Should I diaper a dog if they step on their own

[FlyingNimbus]

My moms dog is frustrating me a bit. I walk her outside to do her business and her poop is always wet. Vets said its normal for her. So on top of that, she is careless unlike my brown dog and steps on her own poop. Which drives me up the walls trying to find a way to get her to not step on it. Everytime she poops she walks about as she poops, spreading it everywhere and somehow she manages to step on her own poop.

Is it time to diaper her? She's 7 or 8, a cockapoo, she's fed on wellness limited ingredient diet. It used to be good on her stomach now, its okay... and if i try to change her diet it gets much worse.


I want to keep her paws clean. My other dog feverently avoids nearing her own poop, but this one just does not care. Doesnt like having her paws cleaned either

[Britster]

A diaper sounds like more of a mess to me? Now it'll be stuck all over her bum and tail area and you'll have to clean that.

No, I've never heard of a dog wearing a diaper because they step in their poop. Put her on a leash and keep her away from the poop before she manages to step on it.

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by Britster

A diaper sounds like more of a mess to me? Now it'll be stuck all over her bum and tail area and you'll have to clean that.

No, I've never heard of a dog wearing a diaper because they step in their poop. Put her on a leash and keep her away from the poop before she manages to step on it.

I do that, but it's as if she's painting a map for me. I always always take her out on leash, and since the past year she's always stepped on her own poop. Because I try to lead her, but she's so stubborn she pulls. This is the much bigger and a tad clumsier dog.

It frustrates me because whether it's as she does it or at the end- she somehow manages to step on her own poop. Maybe tie thick layers of garbage bags on her paws so I could atleast remove it asap? Maybe some vinyl shoes? Maybe invent some wings for her? I love her, god knows how much I love that old soul. But sometimes, I am not happy with her when she does that. :< I dont want her to track her decomposed stomach contents inside....

On another note, when she poops it's oddly stronger smelling than say my little dogs. Think of opening up a cheap canned dog food( the extra wet and sloppy one) and now imagine that but decomposed. She eats wellness simple and I wonder if they changed the formula or what... but this food used to be perfect for her.

[Lovetodream88]

Dogs are not meant to wear diapers the poop will cake onto them causing it to be a bigger mess it can also cause other issues. If she were to pee in the diaper then she could get urine scald and you look at possible rashes with both witch can easily go to an infection.

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Dogs are not meant to wear diapers the poop will cake onto them causing it to be a bigger mess it can also cause other issues. If she were to pee in the diaper then she could get urine scald and you look at possible rashes with both witch can easily go to an infection.

So what can I do to prevent her from stepping on her doodie? :/ it bothers me that she keeps doing it

[matese]

Keep tugging her away from the poop, I never heard of a person that cannot keep their dog from stepping in it's poo. If she pulls back, just keep lightly tugging her forward, it's not hard to do, you are bigger and stronger then a lil dog gezzzz.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by FlyingNimbus

So what can I do to prevent her from stepping on her doodie? :/ it bothers me that she keeps doing it

I’m sure it’s not thrilling for her either. Does she do it when pooing or when walking away. If it’s when walking away you could try to lead her away with a treat or try picking her up right after she poos.

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by matese

Keep tugging her away from the poop, I never heard of a person that cannot keep their dog from stepping in it's poo. If she pulls back, just keep lightly tugging her forward, it's not hard to do, you are bigger and stronger then a lil dog gezzzz.

Oh it's because sasha has a collar until we get her the easy walk harness.... and I try to not pull soo hard because its a 23 pound dog. You might think I am not doing all of that but trust me , she pulls back. This is the dog that got attacked last year by our previous neighbors dog.

Even when I walk her alone she manages to step on her own poop.

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I’m sure it’s not thrilling for her either. Does she do it when pooing or when walking away. If it’s when walking away you could try to lead her away with a treat or try picking her up right after she poos.

Her poop is too soft to pick up. Sometimes it happens as we walk away, or sometimes its as she does it. I try not to pick her up because she hates being picked up. So I avoid it in fear of being bit by her. Which is why I am not as fond of her as I am of my little maggie. As maggie enjoys all form of interaction from me, and my mom- not so much of others. If I use a treat, it could possibly work depends if she's not distracted by something else as well.

I once tried to pull her away from the poop and she wouldn't give way because she just wants to keep scattering her poop and I heard her coughing so I panicked and stopped pulling. If I try a harness she will pull with much more force which i think she'd still get hurt.


