I need help - my 8 month old bulldog is pooing in house and isn't even bothered !

[homeriscool]

Hi everyone, i really need your help. My 8 month old male bulldog seems to be going backwards in his household training. He was perfectly house trained ( had the odd accident ) but this week he has pooed in his crate 2 nights on the run and he was covered in it, i had to get up in the morning and bath him 2 mornings on the run.

The same day he pooed again in the house. Then everyday he has just been pooing in the house. he has done 2 poo's today. I've been at work and the wife has had enough and we agreed to put him in his crate all day and let him out every hour or 2 to do his toilet and then he's back in his crate.

I have not taken him for walks now for 2 days because of his behavior.

Today he has spent the whole day in his crate and has been allowed out to go the toilet. During these times out of his crate today, he tried to jump up on the couch with the wife ( we usually let him ) and today my wife didn't let him on, so he done a poo next to the couch !!

so he was straight back in the crate.

What do i do??

 

[bluesteelapd]

First let me say I can certainly understand how frustrating this is.
Instead of putting him in his crate can she put a leash on him and keep him by her side (or atleast 6' away) until he gets it to do his business outside? Do ya'll praise praise praise him when he does poop outside? The create really needs to be a safe place for him, as is now he might see it as a place of punishment. Have there been any changes in the house? This breed is very OCD and he might be expressing his anxiety by pooping in the house. A huge que to this is him pooping because you're wife wouldn't let him on the couch. In no way am I making your wife wrong! I'm just trying to show that it could be due to changes that you nor your wife have even thought about.
Good Luck and please keep us posted.
I would take him out every hour and praise praise praise when he goes poop. But please don't keep him in the create. :-(

 

[KMARINO]

I would go back to basics, treats and praise for pooping outside and I would take him out every hour, personally I don't think crating him all the time will help. He has no idea that he is being punished. I would walk him maybe more often to get him to go. I found when Vegas was a pup that he ONLY got a special treat when he went poo. He quickly learned how to try and trick me and would go out and run right back in wanting his special treat. Unfortunately it was before I found this site and used pepperoni's. But now maybe give peanut butter ONLY when he poops outside, no other time. Just my opinion.

 

[Baxter Tiberius]

Is the poo solid? I would check to see if something is upsetting his intestines. You may need a vet to do a fecal on him. Baxter loses his training (what little he has) when he gets a little upset intestines or diarrhea. He will go anywhere and everywhere, even if it is semi-solid. Usually this happens after he's had some food that is too high in fat, or when we gave him some fish and it didn't sit well with him. When the upset has passed, his training seems to work again. There usually is a reason for the sudden change. Though I have heard they just lose their training sometimes.

 

[homeriscool]

First let me say I can certainly understand how frustrating this is.
Instead of putting him in his crate can she put a leash on him and keep him by her side (or atleast 6' away) until he gets it to do his business outside? Do ya'll praise praise praise him when he does poop outside? The create really needs to be a safe place for him, as is now he might see it as a place of punishment. Have there been any changes in the house? This breed is very OCD and he might be expressing his anxiety by pooping in the house. A huge que to this is him pooping because you're wife wouldn't let him on the couch. In no way am I making your wife wrong! I'm just trying to show that it could be due to changes that you nor your wife have even thought about.
Good Luck and please keep us posted.
I would take him out every hour and praise praise praise when he goes poop. But please don't keep him in the create. :-(

Thanks for your help: We have been talking and it seems as though when he doesn't get his own way he will do a poo! My wife wouldnt let him on couch because he had pooped so he decided to do another poo to "teach her a lesson" ha ha ( i shouldn't laugh ).

I was getting a shower the other morning at the time i usually take him for a walk. He pooped outside the bathroom door ! could it be that he is doing this to get his own way ?? Dogs are not stupid, and this is like bratty child behavior in our eyes. could he be too spoilt ?

 

[homeriscool]

Is the poo solid? I would check to see if something is upsetting his intestines. You may need a vet to do a fecal on him. Baxter loses his training (what little he has) when he gets a little upset intestines or diarrhea. He will go anywhere and everywhere, even if it is semi-solid. Usually this happens after he's had some food that is too high in fat, or when we gave him some fish and it didn't sit well with him. When the upset has passed, his training seems to work again. There usually is a reason for the sudden change. Though I have heard they just lose their training sometimes.

Thanks for your help, nothing has changed with his food and his stools are solid. If he had an upset stomach and he couldnt help it i would understand. Im in the UK and were in summer time now so its warm most days, because of this we leave the back doors for him to come in and out as he pleases. but he poops in the house?? Doesnt make any sense?

