[NAGDU] Ellie

Mon Aug 10 15:59:23 UTC 2020

Windy, my 3rd guide, a white shepherd was prone-especially at first to poop in harness. I soon found out she had a chicken allergy so switched her food. That seemed to take care of it. 

My 4th and current guide Astrid, from TSE never did it in harness until I'd switched her to what Windy was eating, Taste of the Wild Lamb & Rice. Then her stool was much softer, larger and sloppy. Since Astrid had been on Purina ProPlan at TSE, I switched her and Windy to Purina One Lamb & Rice. Almost immediately after that, Astrid's output was about a 3rd the size, very well formed and solid. The in-harness stuff stopped and all is well in my dogs' world!!!

Cherie 

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Charlene Ota via NAGDU
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2020 11:27 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users' <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Charlene Ota <caota4 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Ellie

After I got home from training with my guide Irish, he started pooping on route, too, and even if I gave him the chance to relieve before we started out, he'd do that. It seemed like there was nothing I could do to convince him I didn't appreciate it! I used a relieving harness with him all the time and so I finally decided I was going to put that on him if I sensed he was going to poop. He did it about the same time every day and I could feel when he was about to do so, too, just by his body movement or something. So, one day much to his mortification, I left his poop bag on him and he had to walk down the street like that. I could tell when we got to the bus stop that he almost pooped in the bag as there was just a little tiny bit, more you could smell it than anything, but it's like he must have changed his mind as he'd be dragging it behind him. However, after that, he would stop and pull over to the grass and let me put his poop bag on him. If I ever felt like he might revert back, I'd carry his bag in my right hand and crinkle it and talk to him as he was a dog that was very responsive to my voice. But I think he must have just been one of those dogs that liked to poop while he walked. Of course, he never did such things while we were in training or if there was a trainer around! (grins!) I remember the first time he pulled over to the grass after that time I made him walk with his poop bag, he was so excited, like he knew he was doing the right thing now!

Charlene

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2020 9:22 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Ellie

Hi Danielle.
I'm sorry to hear about this.  I know you waited a long time to get your dog, and I wish it would have been as close to perfect as it gets.
Is this a pee problem, or a poop problem?  My dog has had urinary issues for a long time, which are controllable by medication, water management, and frequent outings.  It's not ideal, but it's manageable.
He also is a dog who is stimulated to poop by walking, and it's not unusual for him to go on route.  And, to my mortification, he did poop in the bus terminal once, so you're not alone in that misery.  My only consolation was that he's probably not the only creature to have done so, and I was able to clean it up and dispose of it neatly.  But still.
It's possible that a change of food will help.  Don't panic until she's been on the new food for at least a few weeks.  
I think grain-free might create less poop, but I'm not sure about that.  It did seem to make Krokus's a lot less soft.  
If the food change doesn't help, then, as someone else said, it might be stress, and that's a lot harder to fix.
Good luck, always have a baggy handy, and keep us posted.
Tracy

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielle Ledet via NAGDU
Sent: Sunday, August 09, 2020 4:42 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: Danielle Ledet
Subject: [NAGDU] Ellie

This is quite an embarrassing problem to have. Good thing most of our walks are outdoors! I do not know what's going on with Ellie, but I have tried the things recommended by my trainer and treating for the right behavior seemed to work for a while. Ever since we came home Ellie has consistently relieved herself in harness. Mostly it is once during a trip but could be twice at times. She had started pulling me toward the grass which is preferable but she never truly generalized it to other routes. Her usual MO is to just stop and dump or squat. No warning! It was suggested that I play with her and get her running before going out to park, but after 10 minutes of this and then parking, she just stands there in one spot or sniffs around and does nothing. It is hard to predict when she nedds to stop because she doesn't act differently other than to hang her head a little lower but not always. I have had trips where she dumps on the first part of the route, then squats on the second part even after I have just parked her before starting to walk and she did her #2 successfully. It is formed but usually a very soft lump.
Once she even pooped in Walmart!
I have parked her after a couple of blocks but she'll either go and then go again in harness or not go and then go in harness. My other 2 dogs never did this! I do not know what else to do and have put in a call to Guiding Eyes on Friday.  Even just walking in the complex to the back where the office is she will do this. We are 55 and older and disabled folks who live here so not a busy place at all. It is not her food because it was the same on Hill 's Science Diet Chicken and Barley, now she is on Purina One Smart Blend Chicken and Rice, and when we are near done we'll be switching to Victor Performance. Any thoughts?

-- 

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How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
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Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com

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