Outdoor kennels

[MotherOfChickens]

If you do feed raw then at least buy from a company that screens for the most common food borne pathogens-natures menu for example and yes, you’ll pay because they have to support recalls etc.
I have one on raw so not anti but the risks are downplayed by many suppliers. I got some stuff from a certain well known bulk supplier of raw and it was rotten-I know it was rotten because I am a bacteriologist.
op if your dogs are loose then there is a reason-food sensitivity or an infection. Quarrie is on raw, he put on loads of weight on it last year and I have to be really strict with his diet-he has great poo though and no more anal gland issues.
for indoor pens check out the whelping pens-the metal bar ones that slot together, I use them for pups.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I kennel my dogs during the day, but they are clean in kennels and I'd have a massive issue if they weren't, it's not supposed to be their toilet IMO.

You'll probably still be cleaning, just outside, and they'll smell more as they'll probably run through it.
I'd try and get to the root of the problem rather than relocate it.

 

[AmyMay]

Im sorry to hear you have both had negative experiences of a RAW/ BARF diet. I think for every negative story told there will be a lot more successfully feeding their animals a natural and healthy diet away from the commercial 'junk' food convenience foods available.

I think that’s quite unfair. Most of us on here aim to feed our dogs the best diet we can, be it raw or otherwise. I’ve tried a raw diet with my dog, Daisy, twice. It absolutely does not suit her in any way. So I’ve had to resort back to feeding her the best commercial ‘junk’ food I can that does suit her ???

 

[druid]

Maybe ask your vet about the Idexx diarrhoea PCR panel? It will rule in/out a lot of things in one test and is pretty reasonably priced as diagnostics go

 

[skinnydipper]

If you do feed raw then at least buy from a company that screens for the most common food borne pathogens-natures menu for example and yes, you’ll pay because they have to support recalls etc.

^This^

I would also suggest buying raw complete meals which meet or exceed FEDIAF guidelines.

Im sorry to hear you have both had negative experiences of a RAW/ BARF diet. I think for every negative story told there will be a lot more successfully feeding their animals a natural and healthy diet away from the commercial 'junk' food convenience foods available.

I think that’s quite unfair. Most of us on here aim to feed our dogs the best diet we can, be it raw or otherwise.

I think what @Antw23uk was trying to say is that dogs are faculative carnivores - they can survive on a diet which is not exclusively carnivorous but really have no need for grains or pulses, legumes or any kind of potato which are used as fillers or cheap forms of protein.

I’ve tried a raw diet with my dog, Daisy, twice. It absolutely does not suit her in any way. So I’ve had to resort back to feeding her the best commercial ‘junk’ food I can that does suit her ???

If you were trying Daisy on raw because of allergies it could be worth trying her initially with food from a single protein source. If you read the list of ingredients complete chicken mince could contain beef heart, kidney and liver and complete tripe contain 60% chicken. There are companies who make single protein complete meals.

Feeding a raw diet just increases the risk of more parasites.

As far as I am aware freezing kills parasites (though not bacteria or viruses) so I feel it is unlikely that there would be live parasites in commercially prepared frozen raw dog food (not an expert so I could be wrong).


Googling "dry dog food and Salmonella" brings up some interesting results

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Our 2 labs started messing in the house and started asking to go out at all times of night. They are both fully house trained. We changed their food and havnt had a problem since .

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I kennel my dogs during the day, but they are clean in kennels and I'd have a massive issue if they weren't, it's not supposed to be their toilet IMO.

You'll probably still be cleaning, just outside, and they'll smell more as they'll probably run through it.
I'd try and get to the root of the problem rather than relocate it.

I agree with this I would get to the source of the problem and yes it definitely sounds like a diet issue, and it will still be a task having to clean up outside.

 

[AmyMay]

If you were trying Daisy on raw because of allergies it could be worth trying her initially with food from a single protein source.

Yep, done all that, followed raw feeding instructions to a tee. Didn’t suit her ?

 

[Equi]

The spaniel would maybe cope with it but the whippet thing (as you called lol) might struggle. What exactly are they being fed and when? Do you generally just leave the door open and let them decide when to go out or do you have a schedule? Would you consider crates/a pen in the kitchen?

 

[Supertrooper]

As above, I do wonder whether giardia has been ruled out - can give them loose poo.

me too

 

[windand rain]

Would rather crate than kennel but if they poo in the crate they will need bathed. Kennel dogs smell very doggy too usually especially if they are toileting in the run

 

[Fools Motto]

I've hopefully attached a photo of what I normally get presented with early in the morning! I let them out at midnight, and unbeknown to me, my daughter went down for a drink at 1.30am (they didn't ask to go out) and all was well. By 6.50 there was this...
I've realised I wouldn't mind if it was just 'a pile', but this is the typical pattern! (But it was mainly firm, and very cold, so done much earlier in the early hours)

 

[splashgirl45]

no photo, but i wonder if you are feeding too much and/or too late.

 

[Fools Motto]

 

[AmyMay]

What time do you feed pm?

 

[Fools Motto]

breakfast at 8am after morning walk (if fed before, the whippet-thing won't eat)
Dinner at 5.30pm (We've experimented at fed as early as 5pm, or as late as 7.30pm) makes not an ounce of difference.
I think it's AVA sensitive kibble, (half a cup for the spaniel, 3/4 cup for the whippet) with a fork or two of butchers tinned meat.
Honestly, it looks like nothing in their bowls, and ~I don't understand how much poo can come from a dog that gets so little!
They go to bed with half a bonio.
I'm happy to take the blame on their diet, but I don't think I'm doing it too badly... I like to see lean fit dogs.

