Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. She should be checked over by your vet when they open. It may just be constipated which can be sorted by your vet easily but there could be other causes which are more serious such as tumours or a blockage.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

The most common cause of constipation in dogs is swallowing objects that are not easily digested, such as bones, grass or hair. Other causes include lack of fibre, lack of exercise, blocked anal glands, certain intestinal problems, trauma to the pelvis an enlarged prostate, kidney disease or hernias.
A stool that starts off firm but is followed by soft or very loose second half of the bowel movement, can indicate a variety of causes including small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, maldigestion, malabsorption, food intolerances, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, dysbiosis (an imbalance in the types of gut bacteria) …
It`s typically caused by something pressing in on the colon in the surrounding area. For example, in male dogs the colon could become blocked by an enlarged or cancerous prostate. Tumors of the anal glands and lymph nodes can also press in on the colon.
If your dog is constipated, he or she will probably attempt to pass feces unsuccessfully several times. You may observe your dog circling excessively, scooting (dragging bottom along the ground) or squatting frequently, or even crying out in severe cases.
If your dog develops diarrhea after a stressful event, it may be stress colitis. Signs include straining to poop, passing loose stools, and urgency to poop. Sometimes the stool may contain mucus or small amounts of fresh blood.
When your dog feels anxious or upset, they can experience acute, short-term diarrhea. Here, again, a probiotic supplement can be used to calm your dog`s digestive tract and promote colonization of good bacteria to help maintain microbial balance in the intestine.
Try pure canned pumpkin or a pumpkin powder. Canned dog food—Elevated moisture content of canned food may help regulate the system. Food and herbs, such as ginger, wheat bran, powdered psyllium seeds, and olive oil, may help.
Symptoms of Sprains and Strains in Dogs

If your dog has a soft tissue injury, they may show the following signs: Lameness (not putting full weight on a leg) Difficulty getting up from sitting or slow to sit down from standing. Decreased activity.

Diarrhea/difficulty defecating (pooping)/Straining to defecate: A dog with a partial blockage may have diarrhea as liquid squeezes around the obstruction. If there is a complete blockage, the dog may try to defecate but won`t be able to.
Partial obstructions can occur where some food can move around an object or where the object makes its way pretty far through the intestinal tract before finally getting lodged. In these situations, significant signs of a blockage may not be apparent for 24 hours or more, but less severe signs may be present.
Once ingested and inside the small intestine of the pet, the infective larvae will develop into an adult worm and grow to up to 60 cm in length and the life cycle continues. Mild tapeworm infections usually do not cause serious illness, but heavy infections can cause vomiting, constipation or diarrhea.
You can add a small amount (half a teaspoon for small dogs, two teaspoons for large dogs) of olive or coconut oil to their food to help with mild constipation, but be careful in dogs who need a low-fat diet. Lack of exercise is another predisposing factor to pay attention to.
The majority of dogs experiencing stress colitis are back to normal within three to five days.
Some dogs may also become constipated because of stress or anxiety. If your dog is very nervous, or if your household has undergone a lot of changes recently, this could be the underlying cause of your dog`s constipation issue.
Far and away the most common cause of diarrhoea in dogs is wheat gluten (most dry food, dog treats, bread, pasta, biscuits, etc). But there are a number of other causes too. If your dog is suffering recurring diarrhoea then it`s likely you`re making some simple mistakes diet-wise. The first he`s likely to be dry fed.
Stress & Anxiety

Finally, stress and anxiety are common causes of an upset stomach in dogs. Just like people, dogs can respond to stressful situations with feelings of anxiousness. Those feelings can cause gastrointestinal upset, gas, and even diarrhea.

How Long After Eating Does a Dog Poop? Most dogs will poop about 30 minutes after eating, or immediately after waking up. These are both great times to plan walks or exercise for your dog. Of course, all dogs have different schedules, so you`ll learn what works best for your dog.
Generally, dogs need to relieve themselves 8–12 hours after digesting their previous meal. Dogs often (but not always) poop shortly after waking or roughly half an hour after eating. If you`re feeding your dog two meals a day, they may defecate twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening.
3) Carrots can help canines with bowel movement regularity.

