# 12 week old shih tzu puppie has 5 -7 poops per day



## sjohnson1982 (Jul 11, 2012)

We have just bought a 12 week old puppie dont know if im just been paronoid but he has between 5 -7 poops per day which are very rarley solid, tonight he had a poop and then about 20mins later he pooped again this was around 4 hours after his tea. Last night he also pooped in his cage twice, we woke up at 2am to find a poop which we cleaned up then again 4am and found another poop. 

We dont over fead him he gets his breakfast on a morning and then dry dog biscuits for tea not sure what to do to break these habbits

Help please


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

If he's gotta poop, he's gotta poop. It's not a "habit".

Anyway, does he eat all his food at once, or nibble at it for hours? What brand are you feeding him? What are the ingredients? Cheap food has a lot of fillers that just come out the other end. High-quality foods are more completely digested.


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## sjohnson1982 (Jul 11, 2012)

Since my first post he has went to poop a further two times neither of them solid,

He has only had his first lot of injections and we have been supervising him going to potttie in the garden so i am wondering if he may have picked something up from being outside before his last injections.

He is eating a brand called bakers complete for puppies, not sure if this is just a uk brand


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

How long have you had him? Are you feeding a different food than he was eating where you got him? 
Lots of times, pups have poop problems when adjusting to a new food. For that matter, if they have a nervous stomach they may have poop problems due to nerves, so if you JUST got him, he may be super nervous and upset.


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## Nev Allen (Feb 17, 2010)

Change of diet will affect a lot of dogs, mostly giving them the runs. Do you know what she was being fed before you got her?

Fillers in dog food, usually grains of some sort or other, can cause allergic reaction in some dogs. 

Being "fillers" they are used to bulk out the better products in dog food and do not get absorbed by the dogs, passing straight through. So if the food you are using has a high filler content this may be why she is going to the toilet so often.

I suggest you check what food she was on before and get her onto the same brand straight away. After a day or so you can start adding some premium brand dry kibble, softened in water, and mixed into the other food. Slowly, over a week increase the proportion of kibble whilst reducing the other brand until you get her onto the kibble 100%

If, when she is on the 100%kibble, she still has soft stools you may need to find a grain free kibble.


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## sjohnson1982 (Jul 11, 2012)

We have had him one week now he was ok for the first two days

We are feeding him the same brand but a different type to he breeder think we will revert back to the same type as the breeder


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## sjohnson1982 (Jul 11, 2012)

Another very sleepless night he pooped a furher three times in his pen

Yeah we know what he was fed before we are using the same brand just a different type 

As you can tell we are new to this so all ur replies are very helpfull and very much appreciated.

With regards to fillers what should we look out for willnthe packaging just state the word fillers within the ingredients?


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## RedGermanPinscher (Jun 22, 2012)

You want a food that names a meat or meat meal as, at least, the first 2-3 ingredients, followed by fruits and vegetables, and or grains such as oatmeal, barley or Brown rice. Avoid anything with corn, wheat and soy, or unnamed by-products. If you see something like beef by-products (organs only) that is ok.


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## sjohnson1982 (Jul 11, 2012)

Hes went to the other extremes today he hasnt done any poops

He has been fed two times today breakfast and tea


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## Galathiel (Apr 11, 2012)

You also have to remember that young puppies just can't hold it that long. If you are thinking he can be crated all night and not use the bathroom, that may be just too long for him at this point. When my shih tzu was little, I had to take him out once or twice during the night because he just couldn't go that long and you can't expect a baby to be able to hold it. At his age, he may only be able to hold it 3-4 hours before he needs to go. Not to mention going out first thing when he wakes up, after he eats, or plays, or wakes up from naps as well. As they get older they can hold it longer and longer. Figure around 1 hour for each month of age.. it does vary by dog too.


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## spanielorbust (Jan 3, 2009)

He is adjusting to his new home and his diet.

