Return to Work - Dog Pooing in house

tiredblondie

Hi

Looking for some advice on dog pooing indoors now that i've returned to the office.

So, he's almost 4 years old, shih tzu and we rehomed him in June 2020 - we also have a 13 year old shih tzu.

From June 2020 he was crated when we weren't there and over night, i was working full time, home for lunch each day and he never had any issues in his crate.

January 2021, i started WFH full time, continued to crate him overnight but obviously not during the day - if we had to pop out to the shops or whatever, we'd leave him out and again, all was fine.

August 2021 we removed the crate permanently - all was good, no problems whatsoever. I returned to the office for a couple of days full time each week in September and again, no problems.

Fast forward to Christmas, i finished up for Christmas and didn't return to the office until the end of January - that's when the problem started - i would come home at lunch time and evening time to poo, not just one poo, but there could be 3 or more of them - now bear in mind, he is also a poo eater so there could have been more 🤢 (it's always picked up in the garden as soon as he goes but he can't seem to break the habit!)

I'm not in the office full time yet, so it's only on the days i am in that this happens - i have a camera on him when i'm not there and today for example, i checked in on him probably 4 times before i went home for lunch and he was in bed asleep - so it's not like he's stressed out and barking like i would expect if it was separation anxiety - it was definitely him that done it in case you think it might be the older dog that did, the evidence was there to see on his bum!!

Other than going back to crating him which i really don't want to do, what other options have i got here??

I'm at my wits end with it, constantly cleaning up poo off the mat and the smell just isn't good!

Also, both dogs are walked every morning before work and both do there business then - on a day where i'm home all day, he's a regular once a day boy so this 3 or 4 or more times a day is not normal.

olestoepoke

Did you say if you live in a house or an apartment? We have two dogs, they are house dogs when we are home, they sleep in the house etc. When we go to work and the kids to school they are put out the back garden. We have a really well built insulated kennel and the garden is a decent size and secure, we leave them with plenty of water. I'd rather pick up the poo from the garden than the floor inside the house. They are left out there from 8.30 am to 6pm Monday to Friday. Is this an option for you? I can se why you are at your wits end, I couldn't cope with a dog pooing or peeing inside the house regularly, as much as I love them I'd have to do something drastic like leaving them outside. The poo eating thing, I'm not sure what you can do about that tbh.

tiredblondie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118667728#Comment_118667728

Hi, no, both are indoor dogs and leaving them outside, i wouldn't even consider it.....we live in a house btw....

Ah i'm not concerned by the poo eating, i mean, it's disgusting but it's not harming him and it's only his own, thankfully he doesn't eat others!! It's rare it happens as we pick up straight away but i just know when he does go indoors, chances are he's eating some of it!!

Gant21

Can you carry your dog to a minder?

tiredblondie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118667754#Comment_118667754

It's only 3 hrs in the morning and about 3 or 3.5 hrs in the afternoon that they are alone - it's not like it's a full day so i wouldn't have thought they'd need to be left with anyone for such a short period.

Older girl has never been an issue - and neither was he until a few weeks ago!

tiredblondie

Just caught him on camera going again, i was home at lunch, let them out and left the door open while i was there so that's not a reason for it.

Amias

How often do you Feed your dog. Twice a day or leaving food out all day?

tiredblondie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118668306#Comment_118668306

Hes' fed twice a day, in the morning after his walk at 9am and again in the evening time around 7pm

Thing is though, he is a regular boy so he goes in the morning on his walk and before breakfast - if i'm there all day, he doesn't look to go again - this is only happening when i'm not there

BabysCoffee

Do you feed dry or wet food?

tiredblondie

Wet food from tails.com He's been on it almost a year and no issues

em_cat

In all honesty it does sound like something like anxiety or boredom. This may take a proper behaviourist to investigate and help you sort.

One thing is though feed them before the walk. I’d expect to see waste if I fed and then left for 3.5 to 4 hours, ASFAIK it takes roughly 4 hours for food to move through the digestive tract in dogs.

Buddyhol

If you’re only gone for 3 hrs I would wait to feed until you get home and give a little pineapple for the poo eating

tiredblondie

Thanks all, I'll try that with the feed first then walk....he seems to have a better appetite after a walk though and when it's morning and I'm due in work, I'm a bit more stuck for time!