# pup using poop to get attention (?)



## kpdeej (Nov 19, 2010)

Our 4 month old boston terrier seems to be pooping to get us to come in and give him attention. I've made it a habit of cleaning him and the floor/crate every time he does it so I'm wondering if he's associated poop with us showing up? 

I thought maybe it was a nervous poop since he did it when I left for school. But now, he does it when I leave the room (with him in his crate) to go have a shower. Recently, my boyfriend left him in his crate in his play area for 5 minutes. When he went back, he had pooped inside the crate.

His crate is the appropriate size and he poops in it even after we take him out. He's had no problems pooing outside.

Is he using poo as a gateway to us? How can I reverse this? Do I leave him in his poo to teach him that it's not an effective way to get our attention?


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

Is he on a feeding schedule? How much is he eating? Is he only crated when you go out or leave him alone?

Pups don't poop to get attention. He's likely either not "empty" when you crate him or is upset that you are leaving and is pooping from the stress (stress causes everything to "move" faster). At four months of age he does not have a lot of control over his bowels and bladder.

Housetraining is a bit of a science. You have to keep track of when he goes, how soon after meals after exercise etc and keep track of how MUCH he is eating..what goes in pretty much has to come out. 

Making sure his crate is used regularly when you are around and that he always has something to chew on or playwith in the crate will help reduce his anxiety about being in there. Starting a preventive separation protocol will help prevent it from developing into full blown SA. He must be "empty" and exercised before you put him in to leave.


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## kpdeej (Nov 19, 2010)

He is eating twice a day, about a 3rd of a cup of dry food every meal. He may not be doing it for attention, but do you think it's become a conditioned response?

I put him in his crate even when I'm home and leave a kong and other toys in with him. I took him out to go to the bathroom this morning, but didn't go due to the snow. Sure enough though, he has pooped in his room. I hadn't fed him yet and had pooped last night. He usually doesn't go until I feed him.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

It could become a conditioned response yes, anything can really. 
If his pooing schedule is off (his body schedule) then maybe some detective work is in order...is he getting more treats, did he have less or more excitement than usual, is he going through a growth spurt, could he have a worm issue etc. 
Has he been punished at all for pooing after the fact? If so he may be trying to avoid pooing with you there....

Can you clear an area for him to go outside that is snowfree? He's probably a bit weirded out by the snow, first winter and all.


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## kpdeej (Nov 19, 2010)

so if it has been conditioned, and it seems like it has (he just pooped again, and i only left to go wash my hands!), any ideas on how to recondition him?


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

I might consider not using the crate anymore. I'm a big crate fan, especially during housebreaking, but if he's come to regard it as a place to go to the bathroom, then it's lost its effectiveness. Perhaps a puppy-proofed room (bathroom? kitchen?) and a baby gate or an exercise pen outdoors or something would allow you guys to start over with a fresh slate.


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## WalkinthePark (Nov 25, 2010)

Ok so if you're looking to re condition him start with positive reinforcement coupled with negative feedback.
Start by letting him outdoors to use the restroom and upon his completion give him a treat and some congratulations.. "good boy!". Over time faze out the treats and emphasize the praise and pets as the true reward. 
So now that you have shown him the good behavior, lets work on the behavior you would like to eliminate, the pooping in the crate. So next time he performs this way, remove him from the crate, show him what he did wrong, and give him negative feedback such as "No!" or " Bad Dog!". Its important that you show give him negative feedback as soon as discovering the behavior. 

This should give him a way to still get your attention by going potty, in a way that is positive for both of you. He should see that having positive attention is favorable compared to negative attention, and the choice should be an easy one.
Hope that helped 

Have a wonderful thanksgiving!


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## kpdeej (Nov 19, 2010)

thank you all! Very helpful advice!


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Many dogs won't poop on snow. Clear a path and a spot for him. The poop that they do after eating, is not related to that food. It has to do with what they ate about 10-14 hrs before. So when you say he hadn't even been fed yet, but pooped, there is no correlation. It has to do with the time since the last meal. If your dog normally gets fed at 6 pm and 8 am and usually poops at 8:30 am, he'll need to poop around 8:30 am whether you feed him at 8 am or not.

Many dogs poop in 2 separate spots in one outing. So maybe take him out longer, and don't just go in as soon as he poops.


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## kpdeej (Nov 19, 2010)

thanks spotted nikes.

It's not that I take him right after he poops, it's that he WANTS to go inside. I've tried taking him on longer walks, but he really does seem to hate it. He goes in the opposite direction (toward my building door) every time I stop to give him a potty break. Clearing the ice and snow doesn't seem to do much. Luckily, I found a patch of green a little ways away from my building and he's peed there.

Today I found bits of poo in the room that I leave him in when I go to school, maybe this is what is agitating him and making him go poop? I hadn't seen it before but I gave that room a good scrub down with some pet odour neutralizer. Hopefully, this will work.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Bostons don't have much of a coat. Do you have a warm sweater for him? That may make it more likely he'll stay out long enough to poop completely.

They also sell boots, to keep his feet warm, and stop ice balls from forming in between the pads.


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## kpdeej (Nov 19, 2010)

I did buy him a sweater, but am going to go for the boots too.


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## JiveDadson (Feb 22, 2010)

Never ever, ever scold or punish a dog for eliminating. Never. Even if he figures out that the big meanie is punishing him for doing that which must be done, he will NOT figure out that it's the location of the act that's the problem. You'll wind up with a dog that's afraid to go poo when people are around, inside or out. I inherited an adult dog that had been taught to fear going in the presence of people. Re-education was not easy.


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## Horseshoe (Nov 10, 2010)

Thanks Jive I was just going to post that. Some dogs do poo twice...I call it double pooin' all of dogs do that..LOL. So I know it will take a while if I only get 1. So some more investigating is in order...you leave him for a minute to wash your hands and he poos. Have you tried tethering him to you? Just attach his leash to your waist and go about your business. Watch his body language before he poos or pees...watch for that in the house and as soon as you see it...take him out. Bostons are very sensitive to cold weather and really don't do well in colder climates. Maybe a heavy sweater or blanket sweater (wind proof) plus booties will help with that. I don't feed treats for poo's but do give lots and lots of praise and attention (go overboard) but pls don't scold or punish for accidents in the house. They don't have control over their bowels until 6 mos. Good luck.


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## kpdeej (Nov 19, 2010)

I haven't been scolding my puppy for pooing inside, but I'm thinking maybe because I try to take him out into the cold (which he doesn't like) every time he does, he's taking that as punishment (?) 

I have a coat for him, but no booties. Will try booties.


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