Pooping 4-5 times a day ok?

[Jenny and Cooper]

Hi everyone,

Cooper (15 week on Sunday) doesn't really have a problem but I just wanted to make sure I'm doing his potty training right.  He poops about 4-5 times a day, most of the time because I take him there to do it.  He is always on a leash when he goes potty.  Sometimes when I think he should go and he doesn't, I guide him back to the potty area again.  I might try this three times and if he doesn't go then we leave the area.

I guess my question is should I force him to go if he doesn't want to go?  It's not really "forcing", because that sounds horrible. lol.  I just tug on the leash and guide him back to his 3x5 gravel potty area.  Is he pooping too much?  He poops about every 4 hours.  Here is his poop schedule:

Wake up 5:30 a.m. - poop

Breakfast 6 a.m.

about 10 a.m. - poop

Lunch 11:20 p.m.

about 2 p.m. - poop

Dinner 5 p.m.

about 6:20 p.m. - poop

Sometimes about 9:30 - poop

When your doodle is considered potty trained in pooping, does that mean he goes in his own term?  If we take him there because it's time and he should go, is that bad? Is that almost like being a helicopter mom? LOL.  I'm just trying to set a schedule for him.  So far for the last few weeks, it's been great.  It helps a lot when we got the pooping schedule down because we would walk him right after and know that we don't need to pick up poop on our walk!

Sorry this turned out to be a long post.  Thanks for any advice!

[Jenny and Cooper]

BTW, he is on Orijen. His morning poops are always nice and firm.  Afternoon and evening poop usually starts off nice and firm but end with a softie, sometimes so soft there's hardly a form to it (but not runny).   Wondering if it's because he is pooping too much and his poop didn't get to form completely?  I was reading some posts from this group and read someone saying that a little soft after is ok.

[Nala and Cooper]

Wow this is exactly what Ive been dealing with recently. Im not feeding her Orijen but the pooping schedule and "evening softness" is the case here with Nala.. I have no idea what to make of it so Ill have to wait and see what others post!

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Yup this was Ripley, too. In fact at one year, the only poop he has eliminated from this schedule is the 6:30 poop. Now it's two in the am, a 2:30 and a before bed. And he is on a great food. I'm just destined to be a scooper, I guess :)