Un-usual dog behavior

[Pep_n_Ann]

Looking for some insight here. I’m not really looking to change the behavior, just understand it better. Fixing the root issue would be OK with me though

Background: 2 yr old neutered hound mix. Rescued from a shelter at 4 months. Very nervous, jumpy dog. He is convinced the world is out to get him. Always been healthy, except for a very, very sensitive tummy. Any change in diet brings on loose stool. We live semi rural with fruit trees and chickens. Dog eats fruit and I’m sure chicken crap and occasionally gets into the chicken feed. This sets his tummy off probably once a month or so.

The behavior: He will go into his crate at night and have an accident. I’m not sure if he tries to wake me up, or just goes. I find it odd that he chooses to mess in his crate where he sleeps during the day. He is loose at night and normally sleeps with me. I’m not too upset about it, as it’s much easier to clean the crate than the carpet. It just seems like he would get as close to the door to outside as he could. He is otherwise house trained and does not mess in is crate during the day, unless it is tummy related.

Any idea on why he goes into the crate? Or any ideas on how to get his tummy to not be so sensitive? He eats Diamond Lamb and Rice. I have tried several other foods and they make him sick, even with a super slow transition.

[csaper58]

There does seem to be a correlation between paranoia and a delicate gut in many species. There is research that indicates the health of gut flora may play a role. And there also seems to be a correlation between dogs with irritable gut and those dogs eating odd things. As if they are searching for something to make their tummy better.

Parasites can also play a role

A vet reco’d probiotic may help. Proviable is a good one. Endosorb and BioSponge firm up the loose stool.

Chicken/bird poop is a known vector for Giardia, and Clostridium perfringens, both of which cause loose stool.

I recommend taking a stool sample to your vet to be tested, and treating anything found. I also reco taking your dog to a board certified Veterinarian Internal Medicine Specialist if your regular vet can’t stabilize your dog’s gut.

www.acvim.org scroll down the page and to the right of the WELCOME paragraph is a box to locate a specialist near you.

Eating fresh, ‘just off the boat’ horse or cow manure helps some dogs, but makes other worse.

Until his gut stabilized my dog wore a grazing muzzle and was only allowed outside on his leash with supervision. He is now much less likely to have dietary indiscretions [accept when he finds cat poop].

He is now much less nervous outside, and relaxed indoors

[ETA this is in reference to crate pooping] I would think he’s a bashful pooper, and is trying to hide the ‘accident’ in the crate, like some dogs who go into the bushes to poop.

[Bicoastal]

I agree with csaper: there is correlation between anxiety and gut health. I also second a daily probiotic like Proviable. My timid guy would have diarrhea once a month, sometimes twice a month if competing more heavily. Proviable daily was the last piece of the puzzle that fully resolved the intermittent diarrhea. Some other puzzle pieces were watching proteins, reducing overall caloric intake at events, acclimating to the trial environment, and increasing his confidence.

As far as the “why crate” component, maybe the dog feels distressed about the diarrhea so goes to his place of safety? Or feels the forbidden act is hidden in the crate?

[Pep_n_Ann]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate the time and responses. Keep them coming!

[rubles]

Puppies are usually in a large safely enclosed area for the first few weeks nursing from their mother, consider it home and relieve themselves there. Because he doesn’t relieve himself in other areas including near the door, he might think using his crate is the proper place to go. It’s certainly certainly much easier for you to clean. Are there newspapers in the crate? If so maybe that’s why he does it there. Try putting newspapers near the near the crate, not in it and see what he does.
Let me know OK.

[LauraO]

My mostly German Shepherd does this most of the time if she has to have an accident. Worse, if you close the crate door, she had gone on top of the crate. She is also a ‘wandering pooper’, she doesn’t ever make one single pile, but sort of wanders in expanding concentric circles leaving one here, one there. I got her as a 2 yr old, so I have no idea of how her house breaking was done originally. She’s 10 now. I’ve never figured it out. She is also a little bit of a stressy dog. Fortunately, she rarely has an accident.

[Mango20]

I think the location might be because he knows the house is NOT the place to do it, so he’s doing the best he can with what he has. I had a dog who only had to pee in the house a few times in her life, but every time, she did it on the bathmat in the bathroom. One or both of my current dogs will poop in the basement if they absolutely have to go. Otherwise, they spend almost no time down there.