Help with Dog Issues

He may be ill. I would take him to the vet and have a blood panel taken. Is he eating? Acting odd? My huskies had issues in the house when they were ill. One ended up having inflammatory bowel disease, which was easily treated with inexpensive meds. I only ask due to the dogs age.

I also know if routines change...you don't go for as long a walk or such due to the weather they get confused. One of my dogs had a hard time when we had all the ice on top of the snow gaining his footing to poop...so he would hold it until he couldn't anymore.

If he does it while you are occupied...he knows its wrong but he just has to go!

I agree with you (no "mean" responses.. they don't work and are unnecessarily cruel). And I agree with the other responses... may very well be age related. Shepherds and chows are not small dogs, and the larger the dog, generally speaking, the shorter the average life span. 9 years is late middle age to early old age... depending on the kind of life the has lived. If you raised him from puppyhood, then he's probably more late middle aged, but it could STILL be a hidden health issue. Dogs get things like cancer, too... so it doesn't have to just be age related. If you adopted him from a shelter as an adult dog, then poor care or possible negletct during his early life might contribute to later health issues and a shorter life span.

When was the last time you took him to the vet for his checkups? I would most def talk to your vet, because honestly, it doesn't sound like he "decided" to do it... sounds like he couldn't help it. Their bowels can be slower to act as they age, like humans, and maybe he just didn't have enough time outside to get them to "move". Usually, a short walk can help, and is good even for young healthy dogs. If it is simple aging, if you are not already incorporating a quick little walk, you might want to.
I hope it is nothing serious.

~love my pooch too.

Hello, has there been any change in the household yesterday at all?
He might just be protesting on something that interrupted his routine.
My Maltese did that 2 months ago after he got groomed. I always stay
at the salon while he is getting groomed, and that day, I did not, sure enough,
he was not a happy boy. It could be that, they r very smart. Could it be that
he needed more time outside, it just wasn't the right time, they r getting old, nothing
by it, but just like us people, we constantly have to go. Just keep an eye on him.
If he does it again, and right away, please call your vet.

Hi A.!

Your puppy dog sounds like he might just be getting old, I'm sorry to say...have you talked with the vet and asked about how they think he is doing age wise? I know that some dog breeds have shorter life spans than others.

Seeing how he is 9, and I am assuming he has been housebroken for quite some time now, my only thoughts are either ill or getting older...

Sorry!

Karma
Mommy w/ 1 huge dog!

hi~
it could be a number of things - aging, stress, or other medical issue. My dog started having seizures (1x every 4 months). when this occurs she will sometimes 'poop.' After the seizure she is back to her happy self. We never would have known that this was occuring unless we saw it happen (she never looked/acted ill). keep your eye on him and maybe call your vet to ask them about it.
good luck!

Did he do it right out in the open, or did it seem like an "oops"? If he did it right out there in the open, to me that says he was very angry or upset about something that happened, or about a change in the house. Usually animals that go on the floor because of age or illness are either indiscriminate about where they do it, try to hide it, or may not even realize they've done it. Also, what was his demeanor about it? Did he seem embarrassed or ashamed, or scared of any repercussions? Or that he couldn't care less? If it was the latter, he probably was upset about something. And no you don't have to be stern or rough, but my suggestion if he does it again is to take him over to it so you can see his reaction. If he seems to have an "attitude" well you at least should tell him how disappointed you are. If he's already ashamed, you don't need to do anything else, he feels bad enough. In that case, and also if he has a surprised reaction, he may be sick (something you may not be able to see), and it's worth a trip to the vet.
Good luck!

Has your house changed in anyway? perhaps a schedule change? or more time with your children? sometimes they will do that to act out in response to a change in environment. Or maybe a new animal in the house and feels he had to make his scent known? thats the only thing i can think of.

My dog started doing this and it turned out he had prostate issues - even though he had been fixed (its much more common in non fixed animals), his symptoms were a slower flow of urine, and finding it hard to poo, he would poo outside, then he would have to poo again real quick because he didnt get it all out the first time.

it could be something like that

I agree - you can't hit or rub his nose in it - that doesn't teach a dog ANYTHING. They have no idea what that means and it simply confuses them. The only thing that you can do is if you catch him in the act. Otherwise, you just have to clean it up and go with it. If you catch him, you can yell and immediately take him outside. In the meantime, get some Nature's Miracle or other urine remover and use that to make sure that there is no urine smell left in the carpet, because once a dog has gone in one place, it seems like they go there again, though cats are worse.

I agree it may be an aging issue or a hidden health issue that you should talk to your vet about. Unfortunately, there is not a guarantee that just because he doesn't look ill, that he isn't. Dogs often try to hide their aging and their health issues because of pack dynamics. A dog that is not well is likely to be attacked by another dog in the pack as they wrestle for dominance. So, dogs as a species generally try not to let these things show.

Your dog is not trying to make you mad. It's possible that it's in response to something that has changed as the other poster mentioned. But, I would first check with your vet.

Good luck!

Nine is elderly for shepherd/chow mixes. I would definitely take him to the vet if it happens again. Seems like something has upset him, or something might be wrong if this is a new thing. Like strokes perhaps? My elderly dog had them and it caused similar problems. Good luck!

My sister's dog was the same mix and lived to be almost 15...

Hi,
You got some good answers here already. Some I disagree with.
If your dog usually does not show this kind of behavior than something is wrong.
A big dog to be 9 years old does not necessarily mean he has reached its life span. Shepards and ChowChow's can have a quite some more good years.
Dogs do not do something like that to make you angry. They just do not have that thought process.
I'd check his poop for parasites, some can be seen easily (some worms look like a rice corn or spaghetti). Take a closer look at your dog - you know him best- does he act differently?
To be on the safer side I'd take him to the vet, if this happens again and watch him a bit more closely the next days. Take a sample of his stool with, saves you to go back to the vet and wait for results.
There can be so many reasons for this to happen. He could have been sick from sniffing something up and is already over it. It could be something that needs treatment. It could be his age. Aging however also is affected by the food and treatments he got in his life time. Did he recently get his booster shot? If yes, take him back to vet right away to report this reaction.
Please educate yourself about food (nutrition) and vaccinations.
Great reads for that topic are "Stop the Shots" and "Scared Poopless".
Stay positive, your dog picks up your worries.

Good luck to you and your dog!
A. from
www.DoggyHasIt.com

You may also want to check if he's got a urinary tract infection. That could cause "leakage" of urine.

I agree, he's probably ill. Even if it is just age-related incontinence, there are plenty of inexpensive drugs that could help out.

Good luck!
D.

Your dog did not do this just to make you angry. Dogs aren't that vindictive! It sounds like there must be something wrong. He probably felt like he had no other choice.

He sounds sick to me, even if he doesn't appear to be ill. I would take him straight to the vet, since you never know. If you had just taken him out, there is likely something physical that is amiss.