 

[Baxter Tiberius]

With these guys - it literally could be something as simple as he doesnt want to go out because its too warm, or something like that. I am still learning how this breed thinks but the smallest things can kick them off kilter, and then they really don't give a crap (pun intended) about their training or the rules. But the advice above is probably good to give a try (from others)

 

[homeriscool]

I would go back to basics, treats and praise for pooping outside and I would take him out every hour, personally I don't think crating him all the time will help. He has no idea that he is being punished. I would walk him maybe more often to get him to go. I found when Vegas was a pup that he ONLY got a special treat when he went poo. He quickly learned how to try and trick me and would go out and run right back in wanting his special treat. Unfortunately it was before I found this site and used pepperoni's. But now maybe give peanut butter ONLY when he poops outside, no other time. Just my opinion.

Thanks for your advice. I agree with what you are saying about crating him, i don't want to do this. He is 8 months old and is still on 3 meals per day. How long do you think i should knock him down to 2 meals per day? Do you think this may have something to do with it? He's not eating anymore food than he has been the last month or two....

 

[Bulldozersma]

Bulldogs need as consistent a schedule as you can provide. They won't remember that they pooped earlier and that is what they are being punished for. If you don't see it happening and correct right away, do not yell or punish, they won't know why you are reacting.
My Bocephus is also 8 months, and is still trying to push his boundaries. When he goes poo outside I do a little song and get him excited about it. He also gets a treat as soon as we come in. If he barks to go out and does nothing, he gets no treat.
It can be tough but trust me, they will get it.

 

[GuidoMarmo]

I have been through 4 bullie potty trainings and schedule, schedule, schedule is so important with them. They tend to be very regimented dogs and while I realize that every day you may not be able to keep a strict schedule the closer you can keep them to one the easier it is. Also, when they are not getting attention they tend to do things to get your attention, good or bad. Praise when the poo is done outside as well as a special treat to reinforce is best. There could be an issue of just not feeling well too. My baby bullie would pee on his bed if he wasn't feeling well and it was something that was not obvious to me. The crating all the time is probably sending mixed signals and alienating from normal family time will only cause more upset in your bullie. They crave contact even if it is just to lay by you or get a foot petting if you are busy. Extra positive attention while working on the potty training does more good than you may realize. I also had a doggie door (because I had 2 older bullies already) and that actually hindered the training process in my 2 younger bullies because the outside-potty relationship was not made perfectly clear. It seemed that option was too much freedom for the younger ones. I hope you can stick with it and get through this rough patch, your bullie will learn. They are a true joy to have in your life.

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi Jason, I'm so sorry you're going through this with Hugo. Was he totally trained before this happened, and has anything changed in his routine. I agree with others above, the best thing would be to go back to basics with him. Put him on a strict schedule of taking him out every two hours at first, and then extend it by an hour or two very week, so he learns to hold. Give him lots of praise when he does go outside and a treat, it can be just a piece of his own kibble. You can keep him on the leash when he's in the house, and keep him close to you, and take him out when he has to go. Since he is 8 months old, you can switch him to an adult formula dog food, and also reduce his feedings to 1 cup twice a day. I hope he gets better with going outside, and you find a way to resolve it. Please keep us posted on how he's doing.

 

[homeriscool]

Ok well today i get up check his crate and no wee or poop ( yay ). i let him out and he done his business outside and i praised him and give him a few treats and i could see he was so chuffed with himself i took him for an extra long walk as he hadn't been out for two days. lets see how he goes....

Thanks everyone your all great support!

 

[bluesteelapd]

Please do not humanize your dogs behavior. I took my dog outside one time and he peed and pooped. He came back in, jumped up on the recliner, and pooped again. I assume the act of jumping up made his bowels loose more and he wasn't finished outside like I thought he was. Perhaps the same thing happened with your boy trying to get up on the couch. It had nothing to do with sulking and getting back at your wife. Those are human emotions, not animal emotions - if you think about it.
You and your wife are going to interpret his actions with whatever colored glasses you are wearing. All I'm asking is that you step back and look at this from a different angle.
My intention isn't to offend or upset anyone, but to try to help the situation. As I asked before, what has changed in the house? These dogs have high levels of OCD and perhaps he is reacting to changes he doesn't understand. Others have given you great advise as well. Take what you want and good luck.

 

[homeriscool]

Please do not humanize your dogs behavior. I took my dog outside one time and he peed and pooped. He came back in, jumped up on the recliner, and pooped again.

My dog only puts his two front paws on the couch and waits to be invited on to the couch ( which the answer is always yes come on ) but as he had not long done a poo in the house my wife was still annoyed and said no and removed his paws off the couch. So he done a poo right there and then. make of it what you will.... but to me he is "teaching her a lesson" for not being allowed on the couch as he usually is.

 

[Peter Lynn Westre]

I think its really important to exercise pup every day. Puppies are little energy machines. If we fail to drain it off we are setting the stage for behaviors.