Just nine baby carrots (about 3oz), contains 2 grams of fiber. If your dog has loose stools, he may benefit by adding carrots to his diet. The added fiber may help to add some bulk to his stools.

Is Yogurt Good For Dogs? Yogurt is high in calcium and protein. It also can act as a probiotic, which can be good for the digestive system. If you feed your dog yogurt, it should be plain and free of any added sweeteners, both natural and artificial.
Most strains settle down within days, and affected dogs are often sound within a week or two. However, it may take a convalescent period to regain full strength.
What are the typical signs of pain in dogs? General behaviour: Shaking, flattened ears, low posture, aggression, grumpy temperament, panting or crying, excessive licking or scratching a specific area, reluctant to play, interact or exercise, lameness (limping), stiffness after rest, loss of appetite.
Unless you have seen your dog swallow a foreign object, symptoms of dog intestinal blockage are usually dismissed as an upset stomach. Symptoms include the following: Vomiting. Loss of appetite.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. Whenever I take my dog on walks he always barks at people and others dogs in my neighborhood. What should I do to resolve the problem
ANSWER : A. The very first thing to do is to make sure your dog is getting sufficient physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a good, happy dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration. Depending on his breed, age, and health, your dog may require several long walks as well as a good game of chasing the ball and playing with some interactive toys.

Figure out what he gets out of barking and remove it. Don’t give your dog the opportunity to continue the barking behavior.

Ignore your dog’s barking for as long as it takes him to stop. That means don’t give him attention at all while he’s barking. Your attention only rewards him for being noisy. Don’t talk to, don’t touch, or even look at him. When he finally quiets, even to take a breath, reward him with a treat. To be successful with this method, you must wait as long as it takes for him to stop barking. Yelling at him is the equivalent of barking with him.

Get your dog accustomed to whatever causes him to bark. Start with whatever makes him bark at a distance. It must be far enough away that he doesn’t bark when he sees it. Feed him lots of good treats. Move the stimulus a little closer (perhaps as little as a few inches or a few feet to start) and feed treats. If the stimulus moves out of sight, stop giving your dog treats. You want your dog to learn that the appearance of the stimulus leads to good things.

Teach your dog the ‘quiet’ command. Oddly, the first step is to teach your dog to bark on command. Give your dog the command to “speak,” wait for him to bark two or three times, and then stick a tasty treat in front of his nose. When he stops barking to sniff the treat, praise him and give him the treat. Repeat until he starts barking as soon as you say “speak.” Once your dog can reliably bark on command, teach him the “quiet” command. In a calm environment with no distractions, tell him to “speak.” When he starts barking, say “quiet” and stick a treat in front of his nose. Praise him for being quiet and give him the treat.

As in all training, always end training on a good note, even if it is just for obeying something very simple, like the ‘sit’ command. If you dog regresses in training, go back to the last thing he did successfully and reinforce that before moving on again. Keep sessions short, 15-20 minutes max, and do this several times a day.

Read Full Q/A … : Help! My Dog Barks & Lunges At Other Dogs! — Your Dog's Friend

Q. My Beagle listens to me, but cries & whines when I’m gone & doesn’t listen to my parents. I adopted him just a couple days ago. Any tips for my folks?
ANSWER : A. I really highly doubt that your Beagle listens to you and has formed a connection with you in just a couple of days. It takes months to build up any kind of serious connection with your dog. You need to work on communication with your dog through training them to understand different cues. For instance the Leave-It cue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1TS5nA7z5Q

You have to work on bonding with your dog through mental stimulation. Training is very important. Luring each new behavior from scratch, and training using treats is how you form a strong bond with your new dog. No scolding is ever necessary… work on being calm, and positive, all the time.

