I need help figuring out a feeding schedule that will allow us to sleep at least until 6:00! We adopted our 2 year old Zach two months ago. He is totally housebroken. I feed him around 7 am and again around 4:00. He poops three times a day, the first being at 4 in the morning. Then again on his walk around 10 and again sometime in the evening between 7 and 9. I have tried giving him his evening meal later and having his last poop of day later, but that doesn't work. Any ideas? Maybe earlier on the second meal? I'm feeding him Purina Pro Plan for sensitive stomachs.
Was an outside dog before that could just go when he liked? Does he go back to sleep once he's toileted? I'm not sure I'd want to feed him any earlier than 4 but some people only feed their dogs once a day. If it were me I'd ask him to wait just a little longer each night until I had him to at least 6. You may need to try and preempt him to start with to avoid him getting noisy.
I don't know much about his background. He was picked up as a stray and lab rescue took him. He really has to go when he wakes us up. He's done in a few minutes and then goes back to sleep til about 6 or sometimes even 6:30. He's a great dog, but also won't go out on his own. He needs one of us to take him. He will never go out alone.
Mine won't go out on their own either and I have no excuse for that You may want to speak with your vet to check there's no underlying medical issue. I would expect both of mine to poo between dinner and bedtime.
Hi and welcome from Hattie 8 years and our rescue boy Charlie 5 years. Zach really looks gorgeous and good for you taking on a rescue Maybe when he settles in he will go outside on his own he just maybe lacks a little confidence. Charlie sometimes poos between dinner and bedtime but Hattie doesn't and won't go until her walk the next day. Good luck with Zach x
I found with some of the foster dogs I've had they were in the habit of needing to go around 3/4am. It took a few weeks to change their timings. I feed Harley (my dog) at 7/8am then at 7pm. I done the same with foster dogs and found they started to go outside around 10/11pm then didn't need to go again until about 7am. I wouldn't go any earlier for meal times as he may start waking even earlier wanting food. It will take him a while to settle in and get used to your routines, change times over a period of time.
