Update on Tessa's 'Poo Fervor'
It was a LONNNGGG winter & the yard was not always able to be scooped.
I started to notice some type of correlation with--the less I scooped, the less Tessa was eating poo.
I believe my removing the poo vigilantly was stressing Tessa out.
I do not know if it has to do with territory marking, or if she was trying to copy me cleaning the yard, like helping the mama dog keep the den clean???
At any rate--there was some type of correlation.
She went from a daily attempt at eating poo to being more relaxed & pooing if it poo was left there.
Once some poo was left in the yard, she stopped doing that 'withholding poo & only clipping off a partial turd' thing she was doing.
She also stopped hiding poo (as far as I know).
She went back to her normal eating habits.
This isn't to say the poo eating has stopped completely. I'd say it's down by 90%.
More than once this past winter, Tessa brought me frozen 'logs'...disgusting.
Once I did not see she had something in her mouth (night) & she dropped a frozen turd in my bed.
This lead to Tessa getting a breath test before I would let her inside.
I would lift one of her chops & give a sniff-if she wa clear I praised her & let her inside.
If I sniffed shit breath, I cringed/gagged, backed off & pushed her back outside.
I *really* think she understood the sniffing test--of all things--it wasn't my plan-but she *really* seemed to understand I did not like the smell & I disapproved... maybe because it mimicked dog sniffing behavior??? After just a few breath tests--if she ate poo, she'd back away-she knew I would disapprove.
If she was all clear she'd not react to the sniff test at all.
I think the long winter with many snows & multiple freezes & shit piling up in the yard helped. Stressed me out, but relaxed her.
it appears her territory is adequately marked now???
Also, I stopped the dog walker, it was only supposed to be temporary, when she hurt her leg.
My XBF was coming over daily during this time & giving her a time in the yard to pee & a chill on the sofa. .ie: light duty.
BUT--during that week the poo issue at lunch break got better immediately.
She was withholding poo for the walker--over several months, she had only poo'd for him maybe 5 times, he would have to walk her then bring her to the yard to poo, & mostly she'd not go.
This began when I started letting him take her outside of the yard & on a regular walk.
She would hold it til I got home from work!
She also stopped hating her collar pretty much immediately. I had told him a few times I felt he had it too tight, & I would have to readjust it every day for her evening walk--He said it was not too tight--but it was. This is also the same reason she destroyed her harnesses-he would tighten them way too tight-she was viewing the harness as a bad thing.
Tessa also goes into her crate for xbf without being bribed & never gives him a problem. NEVER once.
XBF has never owned a pooch in his life, no dog training experience. He just follows my instructions, cuz he has seen that every single solitary time I gave instructions to another person & they did not follow them--I KNEW--because Tessa's behavior was off.
I was worried at 1st, but everything started to click.
When the owner/trainer walked Tessa, he never had any issues, he loved her--said she was "perfect".
When the walker/apprentice walked her, Tessa was described as 'difficult'--she didn't seem to dislike him, but I believe she disliked his style & the fact that the collar or harness was too damn tight & he was uptight.
Kids in the neighborhood said sometimes he looked like he was having a hard time with her. He was a big boy--a good 6' 185lbs...
I tried to tell him Tessa was trained to sit when people or dogs approached, & if she postured, to put her in a sit until they were passed --but to allow her to watch them pass while maintaining control, but I guess he just did not understand. He felt her stopping was an issue. I think they did not understand each other. As a result, I think she did not enjoy the walks, & also wouldn't relax to poo???
However, she was pooing for xbf no problem, from day 1.
Of course Tessa adores XBF, he is her favorite person. XBF thinks that's very amusing.
