help please

Please don't hate me but due to circumstances beyond our control we now have to leave our Dusty all day. We don't have anyone we trust to go in our home daily to let our Dusty out and so she poos almost every day. I know it's not her fault but as you can gather we are all at our wits end. Don't want to give her away but cannot see any other way. have you got any ideas we have one been in this situation for three months and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Any suggestions greatly received. PS she is only 18 months

This is very sad to read. If you're thinking about giving her up then hand her over to reputable rescue center, plenty of rescues deal solely with staffies so maybe look towards one of them?

If you don't want to give up on her, then arrange a day sitter, or walker - again make sure they're reputable also. You could even fit her a walk in before you leave for work, possible walks on your break time? I know that's hassle but it's worth it so you can keep her and prevent that problem! Make sure you tire her out mentally and physically while you are in the house so she'll be extra tired during the day.

There are also doggy day care centers you can drop her off at e.g "Hevs Happy Hounds" you drop them off in the morning and they play, socialize ect all in a supervised place!

How many hours are you talking when you say all day? And when does she get walked/for how long? What is she being fed on? And how long was she usually left before the circumstances changed?

You also might try feeding 1/day in the evening. Just make sure you walk either 1hr before or after eating and not sooner than that. Other than that, I don't know if I have any additional thoughts at this time. Poo occurs after eating and then again later on. Also, feeding raw can reduce the amount of poo as more is used. Mine go about 1-2 per day and that is all. That was the case even at 18 Months old.

Don't want to give up on her. now she is being left for eight half hours. Both work too far away to come back at lunch. used to be four or six hour depending on shift pattern, we now leave half six in morning so morning walks not an option. have large/huge garden which she runs around in but at six in the dark not easy to tire out. have looked at day care but sadly too expensive as we are not in a great financial position. She eats kibble, one cup full in evening about five and half cup in morning. If we don't find a solution, we will find her a great home as she is a great dog. Appreciate your advise.

caz64 wrote:Don't want to give up on her. now she is being left for  eight half hours.  Both work too far away to come back at lunch. used to be four or six hour depending on shift pattern, we now leave half six in morning so morning walks not an option.  have large/huge garden which she runs around in but at six in the dark not easy to tire out. have looked at day care but sadly too expensive as we are not in a great financial position. She eats kibble, one cup full in evening about five and half cup in morning.  If we don't find a solution, we will find her a great home as she is a great dog. Appreciate your advise.

Raw can be inexpensive too and less messes. Just a suggestion. I take my dogs out kicking and screaming at o'dark thirty AM as they need a walk in the AM or they get restless. Sorry to hear about this situation. I really think that it can be done but it is very difficult.

There are people that can just pop in half way through the day to sit with her, let her out into the garden to do her business and then leave again. I looked into this when I first got Biscuit and they're relatively inexpensive, nowhere near the price of a dog walker and will be registered/have references so no worries about them coming into the house. I couldn't do it with Biscuit because she's stranger aggressive and now don't need to, but as long as she's sociable then that might be an option?

If you really don't want to work with her then of course rehoming is an option, but there are literally tens of thousands of staffs out there looking for homes and i'm sure you must not want to give up your pet she must be like part of the family to you.

Is it just the messing in the house that's a problem? She's not being destructive or causing any noise complaints?

P.S which kibble is she on? Some will cause dogs to "go" more than others so diet can be looked into also! For example, any of my kennel dogs on chappie will pass between 5-6 motions per day due to all the rubbish and fillers that's in it! Where as others on a more natural diet will only got 1-3 times. Please don't give up on her yet

would a dog walker be out of your price range, even if it's once a day to break up the 8 hours?

Have you tried contacting you local Volunteer centre to see if they have anyone wanting to do dog walks. This is something I had thought about doing just before Rocky came along. The volunteers would be extremely well vetted before they are put in contact with you. It may be worth a try if all other avenues are closed.

I can only echo advise given, very sad to read, I went from having Moo (rescue) come to work with me, to a 9-6 day when I changed jobs shortly after and she had to be left at home (without a garden), up at silly o clock to walk her and out late to walk her, it took a while (and yes I had the support of my mum in the end) but I managed and I coped, and it was an extra expense I could have done without (being single with a mortgage), but I did everything to make it work as Moo is like my child.

It can work if you want it....

If getting someone to come in is out of the question, what about a dog door into the garden?

When we moved to Wales, there was a short period where I still had to work (I was coming up to maternity leave, but still had about 6 months to go!) so we put a dog flap into the garden door. It took Bandit about 15 minutes of tempting on one side & then the other to get him used to using it & he was more than happy to use it while we were away.

Mind you, it was a quiet area and the garden was ultra secure!

Thanks all, as tried to say really don't want to give up on her so really looking for advice. some of you mention different diet of raw food. Stupid me, what exactly is this? she does have chicken pieces as a treat? Sorry if I should know this.

caz64 wrote:Thanks all, as tried to say really don't want to give up on her so really looking for advice.  some of you mention different diet of raw food.  Stupid me, what exactly is this? she does have chicken pieces as a treat?  Sorry if I should know this.

a raw diet is a diet of meat, bones and offal that's it! does need research beforehand but it's easy once you get it

Here is Ella's own writeup - very helpful. https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t14787-raw-diet

The thing is, dogs poo less on a raw diet! 

Lots of great suggestions above which I can't really add to but can definitely vouch for raw, I changed over a few weeks ago now. Its costing me less and less poos !

I really hope you can work to get something sorted to avoid giving her up  

Caz, I'm so sorry that you are finding this situation difficult to cope with. It's not ideal having to leave a dog alone for such long periods of time, but if Dusty is basically a happy and contented dog and can cope with the lone periods without any signs of distress (wrecking the place basically) then you've had loads of great advice above - all of which is well worth considering seriously.

If pooing (and presumably weeing) in the house whilst you are out is the only problem, then tbh I've been in the same situation 20 years ago with a Dobermann puppy (subsequently adult of course). And I just made a place for her in the house, lined with polythene to prevent damage to the floor and covered with newspaper where she could evacuate whilst I was out. Not ideal I know, but it was easily dealt with when I came home (and I did spend quite a lot on air fresheners!), but vastly preferable to rehoming her. She was my best friend for 11 years, and incidently only used her "poo corner" when I was out - she knew to use the garden and/or "go" on her walks at all other times.

Good luck Caz, I'm sure you'll be able to find a solution (or solutions) so that you can all be happy  

sorry to hear of the situation you are in,i have a couple of days in the week where sash is left 6 hours and feel guilty about it,i walk her early in the dark mornings so at least i know she has had a good walk,i think Caryll's idea about a dog flap sounds good,just make sure your garden is secure,every one's advise is here to try and help you and Dusty out.

Well not counting our chickens but! out of eleven days we have only had two accidents. We have moved to one feed a day, leaving the radio on, leaving pizzle treats instead of wheat/cereal treats (last ages and no choke hazard) moving her evening walk to about an hour after feeding instead of straight after her tea. All things as they are looking good. Thanks everyone. 

I'm so pleased to read this, great news, glad its going well