Morning Routine

I remember when Sid was just a puppy. We used to have to take him out like fifteen times a day and he'd still have accidents, frequently. He didn't get fully potty trained til like a year. He did, however, improve greatly after six months. Anyway, since his puppyhood, he has demonstrated excellent bowel control. I usually take him out twice in the morning. Once before he eats and once again afterwards. He usually takes advantage of both opportunities. There are times, however, that he fakes me out. I'll take him out because of the signal gives me. ( He puts his front two paws on the chair closest to the door - elevating the top portion of his body - when he wants to go out.) We trained him to do that so we wouldn't have to bend over to put his leash on. When he wants to go out is the key. He usually doesn't try to use this tool to his advantage and go out like ninety times a day. But sometimes, it happens when he wants to go out and not necessarily when he has to do the deed. It takes a trained eye to tell the difference. When I take him out and he does nothing, I get frustrated. Especially when he does the lingering thing when it's raining or otherwise precipitating.

Voice of Sid: Oh man, I had to take such a crap this morning. I was giving her the signal but she kept ignoring me. So I ran back into the living room and played around. Sometimes when my human takes me out to make my piles, I wait for a really long time 'til she gives up on me and wants to take me back inside. Sometimes I let her and sometimes I go as soon as I sense that she's getting mad at me. I fight at the door to stay out and she lets me have my last few moments that I use to poop. I especially love the way my human gets when I do this when it's freezing and/or raining out. She gets mad and she says: Inside! And I hop into the house, put my paws up on the chair, she takes off my leash and then I get a treat just for coming inside. My human is so well-trained. I am proud of her :P

Please do not read any further if you find fecal matter offensive!!!

Doodie Update: I've been feeding Sid less human food and more dry dog food in hopes of getting his GI tract back in shape. It's working. His outputs are more uniform and his segments are well-rounded instead of torn. Today's featured a very little taper piece. (That would be the last segment to exit his anus.) It looked like a large, lightly colored chocolate chip. Are you ready to dry heave? :)