I want to teach her to walk better with treats. But to be very frank here, I am a bit scared of her because she never seemed to learned biting inhibition. So this means if I give her a treat by hand she will run towards my hand, probably, and would accidentally bite me as she does it. Last time it happened she drew a little bit of blood and it hurt quite a lot. I tried the yelping or making a pained noise when she does that to get her to learn but she just keeps doing it. Doesnt put 2 and 2 together.

I might try rubber boots on her while I figure it out so I could clean them out and sterilize them.

[canana]

Hmm.. Don't think I can offer any help, beside what has already been said. But I can relate. Scottie poops like he's marking out a secret treasure map. He's walking with his bum out while he's pooping. But maybe because he's small. I always guide him away from the poo...no issue with him stepping in it.

[KatysMom]

Originally Posted by FlyingNimbus

Her poop is too soft to pick up. Sometimes it happens as we walk away, or sometimes its as she does it. I try not to pick her up because she hates being picked up. So I avoid it in fear of being bit by her.... I might try rubber boots on her while I figure it out so I could clean them out and sterilize them.

Poop too soft to pick up? May bite if she is picked up?

1. Suggest you need to pick up her poop. You earlier wrote that vet had said her poop ("always wet") was normal. In my experience, "wet" is different than too soft to pick up. Except for bouts of diarrhea, I don't recall a time when my sweetie's business was difficult to pick up--even then, I managed to pick it up and dispose of the waste.

Pick up the poop and keep the area where you walk her clean.

2. Biting?

I don't think it is normal for a dog to bite someone who loves them and treats them well. While it might be a behavior/training issue, it well might be a health issue. OR ... it could be a combination of both as it doesn't sound like this came on suddenly.

I would take the dog to the vet and have her checked out. (Bring that day's stool sample with you.) If the vet you normally see won't help you with these issues, find a vet who will.

"Help, My Dog Bites! ..." 2012

I'm sure there are many, many other good references about this on the internet, but I'd start with the vet.

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by KatysMom

Poop too soft to pick up? May bite if she is picked up?

1. Suggest you need to pick up her poop. You earlier wrote that vet had said her poop ("always wet") was normal. In my experience, "wet" is different than too soft to pick up. Except for bouts of diarrhea, I don't recall a time when my sweetie's business was difficult to pick up--even then, I managed to pick it up and dispose of the waste.

Pick up the poop and keep the area where you walk her clean.

2. Biting?

I don't think it is normal for a dog to bite someone who loves them and treats them well. While it might be a behavior/training issue, it well might be a health issue. OR ... it could be a combination of both as it doesn't sound like this came on suddenly.

I would take the dog to the vet and have her checked out. (Bring that day's stool sample with you.) If the vet you normally see won't help you with these issues, find a vet who will.

"Help, My Dog Bites! ..." 2012

I'm sure there are many, many other good references about this on the internet, but I'd start with the vet.

I always pick up after the dogs, once they finish their business. Today I took out sasha alone, and she pooped again to which I had to awkwardly follow her around with a poop bag right under her. She was not very happy. Some of it still fell on the grass, and when I tried to pick it up- it slathered all over the grass....like trying to pick up melting butter or something.


I don't know if the second one is suggesting I don't love or treat my mom's dog well or if I am reading it wrong. But I treat her with a great deal of care. So does my mom, however I may have mentioned in a previous post from last year that she was attacked by a neighbor's dog and ever since then she's never wanted to be picked up or touched in certain areas.... We have taken her to the vet before. She doesn't bite, bite. It's just she snaps if picked up. Simply does not want to be picked up by anyone. She likes being pet, and never really bites. I just feel she gets so excited her nipping feels a tad painful sometimes. She was always like this since she was bought. My mom got her when she was 8 weeks old, given to her by my sibling on account of her wanting that kind of dog.

I personally felt like crap that some guys pitbull attacked her. I wish I could had prevented it. But that's partly why I took control of her. My moms got some illness called lupus so I am trying to take charge of a few things that I can. I want to give these dogs the best I can. Which is why I go online to educate myself. My problem with her stepping on her own poop is mostly that I don't want her to get sick or something from it.

