Hi, I have two questions. (I have posted before but cant join as works computer)

We have a 9 month old pup and thought we had him housetrained but its getting to the point where each morning we come down to a present on the carpet. He lets us know when he wants out by standing at the back door when we are downstairs, and he used to whine when we were in bed to be let out. However recently he does none of this and its getting to the point where each morning we come down to a nice present on the carpet. He doesnt even go near the back door, this i would understand, he doesnt whine anymore either. Please can someome tell why this is as we are getting desperate and in need of a new carpet if this carries on.

2) He has nearly constantly got the runs, he will be fine for 1 day and then its really soft for the next 2 days and so on. He is only fed doggy treats for puppies and then only for training, a nd he is fed Bakers Complete which were advised by our vet is fine. He is also sick although not vey often and it is just phlemgy (sp) stuff not food.

PLease help as we desperatly want to know what is wrong with him and it cant be much fun for poor Dre either.

He is a Husky by the way.

Any help would really be appreciated. Sorry it is so long.

Hi Guest

It is possible he does whine but you are in a deep sleep and therefore don't hear him.

Too much food can cause the runs as it goes straight though rather than being digested (also take a look at the first part of the current Raw Feeding Thread).  If Bakers Complete is the one I think it is then it has a lot of colourants in it?

It might be that he has a bug, take a sample of the faeces to your vet for him to send off for examination (not always cheap and does not always find anything even when there is a problem).

He should be on two meals a day now - what time do you give the second one?  If it is late then try giving it earlier and if it is early then try later, dogs generally eat then pooh within a few hours.

If he gets a clean bill of health from the vets, I would suggest Burns complete food, it is totally natural, with no wheat or soya - both of which are high on the list of ingredeints of alot of other foods. Another advantage to Burns is they produce less stools, as there is less waste products in it - also they deliver free in the UK! oh, and you can order it over the internet!

Re the night-time problem, I would reccomend getting a crate, dogs rarely soil where they sleep unless ill. My Gordon Setter has been in one since I had him, and he has been clean and dry all night since he was a little over 8 weeks old! now at 15 weeks he goes to bed at 10.30, and thats it till 8.30 the next morning! As your dog is older, you might need to make it a good place for him to be, so he gets usedc to it,  make sure the crate is big enough for him to turn and stand in, put a comfy cushion / doggy quilt ( thats washable! ) that fills the base, then try feeding him in there, giving him treats in it, put some of his favourite toys in it, and let him wander in and out at will for a few days. Once he is happy going in there, try shutting the door when he is ready for a nap and gradually extend the time he is in it.

Could you be over feeding him? that is a common cause of the runs - his daily feed should always be reduced accordingly with the amount of treats he has. Does he eat very fast too? that can make him bring some or all of his food back up.  Good luck!!!