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Weird potty habits--long entry

2K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  baroosmom 
#1 ·
Hi. I joined six months ago when we first rescued a stray basset of around 8 months in terrible shape. At the time, he was emaciated, bald, horribly stinky, covered with bloody sores from demodectic mange, seemed to have broken and badly mended ribs, and green pus-filled eyes. Although I thought he needed to be euthanized, the vet said he could recover--and with a great deal of nursing care and very expensive medicines Bentley got better. He is very healthy and playful now. While he was sick, we kept him in a crate in the garage, separate from our other dogs ( a 7-year greyhound, Strider, and a 6-year beagle/lab mix, Sparky, who were also strays we took in). Now he lives outside with them. Bentley is sweet and funny, but I am wondering if I have what it takes to keep a basset!

When he was sick, we were not surprised that he had accidents in the crate. We tried to check on him and walk him every hour or two over the holidays, but then normal life began again and we had to just leave him in the crate while we were gone. I was able to come home at noon and after school, but even so he had usually pooped or peed in the crate, and his poop was very runny for weeks. We changed his diet a little and it got better, and he could wait longer. It bothered me that he sometimes pooped right in his food bowl, and I wondered if he came from a puppy mill (we know from an ID chip that he had been brought to our very own vet on a certain date--that's how we knew his age and name--but the woman who had brought him in said she gave him to someone else who didn't want him back; evidently he had been dumped out here in the country in the middle of winter. Grrr!). The first weird thing we noticed was that when we walked him he always pooped in three separate spots, and that he would not walk on grass. He stuck to the sidewalk like the grass hurt his mangled feet. He would only poop on the driveway or sidewalk.

To integrate the dogs, we bought another crate and let the older two sleep next to Bentley at night (they come in to the garage at night and use the crate during the winter). When they were well used to each other, we would let them out into the yard at the same time, with Bentley on a leash. Once they accepted him, he bacame an outdoor dog like them. He seemed fine romping around in the grass after spending a few days outside. We have to feed him indoors in his crate, however, because he tries to snarf the other dogs' food, and they fight. After a few months, we started feeding him the same food the others eat. Not my plan--hubby just up and did it. He had runny stolls for awhile, but they seemed to get better, although I suspect that cornmeal is bad for him.

At first he seemd to mostly poop in the grass. However, he has taken more and more to pooping on the patio--and lately he has taken to climbing up on the benches and pooping on them. What the H? It seems from other postings that bassets just do weird things. But I hate this! the other dogs never poop on the patio, and as for climbing up on the benches--jeez! It's right next to where I feed the other two. However, he likes staying on the patio more than in the grass still, and he often sits on the benches--right next to a pile of poop! His poop is often runny. So I wonder if he loses control because of tummy troubles? And just doesn't care???

Do you think he IS a puppy mill dog, and desensitized to separating food and poop? Is it a form of territorialism? Naturally, we have to clean up poop before we can feed the other dogs there--and they seem distressed by the smell of poop near their bowls. I have even had to wash their bowls a couple of times because of poop getting on them or In them. It's really annoying and disgusting. Any ideas on how to get him to stop pooping on the patio, and on the benches? And is it possible that he would not poop where he sits if he didn't have such runny stools? Maybe we ned to go back to the better dog food without corn in it?
 
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#2 ·
Have you checked Bentley for worms? ALso, it seems that bassets require a little more fiber than other dogs so increasing his fiber might help. As to training, most of us (90% or more) of us have indoor dogs and Bentley might have been once so he probably thinks that the whole outdoors is his toilet. I would seriously sit down with your vet and try to figure it out because although you did the marvelous thing of rescuing him once, a basset may not be the dog for you. They are quirky and weird but I think they're always wonderful.
 
#3 ·
I agree with Beverly Anne about a talk with the vet. The continuing runny poop sounds like something medical might be going on- if that's the case, getting it cleared up may help the over-all situation.

When changing food, I would do it very gradually, mixing a little more of the new with the old every day. This seems to help prevent digestive problems in alot of bassets.

Good luck, I wish I could offer more advice!
 
#4 ·
I agree with taking a stool sample. My dog had runny stool for the longest time before we figured out it was a bug (giaria or coccia or something). She also used to poop about 2 - 3 times on walks - and a number of times throughout the day. Now that the bug is gone she poops twice a day and it is fairly solid (although sometimes softer than others).
 
#5 ·
I agree with the previous post. Bassets are quirky and do weird stuff. You have to have a lot of patience to live with a basset, this I tell you from experience, Baroo is our first. They think they run the place and let you live there..... so you have to try and convince them that any new behavior is their idea and negative reinforcement does not work with them..... sometimes positive doesn't either. They are strong willed and once you get attached the will attaches to you and they are your faithful friend forever. You will never have a better dog if you can find a way to peacefully co exist.
 
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