The vet long ago said "Since she has always been this way since birth. She is fine. It is her stomach sensitivities. Just avoid giving her table scraps or treats unless in very small portions. Since you have been changing her diet properly every 5 months or so to see which kibble affects her the least I don't think this is something that will go away. Likely it might be congenital. You can try adding a little bit of pumpkin puree to help with her digestion, it may or may not work. At this point I recommend that you find a limited ingredients kibble, and leave it at that."


We left it as such, we stuck to wellness salmon recipe since long ago and only in the recent years have I noticed that her poop has been slightly softer. She's not getting any treats anymore to avoid issues.

She poops 2x daily which was always normal. Her poop has been soft.

In this new house she's often getting into barking contests with the neighbors dog when I walk her in the yard to let her poop. The neighbors dog is a golden retriever and sasha seems to get very very defensive and agitated and I feel that this may or may not further contribute to her problem.

As for the vet, yeah I am switching vets soon. I am taking maggie in 3 weeks for her lastly yearly shots, during which she and sasha will get a complete check up. A few days after maggie will get her dental done.

Not sure if I should change sasha's kibble as it may have changed without me noticing it. But she only started getting this issue recently. I just thought it wasn't something too big because her poop wasn't liquid, it was just soft. She has been behaving the same otherwise.

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by canana

Hmm.. Don't think I can offer any help, beside what has already been said. But I can relate. Scottie poops like he's marking out a secret treasure map. He's walking with his bum out while he's pooping. But maybe because he's small. I always guide him away from the poo...no issue with him stepping in it.

Yeah she only does that. Never had a dog do that other than her. Also she didnt always step on her poop but sometimes she gets distracted. Sometimes she gets cheesed off at the neighbors.(new neighbors who also leave their dog out unattended for the most part). etc.

[KatysMom]

Originally Posted by FlyingNimbus

...As for the vet, yeah I am switching vets soon. I am taking maggie in 3 weeks for her lastly yearly shots, during which she and sasha will get a complete check up. A few days after maggie will get her dental done....Not sure if I should change sasha's kibble as it may have changed without me noticing it. But she only started getting this issue recently. I just thought it wasn't something too big because her poop wasn't liquid, it was just soft. She has been behaving the same otherwise.

Hi,

Sorry to learn that your mom is sick.

I hope you will explain Sasha's issues with the new vet, including that she has been attacked before, seems defensive/agitated by the neighbor's dog and that she objects to being maneuvered and will snap (show aggression) if you try to pick her up. At 23 pounds, she's not a feather-weight.

I would take a stool sample and check with the new vet before changing her kibble, especially since she has stomach sensitivities. After my late Katy became an adult, we didn't change her kibble often --probably three times over more than 10 years.

Good luck. Bless you for taking care of your mom and the pets.

[FlyingNimbus]

Originally Posted by KatysMom

Hi,

Sorry to learn that your mom is sick.

I hope you will explain Sasha's issues with the new vet, including that she has been attacked before, seems defensive/agitated by the neighbor's dog and that she objects to being maneuvered and will snap (show aggression) if you try to pick her up. At 23 pounds, she's not a feather-weight.

I would take a stool sample and check with the new vet before changing her kibble, especially since she has stomach sensitivities. After my late Katy became an adult, we didn't change her kibble often --probably three times over more than 10 years.

Good luck. Bless you for taking care of your mom and the pets.

Yeah we will take sasha with a stool sample. The new vet is mostly because of convenience of distance. Hopefully it helps.

I take care of the dog because I know it doesn't deserve a lesser quality of life just because someone else is not very healthy to take care of her. I used to feel more closer to that dog. But some stressors over the years, like excessive barking, etc kind of bugged me a bit. Mostly because she barks at drop of a feather. She was definitely taken to a training class during the first 3 years. It only helped with some basics, but somethings never changed and it kind of caused anxiety in me because I couldn't go an hour without her barking.

This was when I lived in suburbia, now that I live in country side suburbs its a lot better but still...

As for the attack, yeah we explained it to the last vet. I dont remember what was said to us, I think the gist of it was it's emotional scarring and it may or may not ever heal.

I felt bad afterwards, because it happened during a day I wasn't home and usually I am the one home.


If a strangers dog bit my dog while I was there I am not even sure what I could had or would had done. Spray it with a hose? I remember being furious at my paranoid neighbors because they lied to the cops when the cops came knocking. Said they didnt own a dog.... etc...

Thanks.


Yeah I don't know if picking up a larger dog can hurt them. But she wasn't fond of it. I think the poop stepping might be because she might need a hair cut. Her hair growa in fast