a bit later, so she has more chance of being able to hold it overnight. Alternatively you could make it earlier and try to get her to poo at 10.00pm. Your choice would depend on what time she is having her accident.

Also, try not to show any reaction. Collies are particularly sensitive, and many dogs that are scolded for accidents just wait to toilet whan their owner isn't there. That would clearly make the problem worse.

T

 

[Sue Durant]

T

Thank you very much for your suggestions. All good advice. We have been careful to not show a reaction to the poo but do quietly say she must wait until it has been cleared up before she has her morning cuddle/tummy tickled etc. Without saying anything she is already quite subdued and upset with herself and we don't want to make that worse.

 

[Sue Durant]

Is she fed commercial food? Often manufacturers change ingredients to reflect whatever is cheap and readily available. Sometimes this increases indigestible material bulk and the result is that it takes a different amount of time to proceed through the gut. Which you are now finding on the floor.

After trying JoanneF's idea with the sweetcorn, you could change the amounts fed so that the biggest meal is in the morning.

So good that you are coming here and asking, instead of just thinking your dog is being difficult.

hi,

We would never think she is being difficult. We just want to work out why so that we can resolve it. She is always upset about it without us saying a word. She has good quality dried food from the local pet shop (high quality ingredients) and one spoonful of Butchers tinned meat. We wondered about the tinned meat and whether it was a bad batch. Thank you for your advice.

 

[JoanneF]

Dogs are very tuned into our body language, even making her wait for her morning cuddle might indicate to her that something is wrong, and her subdued behaviour could be her way of offering you appeasement signals.

 

[JudyN]

I agree with JoanneF - ignore the poo completely, greet her in the usual way, and clear it up later.

You could also set the alarm and get up in the middle of the night, hopefully before she poos, and give her the opportunity to go outside. If she poos, then praise and treat. Hopefully after a few nights you'll work out around what time she needs to go.