Puppy has a dirty bum

hayley11

We've had our cavalier king charles for 3 months now (he's 5 months) and we've pretty much always had to wipe his bum after he has a poop, we didn't at first but then he would get it on the floor, sofa etc. Sometimes it's clean and then sometimes it's disgusting and we have to get a bowl of water and clean it with a cloth.

If I mention this to friends/family they think i'm mad for doing it, somebody even said it was borderline abuse, which I think was way over the top, if I don't do it, he gets it everywhere, what else can I do?

My mum has a cavalier the same age as mine and she doesn't have to wipe her bum at all so I don't understand why we do!

Does anybody have a solution so I don't have to keep doing this? Is it maybe because the fur around his bum is a bit long?

Thanks

olias

Two things. Trim the hair around his bum regularly and feed him a brand of dog food that produces firmer stools. We have just changed our Lab on to Wainwrights and his stools are now dryer and firmer rather than wet and squishy as they were with his previous food.

Olias

hayley11

Thanks His stools are generally quite firm, now and again they're not and that's when it's quite messy. I've just stocked up on James Wellbeloved food so can't change him quite a while.

I thnk i'll take him somewhere to get groomed, there's no way i'd trust myself with a pair of scissors, he wriggles too much.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

All the above, plus don't ever talk to the moron that wailed abuse ever again.

pruney

I'd second getting him to a groomers. I've got a puppy at the moment who requires regular grooming and she always was a bit of a wiggler for me. I took her for her first grooming appointment when she was about 13 weeks so she wouldn't be scared when she went in future and now she just sits there when I groom her! I didn't expect that at all but what a godsend and it's given my confidence in grooming her a boost. I have a cavalier as well and they do like to drag their bums along the floor sometimes after being outside. Does she walk back and forth for bl00dy ages as well before pooping? Mine does and then if we're out on a walk and someone distracts her, she then has to find another spot and start the pacing all over again - not nice when it's snowing, brrrr!

hayley11

pruney wrote: »

I'd second getting him to a groomers. I've got a puppy at the moment who requires regular grooming and she always was a bit of a wiggler for me. I took her for her first grooming appointment when she was about 13 weeks so she wouldn't be scared when she went in future and now she just sits there when I groom her! I didn't expect that at all but what a godsend and it's given my confidence in grooming her a boost. I have a cavalier as well and they do like to drag their bums along the floor sometimes after being outside. Does she walk back and forth for bl00dy ages as well before pooping? Mine does and then if we're out on a walk and someone distracts her, she then has to find another spot and start the pacing all over again - not nice when it's snowing, brrrr!

Yeah he does pace back and forth before he goes, he's quite good though and doesn't ask to go outside until he really needs to go so unless he's being a monkey and messing, he goes pretty quick. He won't go while we're out for a walk, not even a wee, he'll only go in the back yard.

Will definitely get him to the groomers. He could do with his nails clipping as well.

Errata

He may well start doing a wee when he's out walking once his gents hormones kick in. Actually, if he's anything like my lad he'll be leaving a wee-mail every ten yards ! Is there something that he eats only occasionally - perhaps a different treat - that makes him do cow pats and get a mucky bum ?

hayley11

Errata wrote: »

He may well start doing a wee when he's out walking once his gents hormones kick in. Actually, if he's anything like my lad he'll be leaving a wee-mail every ten yards ! Is there something that he eats only occasionally - perhaps a different treat - that makes him do cow pats and get a mucky bum ?

I don't know really, he eats most of the same things, same food, same treats. I don't know why sometimes it's really messy and sometimes not. He is a destructive little monkey though and will eat anything he can get hold of so I guess that will affect it. He brought a slug in the other day, I nearly took it out of his mouth but luckily he dropped it first, I don't do slugs!! :rotfl:

My cousins Lab is just like that, I couldn't believe how much he peed while we were out! Paddy squats rather than lifting his leg up so he'd do my head in if he weed that much!! :rotfl:

Do little dogs start lifting their leg up to pee or will he always squat do you think?

Errata

Dogs usually start lifting their legs when their gents hormones kick in, but squat to wee until that happens. My lad didn't regularly lift his leg until he was about 12 months, but it usually happens around 6 months. I swear he can do 10 wee-mails during a 20 minute walk, although the last few are not much more than drips !
When he wees in the garden he just does a sumo squat

If the pup is chewing and swallowing all sorts of things, that may be the cause of his cow pats. Did you mention it to the vet when he had his jabs ?

vicx

hayley11 wrote: »

Does anybody have a solution so I don't have to keep doing this? Is it maybe because the fur around his bum is a bit long?

Thanks

Hi, I too have a King Charles, she has long fur but gets groomed every 4 month. Now and again she will have a dirty bum so I have to keep trimming the fur around her bum every few weeks. My yorkshire terrier is the same.

I bought a pair of dog grooming scissors off Ebay. They were only a few pound. They have the blunted end and are really handy for cutting inbetween grooming appointments as their hair grows so quick! I trim their claws myself and cut the fur between their pads and around their bum to keep them clean. They don't like it and try to run away but it has to be done

pruney wrote: »

I have a cavalier as well and they do like to drag their bums along the floor sometimes after being outside.

My dog drags her bum along the floor every now and again. They do this when they need their anal glands emptied. Not a pleasant thing to do yourself so I always get the dog groomer to empty my dogs anal glands.

catlou

Errata wrote: »

When he wees in the garden he just does a sumo squat

That made me laugh I thought it was just my boy that did that :eek:
He's now 15 months old but seems to save lifting his leg up to wee for when he's out and about to look manly but in the back garden he does the laziest semi squat wees.....as if this will do - no other dogs can see me now...............:rotfl: :rotfl:

We had him neutered at 6 months - not sure it that's made him less manly!!

hayley11: Maybe he is eating something that he shouldn't which is making it like that? seen as you are feeding him good quality food etc? I have to wipe mine's bum now and again as sometimes bits get stuck in his fur I use fragrance free "value" baby wipes they do the job quite well!