Just need a hug (dog related)

[Fools Motto]

Some of you may remember that when I got spaniel bitch around 5.5 years ago, we had quite a task house training her. It got to the point, I really hated the dog. She would mess on a daily basis. She's my first springer, and I had never known anything like it, non of my other old dogs acted like this, and got house training very quickly... Spaniel had some days she would just wee while eating her food, and the poo was constant - it was like I was feeding her massive 5 meals each day (which I wasn't!). She would mess in and around her crate, and never seemed to care. She never, and still doesn't give you any signs that she wants to 'go'.
Over time it has got better, and I do adore her. She has so many other qualities, that her toilet habits can be almost forgotten... I say almost, because we've yet to manage 4 solid months in a row of clean and dry. She will be 6 in June. Today was a mess day, and it happened during the day, without a squeak or cry, so know one knew (homeschooling teenagers are in the house) so I'll reset the clock, and hope again we can perhaps make it a bit longer!! (last mess was last week - sigh)
And for what it is worth, she has had vet checks and allergy tests, and is on limited 2 small feeds daily, with about 3 hours walks each day over 2 walks. (where she still does about 6 mini poo piles on the go = nightmare in its own right.... I'm the queen of poo-bags!) And still my family think I'm mean by keeping the dogs shut into the kitchen at night - for ease of cleaning up!! The little lurcher on the other hand is very neat, and tidy. Thankfully.
Tired of it, but I'm in it for the long haul obviously!

 

[Lipglosspukka]

Can you not put in a dog flap so she can take herself out?

 

[AmyMay]

What are you feeding her?

 

[[139672]]

Could it be her food and/or causing inflammation? Reason I say is that my dog doesn’t tolerate kibble very well. He ends up doing quite a few looser poos. When I changed to raw this stopped. In case you haven’t fed it, they do different poos when on raw, the poo is much smaller (About 1/2 the size) and firm.

 

[skinnydipper]

You could try feeding a low residue diet to see if that helps. Either raw or kibble with a higher protein content and less fillers.

 

[Clodagh]

I’d second Skinnydipper. Ffee is often dirty overnight but is now on Millie’s Wolfheart, which I have always used but it got expensive for four so I went cheaper. So they are back on it and she’s been clean since, a month now.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Your post reminded me about that ages ago I saw a documentary about someone, human, not dog, who had a condition I don't remember, but one of the symptoms were that even though their bladder, and bowel muscles worked, they genuinely didn't feel when they needed to go to the toilet, before they basically noticed the accident was happening/had happened.
So instead they had a special watch with an alarm which went off something like once every 4th or 5th hour during the day, to remind them to go to the toilet.

I'm surprised that anyone would think that it is mean to keep your dogs in the kitchen at night, considering what the problem is. Any chance they're not responsible for cleaning it up? Besides the easier to clean up factor, I know I wouldn't want to risk, on a regular basis, to step in an accident while I stumble out of bed still half asleep in the mornings.

I presume the usual things to try in your situation is different foods for x period of time to see if that leads to any change, letting her out in a garden with x hours intervals during the day, or trying to see if incontinence medication makes any difference. But if you've done those things, and neither of them have made any difference in her case, would wearing a diaper perhaps during some part of the day or night indoors be an option that could make the situation a little bit easier for you?

Wish I could have offered a more helpful reply. I'm not surprised you're tired, I presume that just when enough time have passed since the last indoor poo accident, for you to start hoping that this time, maybe this time things finally have changed, and you've gotten it under control, she has a new accident. That can't be easy to go through.

{{{{Hugs}}}}

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Is she crate trained? I think I’d want to crate her overnight. Confining my fist two to a small area (corridor) seemed to train them overnight.

 

[brighteyes]

You truly have the patience of a saint and as usual, FL has a comprehensive and interesting answer. I had a dog who'd suffered a spinal injury and, once recovered, could feel her bladder needing to be emptied but not her bowels. There might be some nerve damage somewhere?

 

[conniegirl]

What are you feeding her?

My little border has started having accidents this week we think it is because we changed her feed. The new feed seems to have something in it she can’t tolerate and she has started wetting, she gives no warning and doesnt seem to notice herself weeing until it is too late.

We changed her feed as her normal one was not available so we got the one reccomended as the next best thing, within 12hrs of the first meal with new feed she had wet her bed, she had 2 more accidents before we twigged and tonight was her last feed with that food (fat beagle can have it instead, he tolerates anything except bakers). Hopefully it will get out of her system as quickly as it got into

 

[poiuytrewq]

That sounds tough. I can’t advise but have a hug anyway!

 

[TheresaW]

Bo has been messing during the day, and occasionally overnight since the fireworks started. He had been clean for around a year. We did change him from Millie’s to Wolf of Wilderness, not sure exactly when, but possibly around the same time.

After speaking to Clodagh last week, we are going back to Millie’s to see if it helps. Delivery due Tuesday.

Yesterday, we got back from morning walk. I was in kitchen making a cuppa, Luna was upstairs. I went into living room and there was a poo. We’d been home no more than 10 mins.

 

[Penny Less]

i had similar problems with spaniel when I first got her. She never told me when she wanted to go to the loo and still doesnt I have to be super vigilant if she starts circling indoors ! Fingers crossed she hasnt messed indoors for about a year.
a change to a raw diet might help with the poo, supposed to generate less I think as SkinnyD mentioned

 

[Fools Motto]

Had to take her to the vets today. She wasn't very comfy, and her bed soaking wet this morning. She's on antibiotics for a wee infection - but guess who won't pee in a pot!? Trying this way first, then possible scans to see if there is something obviously wrong with her bladder.
I've always said she wasn't ''wired'' right. She had her first season on her second birthday and vet told me then that that is unusual for a little dog at 13kg. (she's now speyed).
Thank you for all your help and support

 

[FinnishLapphund]

{{{{{{Vibes}}}}}} hope the veterinarians can help, and she's soon better.