Fussy pooper

[Jeanne, Tura and Dolly]

My oldest doodle, Tura has always been sloooowwww about getting around to her business. Has to smell everything and make sure everything is just right. Plus she likes it if I am there. We have a ramp on the side of the house that leads from the deck to a side yard. It used to be all grass with a small amount of gravel near a gate. I noticed she would not go at all on the grass. A trainer told me that poodles have sensitive feet, and maybe she doesn't like the feel of wet (I live near Seattle)grass. So I put in a large section of gravel for her. Now she goes off the end of the ramp about 2 inches to pee and poop. But only if I sit out in the rain with her and act casual. best if I actually sit down. No getting impatient or she will just turn around and come back into the house. Do you have a fussy pooper?

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

YES! Cooper has to sniff, feel the wind in her fur, decide which of her 2 spots she wants to use, turn around several times, and walk while she poops. She looks at me as shes doing it waiting for "good girl". Quite often she will have to play some fetch first, to get her bowels moving - even first thing in the morning when shes crying to go out potty.

[Connie & Bocelli]

Oh can I relate to this!  Bo apparently is no alone in the fussy pooping department!  It is SO frustrating, especially since he refuses to go pee or poop unless I'm right there with him.  I live in Illinois so I can HARDLY wait until winter when I'm freezing my ass off waiting for Mr. Slow Poke to do his thing!!!

I guess this must be a Doodle thing because any other dog I've had never had this problem.  It was in and out and done.  Not Bo, it's sniff sniff, eat some grass, sniff some more, eat more grass, let the wind blow in his hair, eat more grass, sniff sniff...well, you get the picture.  MAYBE 10 minutes later he's finally found a spot to do his thing.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned likes privacy with no distractions.  He does not like to be on a leash for a potty walk.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I have one that circles about 50 times before he poops and another one who paces up and down for several minutes before he decides it's okay to go.  All conditions and smells have to be just perfect for a Doodle to decide it's okay to "go".

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Thank goodness NO, our old dog would not poop within 3 blocks of our home. We trained Daisy right outside the back door and she now has expanded it to the front yard. She is like clock work. 7am, 6pm and then again at 10 right before bed.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Chloe could do this all the time. Myla will go right on schedule practically on command.

[Bev and Tess]

Our Tess usually pees pretty quickly, but when she needs to poop, and it seems to be URGENT....she still has to find just the right spot. She is frantic looking for the perfect place, like she might just go in the wrong place.....how can there be a wrong place?