 

[AmyMay]

I feed AVA sensitive skin and stomach, and feed pm at 5.30. Up at 6.30am and clean overnight.

Drop the Butcher’s and feed more kibble(????)

 

[planete]

View attachment 82241

That is not giardia poo.

 

[AmyMay]

That is not giardia poo.

No, it looks fine tbh.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

It doesn’t look like poorly dog poop. Do you have space for a crate? Mine are fed in the morning and about 5.30-6pm most days (occasionally later) with a couple of biscuits at bedtime. Walked at 9.30 ish, out by 6.30am. How much are they out during the day? I have one that only poops once a day, the other twice.
Maybe try not mixing the meat and kibble provided the dogs get plenty of opportunity to go.

mine had these as pups/young adults

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272203651507?hash=item3f609a19b3:g:ejoAAOSwZQxW3qS2&var=571009352154

 

[Rokele55]

My 'can eat anything and be fine' terrier is dreadful on butchers. Really upsets her tummy

 

[AmyMay]

My 'can eat anything and be fine' terrier is dreadful on butchers. Really upsets her tummy

Daisy wasn’t great on it either.

 

[splashgirl45]

could you feed more in the morning and a small meal in the evening with no meat added and if that makes no difference feed at 4ish in the hope that they poo before bed

 

[rara007]

Shock horror, I feed once a day (forthglade). And my dogs poo twice a day, once after breakfast and once before bed. I’d be using a crate tbh to get the routine back, as well as reducing feeding down.

 

[Fools Motto]

No, it looks fine tbh.

TBH, it was more firm than usual!
The vet told me she was constipated, hence the 'little dribbly bits' - which she has always done, hence my hatred of cleaning it all up as it takes ages. (I always feel I'm the only person I know who has a dog that does this ''art work''!) However, if we treated the constipation, then we seriously get diarreaha (can never spell that!), so its lesser of the two evils?! Also mentioned IBS, which would mean AB's for life.
I'm still in touch with her breeder, and have spoken to her regarding diet, and she swears by butchers, both parents are on it and the sibling she kept, with no issues what so ever, (they look very well) so I've had Rosie on it for about 6 months or so... prior to this it was Chappie, prior to that just the kibble. Trouble is, changes often work for a month or so, you think you've cracked it, and it always end up a messy affair, so never really know what is working or what is luck!
I know it's the spaniel, the whippet-thing does a pile - like a normal dog!

PS, She was crated as a pup - but I soon learnt that she simply didn't care if she was dirty or not. I'm sure there are some old threads on here about my battles to house train her!! lol

 

[Clodagh]

TBH, it was more firm than usual!
The vet told me she was constipated, hence the 'little dribbly bits' - which she has always done, hence my hatred of cleaning it all up as it takes ages. (I always feel I'm the only person I know who has a dog that does this ''art work''!) However, if we treated the constipation, then we seriously get diarreaha (can never spell that!), so its lesser of the two evils?! Also mentioned IBS, which would mean AB's for life.
I'm still in touch with her breeder, and have spoken to her regarding diet, and she swears by butchers, both parents are on it and the sibling she kept, with no issues what so ever, (they look very well) so I've had Rosie on it for about 6 months or so... prior to this it was Chappie, prior to that just the kibble. Trouble is, changes often work for a month or so, you think you've cracked it, and it always end up a messy affair, so never really know what is working or what is luck!
I know it's the spaniel, the whippet-thing does a pile - like a normal dog!

PS, She was crated as a pup - but I soon learnt that she simply didn't care if she was dirty or not. I'm sure there are some old threads on here about my battles to house train her!! lol

I remember them, which is why I think outdoor kennels are an option!
Whippet thing is probably doing it because she is?
You can heat kennels.
But when we moved out spaniel outside because she was disgusting she was even more disgusting out there so she ended up not really coming in at all.

 

[skinnydipper]

The vet told me she was constipated, hence the 'little dribbly bits' - which she has always done, hence my hatred of cleaning it all up as it takes ages. (I always feel I'm the only person I know who has a dog that does this ''art work''!) However, if we treated the constipation, then we seriously get diarreaha (can never spell that!), so its lesser of the two evils?!

Poor little Rosie.

The faeces is distributed over a wider area because she will be moving around while struggling to pass the hard stool and she will probably delay toileting until she really has to go because it is so painful.

See also "constipation with overflow".

What medication did your vet prescribe, was it a stool softener like lactulose? If so, could you try giving less - just enough to make the stool easier to pass?

Is water available at all times?

You could try adding a little pumpkin to her meals - you can buy it in tins - look for one that is 100% pumpkin, with nothing added to it.

If her constipation was resolved so too might the problem of her soiling in the house.

If her constipation does not improve with simple measures then another visit to the vet would be my suggestion. Long term constipation can weaken the muscles of the colon and needs sorting

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Sweet potato also good for constipation if you can’t find pumpkin-I just pop one in the microwave and portion it up-keeps in fridge for a couple of days. I found pumpkin hard to find off season and tinned pumpkin can be quite pricey. A mixer I really rate is the natures menu oat one for fibre.

 

[planete]

Our little terrier has had problems with hard stools, he is much better if fed some raw vegetable matter like grated carrot, courgette skin, apple cores. He actually asks for them when I am preparing meals. it is a fallacy that dogs do not need roughage.

 

[skinnydipper]

There are causes of constipation other than diet. Only one of my dogs developed constipation, in his case it was due to hypothyroidism.