If your dog is crying/whining when you leave, this may be separation anxiety. You’re going to have to separation train this dog from scratch. This dog needs to learn that separation can be a good thing! Tell your “folks” to NOT scold the dog when he is crying/whining after you leave, because that will make your dog MORE anxious when you leave next time. Your dog will be dwelling on the negative if your parents fuel your dogs negative feelings towards you leaving. FUN things should happen when you leave. Your parents should pull out the treats and start doing some basic obedience training with your dog. Your parents should stuff a Kong filled with awesome treats (peanut butter) and give it to him so he feels happy when you leave.

I have some excellent separation anxiety exercises you can work on. If you’d like, you can purchase a consultation with me, and I will go over how to separation train from scratch. It will make your dog comfortable being alone, guaranteed.

Read Full Q/A … : I Don't Like My Mother

Q. Husband shamed dog for having an accident inside, and now she won’t poop when he takes her out. Can we fix this? He realizes he erred
ANSWER : A. Good on your husband for realizing that scolding is not the way to potty train! Hopefully these tips can help both him and your pup get back on the right track and make pottying outside successful.

If your dog is still a puppy, that is good news as you may be able to more easily time your potty outings with your dog’s schedule. Even if your dog is older, this schedule may help. Dogs generally have to go potty about 15 minutes after eating, drinking, waking up or playing. Knowing this, get your husband to start taking out your puppy at these key times, so puppy gets used to going out with him, and the urge to potty may be higher than any fear to go. If the potty is successful, have your husband reward the dog with a favorite treat! For bowel movements, dogs may take a little more time, and you may have to stand outside for a while (sometimes even 10 minutes) to give your dog a chance to go. If she doesn’t go, take her back inside and play some, then try again in about 15 minutes. Again, a success equals a treat which most dogs will like right away!

For any indoor potty accidents that occurred, an enzymatic cleaner is great for cleaning up urine and stool. Not only does it remove the stain and smell, but it breaks down the enzymes in the urine and stool your dog can smell, which may deter her from going potty there again.

Read Full Q/A … : Port Manteaux Word Maker – OneLook Dictionary Search

Q. Rescued a dog almost two weeks ago, and now that her kennel cough is gone her personality shines!! No previous training, how should I start?
ANSWER : A. POST FOUR:

After your dog is familiar with the behavior you lured from scratch, and taught to your dog, you can start to use the “no-reward marker” I talked about. What you do is ask the dog to perform the behavior, and if the dog does not perform the behavior, you simply say your no-reward marker (choose one: eh-eh, hey, uh-oh, oops) show them the treat, put it behind your back, and BRIEFLY ignore your dog. Just turn your back for a second or two, before turning back to your dog and saying, “let’s try that again.” When you’re ready to start over with your dog, make sure you move around. If you are repeating the same cue while in the same position, while your dog is in the same position, you are likely to receive the same results. The more you move around, and start fresh, the better your chances are of having your dog listen to your cue the second time around. BIG rewards when they dog it successfully! Lots of praise and treats.

My no-reward marker is “hey.” When my dog does something wrong I say, “hey” and she immediately understands that she needs to offer a different behavior. This is clear to her. I don’t have to say it in a mean way, I simply say, “hey” in a normal tone of voice and she understands what the word means.

Once you’ve built up that connection and communication with your new dog, you can work on all kinds of fun behaviors! I personally enjoy the more zen-like behaviors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruy9UMcuGh8

I like to teach my dog fun tricks that offer her a “job” to do of sorts like object retrieval: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4iertZSva8

(object retrieval training completed; what it looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx0Dml28FGY)

Scent-games are fun too! Very confidence building. Hide a REALLY smelly treat in a box, and place that box in a line of boxes. Let your dog go in the room while saying something like “search!” or “find it!” and watch them hunt for that smelly treat! Lots of rewards when they find it!

Read Full Q/A … : M – Happy Tails – Dachshund Rescue of North America

Q. My Bulldog puppy growls, barks and even tries to bite me when I say “no” to him. What can I do?
ANSWER : A. First, avoid scolding him and acting aggressively towards him if you don’t want him to be acting aggressively towards you. There are other methods you can use to communicate to your dog that you don’t want him to continue doing what he is doing. I recommend you stop telling him “no”, scolding him, or raising your voice at him. Everything coming from you should be 100% positive and 100% calm.

