[i_am_thaKing]

We have a 14 week old German Shar Pei and she has started something new these last few days. When we put her in the crate at night she immediately poops. This is after going outside numerous times prior. Additionally, after a few hours of sleep she does it again. She just started doing this (we rescued her 2 weeks ago). She only goes in the crate at bedtime. Is it nerves? How can we get her to not do this?

 

[Knute]

Try altering the feeding schedule and the amount per feeding.

Generally, a dog will process food in about 6-8 hours from ingestion to expulsion.

When you are "outside" are you out long enough for the dog to empty both the liquid and solid tanks?

My mini-schnauzer during our 11:00 pm walk will have at least 3 liquid drains and 1 solid. I feed 3/4 cup/day with 1/2 near 8:00 am and 1/2 near 4:30 pm. During our morning 45-60 minute walk, he will empty both tanks multiple times. Typically, 2-3 solid drops and numerous liquid.

Learn the dog's schedule. You have some control by adjusting feeding times, amount each feed and duration of walks.

 

[i_am_thaKing]

Try altering the feeding schedule and the amount per feeding.

Generally, a dog will process food in about 6-8 hours from ingestion to expulsion.

When you are "outside" are you out long enough for the dog to empty both the liquid and solid tanks?

My mini-schnauzer during our 11:00 pm walk will have at least 3 liquid drains and 1 solid. I feed 3/4 cup/day with 1/2 near 8:00 am and 1/2 near 4:30 pm. During our morning 45-60 minute walk, he will empty both tanks multiple times. Typically, 2-3 solid drops and numerous liquid.

Learn the dog's schedule. You have some control by adjusting feeding times, amount each feed and duration of walks.

Thanks for the info. We adjusted her schedule yesterday and gave her dinner much earlier. When we got her she would inhale her food, so we switched to a bowl with the divisions in it to make her work for her food. That turned her into a grazer and she was eating later into the night.

When we go out we go out for an extended amount of time, sometimes 15-20 minutes. She won't go to the bathroom on a walk, she always waits for her yard, so we just go out there.

Despite ending her dinner at 6 (she's a slow eater now in a regular bowl) and letting her relieve herself (liquid and solid) at 10ish (I forgot the exact time), she again went immediately once in the crate (midnight-ish).

 

[Knute]

15-20 minutes outside walk is not enough.

My dog needs about 10 minutes just to settle into a walk. During the first 10 minutes he is darting, sniffing, looking, listening......doggy things. Then he begins to walk, still busy nose and constantly hunting small critters. The shortest walk I would consider is 30-40 minutes, but I'd be counting the relief events. The last walk of the day (11:00 pm) needs a minimum of 3 liquid and 1 solid purge.

Try shifting the last feeding to about 4 or 5 pm. Don't allow her to "graze". Put the food out, let her eat. Pick the leftovers up after about 15 minutes.

Sounds like your dog needs a solid purge roughly 6 hours after feeding. If your last walk is at 10 pm, then try feeding around 4 pm. Or shift your last walk to be 6 hours after feeding.

 

[i_am_thaKing]

Yes, our plan was to pick up leftovers and not allow grazing. Our walks are usually about 30 minutes in length. We've gone a little longer but at 14 weeks it wears her out. And despite daily walks (2-3x/day) she has never relieved herself on a walk. So our final night-time walks have evolved into just going out to the yard. We understand (for the most part) her routine during the day, when she needs to go out (with a few accidents), it's just this immediate relieving herself once in the crate that escapes us.

On a side note, do you suggest picking up her breakfast after just a little bit and not allowing her to graze on that as well?

 

[Knute]

Dogs don't know breakfast from snack, dinner, lunch, brunch......

Any feeding. Pick up the food after about 15 minutes. What isn't consumed can be offered at next feeding. Don't add the leftover to the normal ration. The leftover is part of the normal ration.

The dog will not starve. She will learn to finish.

It is no problem if the dog is "worn out". She will likely take a nap when you return. Walks are very good for dogs in many ways much too numerous to mention. By nature, dogs are not stationary creatures.

 

[Lillith]

Try feeding her in the crate. Dogs won't usually go potty int he same area they eat. Sometimes they do, depending on how they were raised at their breeder/rescue/whatever, but usually they won't.

Is her crate small enough? She should only have enough room to stand up, turn around, and lay down at this stage. Dogs don't want to lay in their own waste.

When you come in after the first potty break before her crate, put her in the crate for just a few seconds, then immediately take her back outside. Don't give her time to potty in her crate.

Her very last potty break should be right before you put her in the crate for the night, no exceptions. So if you go to bed at midnight, her last potty break should be at 11:50pm (or a bit sooner depending on how long she needs to empty or if you have to take her right back out to prevent her from pooping in her crate).

 

[bee-joe-brocccoli]

Try feeding her in the crate. Dogs won't usually go potty int he same area they eat. Sometimes they do, depending on how they were raised at their breeder/rescue/whatever, but usually they won't.

Is her crate small enough? She should only have enough room to stand up, turn around, and lay down at this stage. Dogs don't want to lay in their own waste.

When you come in after the first potty break before her crate, put her in the crate for just a few seconds, then immediately take her back outside. Don't give her time to potty in her crate.

Her very last potty break should be right before you put her in the crate for the night, no exceptions. So if you go to bed at midnight, her last potty break should be at 11:50pm (or a bit sooner depending on how long she needs to empty or if you have to take her right back out to prevent her from pooping in her crate).

I agree with this, a smaller crate is always helpful for potty training. We actually had an almost opposite problem with our Aussie mix. He would throw up in the middle of the night so he could eat it/because he felt hungry so we started feeding him much later in the day (no earlier than 7) and the puking stopped. Not sure if it would be a good solution for the pooping problem. It seems like she may just be too shy to go unless she has more privacy.