Pooping...

Lucy has become our phantom pooper. I call it that because you'll be walking through the house and suddenly there's a poop! She's fully house trained, is not in any pain, perfect health...except for the poops. Is there anything to do, other then making sure she gets to go outside frequently, to help this problem? She is the oldest of our crew, 8, and I've always felt that her years before us aged her prematurely. She has to go a lot on our walks, or after playing.

We were in the living room the other night and I realized she was about to let one go, I got her attention quickly and scooted her outside. Hubby asks "Was she trying to go?" When I said no, he shrugged and said "well, she is the oldest one." Is that just the way it is? Any thoughts, or suggestions?

My Beau had that problem all his life, but he had a congenital back defect in his lower back area.

I often think dogs that carry their tails up high or over their back are more affected. I had a Springer Spaniel that was that way in her older days. & I know of a couple other pugs, and one bulldog, with the same problem.

I don't have an answer, although maybe (if you can afford it) have an x-ray taken of her back to be sure she doesn't have a vertebre out of place that could be causing pain (even though she doesn't act like she's in pain). At least with an xray you'll have a starting point to see if her vertebre shift more. (How DO you spell 'vertebre'?)

Maryjo wrote:(How DO you spell 'vertebre'?)

Singular=vertebra. Plural=vertebrae. Gotta love Latin!

Over the last year, both Bella & Bud have both become "phantom poopers" as well. It's like it sneaks up on them & they don't realize that they have to go until it's too late. Bella is around 8 or 9 and Bud is almost 12. Yoda drops turds too but she has a spinal defect that's left her incontinent, so that's a whole different ball of wax (or ball of poop as it were! ).

PugLady3 wrote:Over the last year, both Bella & Bud have both become "phantom poopers" as well. It's like it sneaks up on them & they don't realize that they have to go until it's too late. Bella is around 8 or 9 and Bud is almost 12. Yoda drops turds too but she has a spinal defect that's left her incontinent, so that's a whole different ball of wax (or ball of poop as it were! ).

Exactly, the night she was in the living room I watched her suddenly hunch, like it was unexpected. Hmmm, I like knowing that others have the same issue, makes me feel a bit better.

Maryjo wrote:
I often think dogs that carry their tails up high or over their back are more affected. I had a Springer Spaniel that was that way in her older days. & I know of a couple other pugs, and one bulldog, with the same problem.

That's really interesting, Maryjo. Bruno carries his tail like that much more so than Chester or Leo. And if there is poop in the house, the culprit is 98% Bruno. But a lot of times, I think Bruno "just can't be bothered." He's been doing it all his life.

smoochieface wrote: "just can't be bothered." He's been doing it all his life.

This is exactly what I think when anyone poops in my house. Especially Tobey! She just can't be bothered. Oh well. I would much rather clean up poop than pee!

I have a pooper that due to back issues can't help it and a naughty one that prefers to do it in a particular spot, INSIDE the house, 8 times out of 10. I'm just glad she has finally learned that outside is the better place to pee and also how to ASK to go out if the doors are closed. The pooping is a work in progress....