Try to figure out ways to clearly communicate what you want to your dog. If you want your dog to leave something or someone alone, I strongly suggest teaching your dog commands like “leave it”. Here is a link to a video in which I explain how to do it:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1TS5nA7z5Q

Another thing I suggest you use is a no-reward marker. This clearly communicates when your dog has done something wrong. No-reward markers have to be introduced during your training sessions. You should be doing at least three training sessions per day, that are something like 3-10 minutes long (working on different things each training session). If you are teaching your dog something BRAND NEW, do not use the no-reward marker, as you do not want to discourage your dog from performing behaviors for you. Use the no-reward marker for known behaviors only. Here is another helpful video about this:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdU5a6fXKlg

Lure each new behavior (as shown in the video) using high value treats. Let’s say you’re working on “down” which is a behavior your dog knows fairly well. Present the treat to your dog. Ask your dog to “down” (only ask once). If he does not go “down” immediately, say, “uh-oh” or “eh-eh” in a gentle tone, and then place the treat behind your back. This communicates to your dog that they did something to make the treat go away.

After you place the treat behind your back to show your pup “that was wrong” you need to communicate to your pup “let’s try again” by getting your pup to walk around for a second, and then start the behavior all over again. If your puppy is very young, chances are you haven’t taught him a solid “down” behavior yet. So, as I said, do not use this method until you have lured each new behavior as shown in the video.

This is the order in which you should teach behaviors: Lure using a high value treat as shown in the video. After a few successful food lures, lure with an empty hand. If the pup is successful with the empty hand lure, reward with lots of treats. If the pup is unsuccessful, then go back to food-luring a couple more times. After a few successful empty-hand lures, you can begin to add the cue. Say “sit”, then lure with an empty hand, and then reward. Once your pup understands the cue, begin to work on the no-reward marker.

Read Full Q/A … : Puppy Aggression And Dominance – Your Questions Answered

Q. Why does my dog eat grass?
ANSWER : A. As another user mentioned, dogs can eat grass when they want to vomit. Sometimes, when a dog has an upset tummy, they will eat grass. If you notice your dog eating grass frantically, you can assume vomiting will shortly follow. Grass does not digest and pass normally. If your dog eats too much grass, it can cause serious issues with pooping. Your dogs poop can end up all tangled inside of her, and it can need veterinary assistance to remove it. The same goes for celery, so avoid feeding celery to your dog.

The other day my boyfriend accidentally left the laundry room door open where we were keeping the trash that was filled with cooked chicken bones. She ate one of the chicken bones lightning fast. We had to induce vomiting by feeding her some hydrogen peroxide. After we had fed her the peroxide, she immediately began frantically eating grass because her tummy was upset.

If there is something lacking in your dogs diet, it could be that your dog is eating grass to make up for it. I am sure that my dogs diet is extremely well balanced (I do not only feed her an air-dried raw food-type diet (Ziwipeak), but a wide variety of safe, healthy foods), so when she eats grass, I know that it is because she has an upset tummy.

That is why I think it is important making sure your dog has a very well balanced diet. If your dog is on a low quality kibble, your dog may be trying to let you know by eating grass (or eating poop).

Read Full Q/A … : Why Dogs Eat Grass: Causes and Prevention – WebMD

Q. My 9 month old Maltese-Shih eats his own feces. Is there anything i can give him to get him to stop?
ANSWER : A. Coprophagia (or eating stool) is very common in young dogs. Luckily, most dogs will outgrow this behavior as they age. There are several theories as to why dogs do this which range from mimicking the mother dog’s behavior of cleaning the den, nutrient deficiency, boredom or just plain enjoyment of it.

If your dog is eating his own, removing the feces as soon as he deposits them is best in preventing them from being eaten. Keeping your dog on a leash while he potties can also help to catch any stool before he finds it. If he is eating other stool as well, sweeping the area prior to letting him out to go potty can help you identify and remove any left-behind stool.

