Question about Dog's toilet habits....?

Question

Ok this question is kind of nasty so pls dont read on if you have a weak stomach... My dog always goes out in the morning and has a poo, this is fine, he then goes out for a 2nd one which is almost always loose, why is this? His 1st is never loose. He is a 5 month old Border Collie and is on a complete working dog food which he has been on for 4 weeks, this happened before we put him on this food, while he was still on puppy food. There is no sign of blood, he is fully vaccinated and wormed up to date, he is fine in himself but I clean up after him and it isn't pleasant!

Fen, He went onto a working dog food at 16 weeks as puppy food was not enough for him, he was eating a bag in 5 days and having to be fed 3 times a day, I was advised that Borders should be fed once in the evenings, which he now gets, he only gets fresh water to drink, nothing else. We worm him using Drontal and his next dose is due 10/11, cant remember the date of his last dose but Drontal e-mail me when its due. He is very good at eating only what he wants, he will leave food all night and then finish in the morning if he gets hungry. He is very good at bringing his bowl to us if he wants food.

Answer 1

Dogs, and people too, will do this when they hold it for too long..The first serving has been in the intestine for longer, and the moisture has been drawn out..the second is newer in the tract, and passes through quicker..You can sprinkle a spoon of Metamucil over his food, and it should make his bowels regular and of the same consistency..Walk him a bit longer at bedtime, so he will go at night, and again in the morning..the Metamucil will help with that too..
I think canned pumpkin (2 tablespoons) will do the same for the consistency, but I'm not certain..I know it helps with regularity..

Answer 2

firstly, he should not be on a working diet, he should still be on a puppy diet.
What time of day do you feed him and what does he get to drink? When youi say he is wormed up to date, when was he last wormed and with what? Nobody can give a definative answer if we don't know all the facts.
Thanks for clarifying things for me :0)
Border collies are the same as any other breed. The pups need a high quality puppy food. All puppies eat loads. The betetr quality the food, the less they have to eat. Working dog food simply doesn't have the right amount of nutrients that a growing puppy needs. At 5 months old, he should still be on 2 or 3 meals a day. Personally I advocate feeding ad lib. The pup then can take whatever food he needs. If he has some days where he is more active, he will eat more. Puppies need to eat lots to cope with the twin needs of getting enough calories to cope with high activity levels, plus leaving enough calories to help their bodies grow properly.
I adore the breed and had a wonderful dog who I lost in February to an epilepsy related brain haemorrhage at only 5 years old. Sadly the breed is rather prone to the condition. I am actively looking for another.

Answer 3

First, a dog should be fed no less than twice a day. Three times is ideal. You take their daily ration and divide by the number of times you feed. Second, a good quality food is not only better for your dog it also produces a firmer less stinky stool. Our pets need quality pet food. Read the ingredients list and learn what the stuff on there is and what it does (or does not do) to/for our pets. A quick pet food 101. If the pet food contains corn/corn products or by products it is a poor quality food. Do not pay attention to advertising, they all say there food is great. Corn is a filler that can trigger skin problems. (allergies, skin problems, itching and excessive shedding) By products is anything from an animal not fit for human consumption, including cancerous tissue. Quality foods have meat as the first ingredient. California Natural, Solid Gold, Innova and Merrick are a few of the best brands available. If you want to learn more check out: http://www.sagekeep.com/petfood.htm www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359& more=1 http://animalark.eapps.com/animal/PetFoods.nsf/$$PetFoodsByRating?OpenForm

Answer 4

Don't worry, this is a classic sign of overfeeding. To make sure that he eats the right amount, put down his meal for 10 mins and then remove it even if he hasn't finished it. Don't leave his food down all day. He will eat all he needs in that period.
The manufacturers guidelines often overestimate the amount of food required and so judge by eye as he grows... is he the correct weight: lean and long limbed at this age!
Also, although I'm sure you know what you are doing, I would suspect that a working dog diet would be far too rich for a growing pup? You need to make sure that he grows nice and slowly to avoid joint problems when he is older. There will be too many calories in a working dog diet for a young 5 month old pup. His body won't be able to absorb them.
Hope this helps

Answer 5

Hi yes I hear ya lol...I breed Border Collies & I had the same prob with some foods...just nothing to worry about though...I have a different food stuff now that works well for them & it's not too high in protiens as I don't want them bouncing off the walls as some food are like rocket fuel for dog...if you are in the UK you will be able to get the food I feed my collies+ on & I can be reached thru my website at the foot of this msg if you wanted to write...Regards Jake

Answer 6

Does your dog have a lot of exercise, i was once told that when the dog is running he may have loose poos so he can carry on. Basically they are clearing the body of poo even though they don't actually need on which explains why it's loose. Also the food he is on may be too rich for him, with My 8 month old doberman it took months to find the right food for him, he also kept having loose poos, once he is settled with his food his bowels should settle. Good Luck

Answer 7

Try walking your dog an additional time at night. Sometimes this happens when they try to keep it in too long. The first stool is firm, but the stool that's been in the bowels (that he's been holding) liquefies. If you can take him out at night also, this will alleviate the problem until he's old enough to hold it for a bit longer. Poor guy. He's trying to be a good boy, it's just too much for his young bowels to bear. LOL He'll be fine. He just needs to potty more often.

Answer 8

dogs like people have their toilet things.

See your vet. Check the diet.

Striving for the perfect stool is not always the most healthy, especially an active breed. Age will have changes on the stool also.

Answer 9

Be aware that for some puppies there is far too much protein in puppy foods, also I find that with myself it is similar, my first poo is hard, I think of it like a cork and my 2nd is the real poo.

Answer 10

I notice that the more my dog excercises and runs the looser his stool gets. He goes 2-3 times when running @ the dog park. The first one is firm, and byt he last one it is runny