[NAGDU] Relieving on route

[david at bakerinet.com]

I have the same issue.  Claire Rose is 41 moths old.  She urinates in a regular spot in the morning, but will not defecate until she is about 50 yards into walking outside.  That's not much of a problem.  The two additional stops to defecate at about 500 and 1,000 to 3,000
yards, however, are a big problem, especially since they are interspersed with two more stops to urinate (briefly squirt).  I can't tell whether she is pulling over to defecate or to urinate, so if I think she just wants to squirt and I don't stop, I find that she has left a poop trail on the
sidewalk.  If l wait to remove her harness while she is hunching up to defecate, then she stops and won't continue until we get another 20 yards down the street.
I've worked with my trainer on schedules, diet and adding things to her food.  We switched to hydrolyzed protein, which
decreased the volume and the odor dramatically, but has not altered the behavior.  We added Metamucil, but she vomited every meal that included it about 6 hours after feeding.  We added green beans - a bit softer, but no change in behavior.  I'm now trying a couple of tablespoons of
pumpkin puree, which has also softened the stool somewhat and added a little volume, but, again, no change in behavior.  Since I have some residual vision on good days, I can usually handle this even though it is very frustrating.  I am more concerned about travel,  Since she
defecates in harness if I don't stop, I am wondering if this is going to be a problem with flying.  In the past, she handled 10 three hour flights with ease, but back then she didn't have this issue.
Does anyone have any other ideas about changing this pattern of behavior?
David
& Claire Rose in Clearwater, FL
Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: [NAGDU] Relieving on route
From: "Tracy Carcione via NAGDU" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>

Date: Thu, March 9, 2017 9:17 am

To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>

Cc: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>

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> I wrote a few weeks ago about getting Krokus to relieve himself in a safe

> place, if he must relieve himself on route.

>

> My last dog also needed to relieve on route, but he could go until we

> reached a particular spot. This is better than what I've got now, which is

> that Krokus stops when he feels the urge, then I have to shoo him along

> until we come to a safe place.

>

> Right now, he slams on the brakes when he feels the need to stop, and I give

> him a sharp correction. Then he keeps slowing down at various places he

> thinks could be good, and I keep hopping him up until we get to a place of

> my choosing.

>

> Ideally, I want him to go before we set out, which sometimes happens, and

> sometimes not. If he does go right away, he gets lots of praise.

>

> Next best, I'd like to eliminate all the stopping. If he must stop, I'd

> like him to stop once at a place I've chosen.

>

> Is there some easier way to get to my goal, without all the correcting and

> shooing?

>

> Tracy

>

>

>

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