[NAGDU] Ellie

Thu Aug 13 17:24:21 UTC 2020

Both Belto and September were prone to this problem.  September did not
start this until well after class,and it was not too much of a problem since
I just had to adjust her relieving schedule to stop that from being a
problem.  However, Belto did this even during class,and no one could figure
out why.  
Jordan

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <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?

-- 

--
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.
George Washington Carver
Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com

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