[martybear4048]

I am in need of some help. I have a 2...almost 3 year old Morkie (Maltese/Yorkshire Terrier) and he is the absolute love of our lives. When we got him as a puppy, he was promised to be about 12lbs and he has maxed out at 4lbs. Tiny thing, but again, I wouldn't trade him for anything. Talk about a doting parent.

I have a few issues going on. My dog has separation anxiety. I'm not sure if that plays into any of this..but I just wanted to throw it out there. Marty likes to mark. He is very territorial. I'll find VERY small spots around my house. I always clean them up immediately with Natures Miracle. Normally, I'm able to get them when they are fresh, so they come up easily and have not sunk deep into the carpet. He gets taken outside more than any other dog I know. Almost every 2 hours when we are home and any time he runs to the front door. I'm not sure how to stop this behavior. We bought a pee belt, but he is only 2 and I'd hate to see him have to wear it for the rest of his life.

We are now experiencing a bad habit with pooping. His diet has not changed. He has never really been a 'regular' puppy. Sometimes he goes in the morning, sometimes he doesn't. Sometimes he goes at 9pm, sometimes he doesn't. Sometimes its once a day, sometimes its twice. It's really hit or miss! He is on a pretty regimented schedule, unless it is the weekend, but this is happening all of the time. The vet really didn't give us much help on this either. She tried to tell us to give him pumpkin, which we did and he picked around it in his food. We will go outside for 20min intervals, we will come back in and if he didn't poop and goes to the door (even if its 5mins later) we go back out! It's really starting to take a toll on both my husband and I.

Over the past 3 weeks, he has been running upstairs to a bedroom (which we plan to be our nursery) and is pooping on the carpet! Today we sat outside for 2 hours on our porch. We came in, he ran upstairs and pooped. Unacceptable. I don't yell or scold, but I'm getting tired. We are going to be starting a family next year and I know our little guy will get less attention. I can't be cleaning up after him and a baby at the same time. He knows to go to the door to poop, he gets a treat afterwards and all is grand! When he poops in the house, he eats it! It's like he knows he should not have done it and tries to hide it. Any advice would be great. I am trying to be as proactive as possible and nip this in the butt before my family grows.

 

[Lielu]

im unclear on if he has always been like this or if this only started recently. (like what you mention with "We are now experiencing a bad habit with pooping" it sounds like its new) if its totally new, something must have changed. he would not be following one behaviour for almost 3 years and now start pooping in the house. Try and think what triggered the behaviour. Maybe then you can get a answer on how to fix it. Just a wild thought: You didn't peharps recently have visitors with children that stayed for a few days, which could have made him feel that they getting the attention? Did they stay in the bedroom you plan to make your nursery?

 

[MHDDOG2016]

Can you block off his access to the upstairs for the time being? It seems like he knows he is doing something he shouldn't so he is going someplace to do it where you won't catch him Was he ever crate trained? Might be worth confining him to a smaller area on the main floor of the house or tethering him to you (have him on a leash attached to you at all times) and slowly give him more freedom again. I am sure it is frustrating since he was previously trained it sounds like.

 

[martybear4048]

Thanks for answering. He pooped upstairs (in a different spot) two or three times when we moved in. He got very very hyper and starting sprinting around the upstairs and I guess it made him 'need to go' and squatted mid-run. But this isn't where he is pooping now.

The only thing that I can think of changing is the weather. It got nice out and we bought furniture for our front porch. He loves to sit on the porch and thinks that every time we go outside, it's time to sit on the porch and do nothing else. He will stand out in the hot sun and look at me like I'm crazy and start panting because he gets so hot then as soon as we walk back towards the covered porch he tries to hop up on the sofa. Since he isn't on a set pooping schedule I feel bad putting him back in his crate after being in there while at work. I am never 100% certain if he has to go or not. But if that's what I need to start doing. Then I will. Another thing I find interesting is that when we moved, we now poop and pee on separate trips. He used to go out in the morning and do it all at once. Now, it never happens together. When he goes out to pee, he needs to sprint right back in to see my spouse or vice versa. It's cute, but again weird.

 

[Lucillle]

I would first schedule a vet visit, to make sure he is healthy, no parasites, etc. See another vet if you are comfortable getting a second opinion since you have already had one opinion.
If his health is good, I would go back to square 1 and crate train him as if he was a puppy, meaning that he is either outside, on a leash with you looking at him inside, or in a crate.
Is he neutered?