Some dogs will get digestive upset even without the change in diet . . . the home change is enough to do it. Injections alone, even for an established puppy, can also bring this on. Please keep an eye on him as if problems are persistent a vet trip is necessary. This effect should settle down as he settles in.

With regard to night times . . . I have never crated at night, but the first 'sleep through' I've ever had with a small breed puppy has been at about 10 weeks of age. Many I know report it doesn't happen until much, much later than that (I've heard some get that finally at 9 months). At this age, in my experience, a small breed pup should be taken out at least every four hours.

Welcome to puppy ownership.

SOB


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## sjohnson1982 (Jul 11, 2012)

Thank you Galathiel & Spanielorbust - our normal night time goes like this play with him, then take him out in the garden for 10mins to go potty go to bed around 10pm we then set our alarms for 1am, 3am & 6am each time we have gettin up to tend to his needs he has beat us to the punch and pooped in his cage, could this be down to just bad luck and missing out.

when we put him in his crate at night he goes absoloutly nuts barking all night, (i feel so sorry for our neighbours who both have new born babies) i understand that it has only been 1 week and we have tried everything leaving music on (low level volume) hot water bottle in his cage, a ticking clock close by nothing works, we dont want to get up everytime he crys and it will only learn him that we will come to his call everytime, so it is hard for us to recognise whether he is crying for attention or for potty.


Also we have noticed when he poops (never solid) that there what i can describe as a hint of red jello in it, could this be blood?


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## spanielorbust (Jan 3, 2009)

I can't help with the night training or crate training . . . mine sleep with me from the get go as I'm a light sleeper and wake when they move to take them out (I've yet to have one pee in my bed but I understand why others would not use this method.)

With regard to the red in the stool . . that is most likely some blood. You are obviously taking him out regularly, but the red gel indicates that he is pooping often because his system is irritated. That could be caused by many things, including the jabs, the change in environment and routine or even worms. You need to see the vet with him where a diagnosis can be found. You will probably be prescribed something to help settle his intestinal system down.

I'm gonna mention that you should not be too alarmed (I somehow gathered this was your first pup?). If I remember right this is the most common reason pups go to vets.

I actually have had the same reaction twice with small dogs to crates, and once with a large, and I refuse to let them work through it if they get incredibly stressed (others will differ here). I've had others do GREAT with crate training (which I now don't do until a dog is 9-10 months or older). Personally with this small guy I would go with a pen set up instead . . . with a crate in it, a tiny play area and a pee pad as well.

I am also going to mention that I have a dog here whose reaction to being stressed is . . . intestinal upset. He can work himself into full blown gastroenteritis with separation anxiety if his routines become too set and are then messed with. Kenneling is out . . . which is why my friend (who owns him and whose travel work schedule has been upside down a couple of years) shares him with me.

SOB


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## sjohnson1982 (Jul 11, 2012)

Thursday night went like this

10.30pm poop before bed
12.15am went to check on him found poop accident in his cage
12.30am took him outside where he pooped
2.00am my partner checked on him to find he pooped in his cage
4.00am my partner checked on him again to find he pooped in his cage she then took him outside where he pooped.
6.15am i woke up to check on him and found no accidents in his cage took him straight outside where he did a pee and a poop
6.45am gave him his breakfast

Its now 8.40am i have taken him outside 3 times since his breakfast and no poop yet.

on the plus side he has stopped crying & barking when we put him to bed at night.

Big improvement from all of the previous nights hopefully our persitance is starting to pay off


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## sjohnson1982 (Jul 11, 2012)

We visited the vets today with little ozzie and found out he has an ear infections and dihorea (spelling) this has obvioualy explained the excessive pooping. The vet gave us ear drops and something called pro-kolin for his pooping issues. Poor little fella

He had three accidents in 1 hour tonight the 2nd one he ran as fast as he cud to his pooping spot but just didnt make it in time.

Fingers crossed he will get better soon.


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