GrouchoBarks
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I have a dog that does this, too. A couple of things have helped me. I keep special treats just for walks. I use these anytime she gets a little too interested in a pile. I also use a really short leash if she is playing detective. The other thing that has helped is to change up our walking route. I quickly learned that some areas are just poop minefields, and avoiding them makes walks way easier. If I take the same route every day, my dog knows exactly where the “good stuff” is and beelines for it. So, I started switching things up—walking on pavement instead of grassy areas, choosing less busy trails, or even crossing the street when I spot a particularly risky zone. It’s not a perfect fix, but keeping things unpredictable has definitely cut down on the poop obsession!
My dog is pretty quirky too. One thing he does is bring people socks as gifts. I get a sock every morning as a good morning gesture, and he presents everyone who comes out of a room at any time a sock. So, for example, if I go into the bathroom and then come out, I get a sock. If I go outside and come back in, I get a sock. If my kids enter or leave a room, go upstairs, or even walk from one room to another, they get a sock. Suffice to say, we have a lot of socks all over the place. In fact we have more mismatched socks than matched because he steals so many of them we just give up and buy new ones.
My dog has arthritis, and she is stiff a lot in the morning and night. She is about 11, and the vet mentioned a few years back she would likely develop it since she is a bigger breed. I give her CBD treats which seem to help a bit.
I’d say do a night in the kennel for her before you go out of town. If they offer daycare, you could even start with that. You don’t want her to get anxious or too freaked out if you just leave suddenly. If she can spend some time there, it will make her more comfortable with you leaving.
I think your dog may be scared of kids rather than not liking them. I say this because I have a very skittish dog, but he loves people. He is also very cute and attracts a lot of attention from kids. Kids freak him out, so we always have to introduce him slowly and calmly. I signed him up for a program at the local library to have kids read him books. I sit with him, and we read, and the kids listen. They give him treats, and he loves those kids now. Kids are often loud and don’t always respect boundaries, often because they don’t know them, which can intimidate dogs. I’d suggest training your pup and any kids that might visit on appropriate behavior. Of course, if the dog is aggressive and snarly, keeping him in a different place, like a bedroom or outside when you have kids over, may be best. Perhaps try to introduce them on neutral territory like the park so your dog doesn’t feel like the kids are invading his space.
Pumpkin dog cookies sound great! I’ve made some with a little cheddar cheese added in; my dogs just gobble those right up.
I would consider putting up a fence. Or one of those signs that says your yard is treated with chemicals or that you use reclaimed water. That might discourage it. And a fence will keep them out, though that’s a lot of work. But it might be worth it not to have poop in your yard all the time or have it out with the neighbors.
