Working cocker obsessive about food and pooing, help please!

Spot_the_Risk

Spot_the_Risk

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www.animalcrackersdevon.co.uk
We have a working cocker entire dog, two and a half years old, we got him May 2009. He is manic, ignorant and overly sensitive, all of which we work around *sigh!* - but he is obsessed with food and pooing.

Firstly, food. My gut feeling is that in a previous home (we are his third I think) he's been kept hungry. He is mad for food, all of our dogs if given the chance to get into the food bag (obviously this isn't the plan, but mistakes can happen) will eat a lot, but Freddie won't actually stop until the bag is empty, it's happened twice and he literally swells before your eyes, then spends two days with diarhoea, thoroughly unhappy with himself. If you find him in the feed bag, telling him off, smacking his bum does nothing, you literally have to lift him out by his scruff and he's struggling to get back in. Any ideas on how to make him less obsessed? We feed our dogs well, they are on quality food, although we've changed Freddie onto a wheat based food for a while to see if more bulk made him less obsessed - it didn't.

Secondly - poo. My god does that dog poo! It's normal for him to go five or six times in the first ten minutes of a walk, and he'll keep trying even when there's nothing to come out. He'll then settle down a bit, but he'll be trying every couple of minutes for the whole walk. Anal glands are checked regularly, and are generally empty - any ideas? A rep. said that this wasn't uncommon in working cockers, that they seem to have a need to constantly empty themselves, but it seems a bit strange to us (and it's pretty unpleasant for us when the dog is in company!)

If anyone has any views or can help with the above, great, he is an insecure little dog, and keeping him happy is a permanent challenge.
 
No, not been to vet, it appears to be his brain rather than his body that is faulty.

He's fed twice a day (Me and OH are nutritional advisors for pet food, so have some knowledge of nutrition, feeding etc).

Weight is generally stable, he is a slim dog, we put him onto puppy food a few months back (in the shooting season) but he was still the same weight and temperament, his health is generally good, clear eyes, shiny coat, normal colour wee etc.

Feed is in garage, OH left door open (twice!) so totally our fault, it's more that I'm wondering why he's so obsessed with food, certainly all our dogs will take advantage of food if it's available, but Freddie is a class of his own.

Thanks for the help!
 
I would take him to the vet to rule out any potential problems there. It does sound like real obsession but it may have a physical root, who knows.

Does he bolt his food when he does eat? You could put a large rock in his bowl to slow him down.

He is at risk of things like torsion and bloat if he continually gorges himself (not suggesting you allow that, of course!!) or takes in a lot of air when eating.
If he is a good weight it is probably not an absorbtion problem.

It sounds like a toughie!
Could you give him a big feck-off bone to keep him busy? And would prolong his attention span, B was given one on Sunday and he is still at it.
 
You say he has had three homes? Do you know much about those homes? Could it be that he was locked up fo long periods of time without food? Perhaps he is eating as much food as he can because he is worried about when he will next see food again? You haven't had him for a year yet, so perhaps a routine is still alien to him. What about soaking his food before he has it - thereby it will already be swollen to full size, and therefore he will feel fuller as soon as he has eaten.

With regards to poo - could this also follow a similar line? Is he kenneled or does he live in the house? Will he poo in the garden, or does he wait for walks? If he has been smacked/told off for pooing in his crate/kennel/house perhaps he is neurotic about trying to get himself as empty as possible whilst walking? Especially if he was left for long periods without a walk, he might also think "when am I going to be walked again - will I have a chance to poo again today?" - this is all just guesswork of course, but from the problems you describe, that is how I would behave if I was a dog that had been kept locked up without food/toilet facilities for long periods.
 
CC - I'd love to give him a bone, we have four dogs though and they all kennel together, and Freddie is very territorial about his food - until we had him, we fed all our dogs together and insisted on no swopping, but he will push the others off so has to be fed in kennel.

Bloat - yes, I know now what to do if it happens again, which of course it won't if the OH can remember to shut the door - may move the food back into the utility room where the dogs aren't allowed!

Thanks for the advice, I think the dog is a nutcase, he is my OH's dog and he and I haven't gelled - we rub along okay together, but he just isn't my type, I do wish I could help him though, he often looks worried.
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No worries, I know what it is like when you don't gel with a dog! Although try not to let him 'know' this as this can heighten anxiety.

Have you considered feeding him once a day instead, if nothing else it would reduce the pooing?
 
zoeshiloh - he is definitely a kennel dog, if we bring him in the house he's worried and doesn't settle, so he stays out, and the others some inside in 'shifts' so no dog is ever left alone.

I don't know much about his homes, he was sold by the breeder as a pup, went to a big shoot and was used for dogging in, he is very insecure, first time OH took him shooting he just kept running back to the Landrover, he wasn't gun shy, he didn't like the beaters shouting.

When sold from the original shoot, he was sold as field trial material, the new owner realised straight away that he wouldn't make the grade and only had him for a fortnight before we had him. So although he's had a few homes, other dogs have had a far worse time than him. My gut feeling is that when he was on the shoot (his first 'proper' home) he wasn't well socialised, fed, trained or disciplined, and so he's a bit confused. We've nannied him along, but he makes life hard for himself as he will ignore you, then cringe on the ground in fear (we don't beat him, but maybe he has been previously) when he finally comes back.

Soaking his food is a good idea, he does poo at home, and our kennel door is always open so he isn't restricted at all.
 
Working Cockers poo like there is no tomorrow, they are better on some feeds than others but generally they are pooing machines!

We also have one, which we bred and have had since day one who is manic about food, he has never been hungry for long, gets fed more than the others, but will spend most of his time working out how to get more feed.

I would say he is just a typical WC to be honest!
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And with regards to his extreme sensitivity. Again we have one (my Dad's eldest) who will hit the deck when my Dad raises his hand. He has never been beaten, but to see him you would think he was regularly battered! Again he has been with us since he was a pup, so we know he was never mis-treated elsewhere, it's just the way he is!
 
Dad's cocker is the same - raise you voice or your hand and she's on the deck ... again never been beaten!

The behaviour on a shoot sounds like a nervous thing TBH. When i first got Jake if he got within 20 yards of a male he would run/roll over and wee on himself etc. I couldn't shout, he was scared of gunshot ...... now he's fine
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Just takes time.

Willow, the cocker and indeed Ellie the springer poo for England and all ours are food mad. I shouldn't think it's anything to worry about but i guess a trip to the vets would put your mind to rest.

And i agree .... cockers ... totally different from springer spangles ... imagine the shock i had growing up with springers when i got my lab!! OMG they are different!!!!
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