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...

Light sensitivity in older cat. Jack, 12 years old, was diagnosed with CKD 6months ago and is having Hills... (11054 views)

cat with trouble breathing I have a cat named Bunny, she is about 4 or 5 years old, she is a little over... (26232 views)

Cat having trouble urinating. I have a cat, a very lively talkative cat, who is displaying health problems. She... (7773 views)

Ketoconazole, Heartgard, Comfortis. Good morning. Well this is kind of a follow-up question on Poppi. I wrote to you on... (6594 views)

Cat peed on my bed. My neutered male cat has peed on my bed twice now. I've had him for almost a year... (8474 views)

Run over by car. we have a small part pomeranian dog, she old, but not sure how old. she was... (11669 views)

Very sick kitten. Thursday 4/21 daughter rescued kitten from tomcat in my mom's backyard. Kitten... (21412 views)

Dog skin allergies. My 4 year old English Setter ( house dog and hunter) recently came down with ear... (8902 views)

Not eating, losing weight. My cat is 12 years old and has recently shown a lack of appetite, weight loss and... (5700 views)

Vomiting due to virus? Hello Dr.Marie. Okay so my 14 year old cat smokey has been going threw some... (17744 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.