[nagdu] Doggy elimination issues: Remedies?

Tue Dec 20 14:12:47 UTC 2011

Well, I've had the issue where one of my dogs would never empty (I mean the 
warm lumpy stuff) until about a block into our trip.  I even had tried a dog 
trainers of inserting a lubricated q-tip; bet ya can't guess where!  No luck 
so I stopped obsessing about it.  Even humans give clues when the urge is 
irresistible.  All my dogs know how to curb when necessary.  My last dog was 
a perfect poopy.

Doug: trying to get to the bottom of things.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 7:48 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doggy elimination issues: Remedies?

> Hi Robert.
> I hate this problem!  And I am deeply dissatisfied with TSE's lack of any
> helpful ideas on the subject.  I feel like they don't even really see it
> as a problem.
> But I would bet that you're having the problem because of taking
> extra-long walks, and things could go back to normal when you go back to
> your old routine.
>
> I like long walks, and Ben almost always has to empty somewhere along the
> way.  If I take him beforehand, he just stands around.  When he's got
> emptying on his mind, he forgets about guiding.  He's just looking for a
> spot.  I've taught him to pull over in certain areas along our usual
> walks, and I say "leave it" if I feel it's not a safe place to stop just
> now.  Once he's gone, he's good, but getting to that point is very
> annoying.
>
> You could call TSE.  Maybe they'll actually have something useful to tell
> you.  Maybe, if enough people express how annoying this problem is,
> they'll take it seriously.
> Tracy
>
>> Hello to All:
>>
>> Well, here it is-the one issue with which nobody wants to be preoccupied,
>> least of all me. Anyway, I will plunge into it regardless and hope that
>> someone (or a few someone's) have any thoughts. Bailey is on scheduled
>> food and water. He has scheduled relieving times throughout the day and I
>> give him no treats. I recently switched his food to Annova Evo Red Meat
>> formula. Since then, his waste product has been smaller and more solid-a
>> good sign, right? I switched him very gradually and he seems to have no
>> gastrointestinal upset thus far. However, since I have been home for the
>> holidays, I have been taking him to Athens (the nearest metropolitan area
>> to where I live) with my sister. I do this in order to keep up his
>> training while we are not busy pounding the pavement at OSU. The last two
>> times I have walked with him, he has found it necessary to eliminate on
>> route. He stops suddenly and without warning and instantly forms the 
>> doggy
>> arch of doom. The consistency of the poops to-g
>>  o does not vary from those at-home poops; that is, it arrives in several
>> pellet-like packages easily dispatched by the ever-present plastic bag. I
>> am quite adept at the fine art of doggy priority mail delivery, and my
>> issue is not bending over on a sidewalk to collect the latest roadside
>> deposit. My issue is with the fact that Bailey is going on route. I
>> understand that he might not be able to hold it. I also understand that
>> movement stimulates dogs, thus a further potential factor. Is there a way
>> to teach him to let me know of any impending disasters? I correct him
>> when he goes inappropriately-that is, while in harness, but I would feel
>> better if I didn't have to do that. I would rather pull over, take off
>> his harness, and let him take care of business. This is very frustrating
>> to me. I keep thinking that the next time could be the lobby of some
>> business establishment or an aisle in a store, etc. I have a sense of
>> hesitation now when walking with him and that is also frustr
>>  ating-I shouldn't have to be afraid of Bailey hitting the eject button
>> whenever we take a walk. I wish I could isolate the problem, but there
>> are a lot of factors that have changed in my coming home-I switched his
>> food, his walking routine is significantly different (he now walks
>> uninterrupted for an hour as opposed to the shorter 10-15 minute spurts
>> throughout the day to which he was accustomed during the time we were on
>> campus), he is in a different place (although not an unfamiliar one), I
>> am accompanied by my sister, etc. I am hoping to receive thoughts or
>> suggestions. I make sure to give him the chance to relieve before we take
>> those walks, but he usually just pees. For example, this morning, he
>> defecated normally. I took him out about three hours later (and just
>> before I left) to relieve again and he only peed. Despite having relieved
>> him beforehand, he still went on route. I did not give him water,
>> however. Maybe that would have stimulated him to go then? I could vary
>>   the times we walk, but I can't very well call up my professors and say
>> "Hey, can you move class back about four hours today? I'm afraid my dog
>> will need to defecate on my way". I would gratefully accept any
>> suggestions-whether training-oriented,
>> schedule/feeding/watering/relieving-technique-related, etc. As
>> previously mentioned, I don't want him, under any circumstances, to
>> think it's okay to go in harness. I've been lucky enough that all his
>> incidents have occurred outside. I don't want that to change. This is an
>> instance when I am grateful for this list-it is easier than calling up
>> the Seeing Eye for suggestions. On a further note, I must mention that
>> Bailey's work is as unimpaired and high-quality as ever, but for those
>> stressful little nastinesses.  I appreciate any help given very much.
>> Sincerely,
>> Robert Hooper
>> Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu<mailto:Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu>
>> The Ohio State University
>> 0653 Buckeye-Cuyahoga CT
>> 653 Cuyahoga Court
>> Columbus, Ohio 43210
>> (740) 856-8195
>>
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