Stress poops and stressed out dogs

[jenn D]

We have 13 days left of our "little" backyard remodel. The doodles are all stressed out. The watery stress poops started yesterday. Their behavior is showing anxiousness and they are not settled at all. Heck my son who is 5 is acting out too. He cried when the workmen took down an old gate! Any tips to get through the next 2 weeks? These dogs are stressed out terribly and the works only begun. Should I just resign myself to puddles of poo for now or is there anything I can help with stress poop? Also, all 3 dogs are extremely affectionate, wanting to sit by (on) me, or laying against my feet or being a 3 headed shadow following me. I've never had such emotional dogs before. I feel bad for these guys but I figure their sensitivity is why they are so into our emotional needs. How can I help them?
P.S., I have a 54 lb lapdog, Jake laying on me right now but staring at the back door in anticipation and wondering when "those disruptive men" will come back today.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

awww, poor guys and son! hopefully they will get used to the workers and settle in.  Maybe some pumpkin or sweet potatoes in their food to help firm up?  

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Awwww...I can only imagine what you are going through ! We've had guys here, just the last two days....3 installing some wood flooring inside, and endless groups of guys installing a ground solar system outside. Poor Enz doesn't know where to turn first. She has to be leashed both indoors and out and the noise is disrupting her snoozes. She too is like glue to me...but it might have something to do with the leash ;). The guys putting down the floor, love her and insist I can let her run loose in the house. I showed them the consequences......took less than 30 sec for her to attempt a lap crawl.
We're hoping to have at least the interior done by tomorrow...can't imagine 2 weeks of this! Sending lots of luck!

[jenn D]

Ro, we will be remodeling buds! At least it's not in our house. That's gotta be rough!

[Pam Thomas]

love lap crawl-and you don't know they are there until they are all comfy

[F, Calla & Luca]

Maybe you could introduce them to the men and that might help. I don't advise giving Imodium usually because you should know what you are treating. But you do. I have safely given this to my dogs. Ask your vet.

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

I was going to suggest the same thing.  Maybe you could take them out once a day to the workers with a treat of ice tea or something to give the guys a break long enough that PB&J see what is going on and that you accept these guys in your space.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

PB& J probably think the world is coming to an end and everyone at your house is in terrible danger. Dogs like for everything to be where they think it should be, and now, not only is everything in the yard NOT at all that way, but there are strangers invading their territory and lots of noise and chaos. 

You might try giving them some canned pumpkin or mashed sweet potatoes with their meals to help firm up their stool. Otherwise, maybe as days go by and they see that no harm has come to anyone at your house, they'll start to relax. :)

[jenn D]

Ahh,Jake just pooped yucky stuff in the middle of the den. :(

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

:(

Is it possible that all the excavating in the yard turned up something that made them all sick? 

[jenn D]

It's possible, but I don't think so, I've been watching them very closely. Still you know how quick these guys can snatch things up. Jake is the most nervous of the bunch when it comes to people doing stuff in the backyard. After his potty accident, I leashed him and walked him all over our property and let him sniff each of the workers. I really seemed to settle him down a lot. I then did it with each of the other dogs and it settled them down. I might have to do this every day while construction is happening.

Giving some pumpkin tonight.

[Emily, Bentley, & Maserati]

I hope they are able to relax better after a day or so once the workers become more "routine" for them. Hang in there, it will all be worth it once the yard is finished!

[Sally S Miles]

I feel your pain - hope the pack settles down and relaxes a  bit for you.   This can't be fun, but you can see the big picture and they are in the dark.  The routine has a lot of impact on these dogs, stress tummy - pumpkin or yogurt popsicles?

We are having a bathroom remodeled - oh boy, the exuberance from our happy doodle is out of hand -  the dogs just want to play. Selective hearing has been fully activated.

When I call in the tree guys to come out to remove some huge trees,  it's going to be a very tough/noisy couple of days.