Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

My dog wants to sniff everything.

Species: Dog
Breed: Miniature Schnauzer
Age: 6-12 months
I have miniature schnauzer who refuses to poop in “timely manner outside. I take him around 8am in the morning and he pees almost immediately….However. It takes more than 5 minutes of walking around the area in order for him to poo. He just stands around and walks sniffing the air if a gust of wind comes by (frequent right now) and sniffs the ground a lot. Him standing still in 20 degree weather sniffing the air and not pooing, is a major annoyance o me, since at that point I’m freezing. He does this also at night, even though I put enough time in between his bathroom breaks for him to digest his food. I know he has a powerful nose but it’s beginning to get annoying. Is there any way to curb his appetite to sniff so much??


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough question to answer!

It sounds like for Lex, sniffing is more exciting than having a bowel movement. It may help if you give him a really good reward as soon as he has a bowel movement. That way, he may be more eager to get that done first.

I really don't recommend any sort of punishment for the sniffing because then we are likely to create a situation where he we be afraid to go outside and then end up having bowel movements in secret (i.e. in the house).

One other thought - is he neutered? If not, having him neutered may make him less crazy about sniffing everything!

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Very sick kitten. Thursday 4/21 daughter rescued kitten from tomcat in my mom's backyard. Kitten... (20770 views)

Rabbit not moving. this morning she was fine, now she is laying lifeless, her belly is flat like she... (6548 views)

Swollen ear. My cats right inner ear just started turning like bruised, black & blue. Inner ear,... (12111 views)

Blood in puppy's poo. Hi Dr Marie. We have just bought an adorable little puppy from a farmer. Since we... (6474 views)

Crusty ears on stray cat. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. There is a small stray cat I... (11079 views)

Lab swallowed a shotgun shell. my 4 month old Lab pup swallowed a shotgun shell. What do you suggest i... (9903 views)

Is my Golden hypothryoid? We have tried every diet under the sun to get the last few kilo's off our doggie.... (8474 views)

White spot on eyelid. King (3 years old) as far back as I can remember has had a tiny area (1/8 inch) on... (28181 views)

Best ear cleaner? i would like to know which solution is better to use, oti-clens or... (6160 views)

Needs anal glands done again. I just took Chloe to the vet last weekend because she was skooting and her vet... (7961 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.