Dear Cathy, I have been separated from my Shih Tzu, Sam, since October. I am in a nursing facility awaiting hip surgery and my cousin who lives nearby is taking care of my dog. He is a seven-year-old, neutered, house-trained dog who is regularly walked.
However, he is pooping in her house every day. He never did that at my house. What can be done to stop this behavior? — Myra, Mechanicsville, Virginia Dear Myra, Given your separation, it's understandable that Sam may be grieving or feeling anxious.
Consider getting him a pheromone collar to wear and adding some calming chews into his daily routine. You could also try an Anxiety Wrap® or Thundershirt®. If he wears one and keeps it on, it might provide him with some comfort during the day; it's like getting a big hug.
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For cleaning up his accidents, get a biological enzymatic cleaner for your cousin to use to remove all traces of waste to prevent him from returning to the same spot repeatedly. Then, purchase some puppy pads and ask her to use them in areas where he tends to go to see if that helps keep accidents on the pads and not on her floors. In addition, Sam will likely benefit from having at least two 10-minute play sessions daily to keep him mentally and physically stimulated.
Chew toys, like Kongs with added treats, can be introduced as one of the play sessions, but one session should be interactive with your cousin. Does Sam fetch? If so, that is an easy game for her to play with him. Sam .
