my dog poops a ton!

[Minkness]

Dang it...I had a super long post for you then hit the back button instead if the enter button x.x

Sorry if this post isn't as nice...

1.Beniful is bad. Any food with lots if grains or byproduct will cause excessive waste, obesity, poor coat, poor health, ect. I feed the grain free Nurish by Rachel Ray and it's great for a good price and available at my walmart.

2. Free feeding is bad. More food means more waste as well, so you have too much bad food in your puppy's diet. Other than that, it can also lead to other behavioral issues. Beat way to feed a puppy is 2-3 meals a day and with an activity such as a slow bowl or a kong feeder that they have to push around to get the food. This helps with choking and bloat. Also, make sure that you feed the proper amount per day. This info is on the back of the package and goes by a weight scale.

3. Consistency is key. With a puppy, you want to get them out for a real walk 2-3 times a day. This isn't just for exersize, but for mental stimulus as well as digestive health. Try to keep the time as close to the same every day.

4. Crate training is an amazing way to help potty train your puppy. Be prepared to change the sizes however. The puppy should only have enough space to stand, turn, and lay down. They will not go where they sleep, but if the crate is bigger than the space they need to sleep, they will use it. For the first few months of crate training, the puppy should be in the crate whenever it is not otherwise occupied. So, if she's not walking, eating, or being played with, she should be in the crate. Time outside should also be limited. This trains her body, not just her mind, into the rhythm of when it's ok to go and when it isn't. Full crate training should be done for a minimum of 2 years to instill other positive behavioral habbits, but can be more relaxed after just a few months.

5. Now, I'm not against correcting a bad behavior with a physical touch, however, such corrections aren't needed and can be worse for the puppy. Corrections should be INSTANT and for a behavioral problem, not a physical one. So, biting, barking, pulling on the leash are good times to make a physical correction. But going on the floor isn't. It's either too late, or, you are trying to correct something the dog has no real control over. Not to mention it usually ends up with the dog just sneaking away to do it's business where you can't see it.

I have years of dog experience and am more than happy to help you and answer questions as best as I can. And yes, kn a budget. Not everything has to come as an expensive fix. The most important expense outside of vet care, should be the food you feed it. That's my opinion anyway. Also, stay away from things like rawhides and those rubbery chewbones meant for consumption like dentastix or whatever. While they do digest, they can leave a gummy film behind in the stomach and intestinal tract that may take years to cause complications. Working in a vet clinic for a while taught me ALOT about proper diet and habits. Beat chew product right now in my opinion are the Kong toys and the deer antlers. Soak them in some chicken broth and you got a very happy puppy chewing on the appropriate thing. =)

Sorry if I said some stuff you all ready know, just giving a 'fairly'basic over view of things that can add to digestive issues and such. And again, if you have questions I'm more than happy to answer them and chat with you. =)