There is also a product called For-bid that is available to make stool distasteful to pets. This product is sprinkled over every meal for a period of a week. When your dog attempts to eat the stool formed from this product, it becomes distasteful and discourages him from doing so. Most dogs will stop after a week of use, but some may need a few reminders from time to time to completely stop the behavior.

Read Full Q/A … : How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Poop – Shiba Shake — Dog …

Q. How do I determine how much my overweight pet should weigh?
ANSWER : A. There are many tools to determine overweight and obesity levels in pets. A new tool, morphometric measurements and body fat index, are available to accurately determine a pet’s ideal weight; this will allow an accurate determination of the amount of food a pet should receive to achieve weight loss. Feeding the correct amount will lead to greater weight loss success.

There are many weight loss food options to help pets reach their ideal weight. Your veterinarian can help make a ideal weight recommendation. Here are some tips to help your dog lose weight in a healthy and safe way:

1. Diet: Providing a healthy and well balanced diet is essential to your pet’s overall health. Finding the right food for your dog can be a challenging process. For those overweight animals many commercial dog companies offer weight loss diets, but it is important to evaluate food labels for adequate nutritional content.

You want to ensure you are not missing other essential vitamin or mineral content. Volume of food is also important and the amount of food that works for one breed of dog may not be the same for another breed of dog. Portion control as opposed to free-choice feeding can help your dog to drop a few unnecessary pounds.

There are also prescription weight loss foods designed by veterinary nutritionists, such as Hill’s r/d (http://bit.ly/1AoENSd). Some pet owners find that home cooking is the best option for helping to provide a well-balanced and realistic diet plan. There are websites such as balanceit.com that offers recipes to fit your dog’s specific needs. Consulting with your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist to find the appropriate diet is a great way to help your dog be as healthy as possible.

2. Exercise: Another great tactic for weight loss for your dog is exercise. Whether this is through running, walking or playing with a favorite toy all of these are wonderful types of exercise to help keep your dog at a lean and healthy weight.

For those pet owners with busy schedules utilizing professional dog walking services or playtime through dog daycare services is another option. It has been shown that those pet owners that exercise regularly with their pets generally live a healthier lifestyle.

3. Physical therapy: As animals age pet owners offer encounter their favorite canine having more difficulty walking and have a dwindling desire to play with toys. Physical therapy, specifically hydrotherapy is a wonderful way to help older and arthritic animals gain more mobility and lose weight. Hydrotherapy has been proven to have several therapeutic effects on the body including, muscle strengthening, relief of swelling, decreased joint pain, less stiffness in limbs, improved circulation, weight loss, and increased tissue healing to name a few. For more information on the benefits of hydrotherapy:
http://bit.ly/1w1qqoy

4. Veterinary visit and blood work: Weight gain can also be related to underlying health concerns such as hypothyroidism or other endocrine disorders. Scheduling a veterinary evaluation and routine blood work can be another important component in increasing the longevity of your dog’s life. Conditions such as hypothyroidism that predispose dogs to gain weight can be treated with a daily medication to improve hormonal balance. If feel that your dog is unnecessarily overweight there can be an underlying health condition that needs to be addressed.

5. Healthy treats: Pet owners love the chance to reward their favorite canine companion with treats and most dogs jump at the chance to consume these delicious products. The problem is many treats, which can include commercial dog treats or table scrapes can add many unnecessary calories to your dog’s daily intake. Reading labels and making note of the calories in these treats is an important component of understanding your dog’s overall health. Treats should not exceed more than 10 percent of your pet’s daily calories. There are healthier treats that can be offered to your pet to keep calories lower yet provide a fuller sensation. A pet owner can add steamed or pureed vegetables, such as carrots, green beans or sweet potato to add more fiber and thus a fuller feeling for your dog.

Read Full Q/A … : How Do I Determine if My Dog is Overweight? – Pet Health Care

joliana smith

My name is Sarah Smith and I am a dog owner, lover, and trainer. I have been working with dogs for over 10 years and have a passion for helping them learn and grow. I am a certified dog trainer and specialize in positive reinforcement methods. I believe that all dogs can learn and that the best way to train them is to build a strong relationship based on trust and respect.