Nick-Nick is in deep trouble tonight. (Long rant on wayward dog).

[DemoTex]

First, I get up this morning and spy a little dry turd on the oriental rug in the dining room. "Thank goodness," think I, "easy cleanup." Then I noticed a small area rug on the big rug. I picked it up to find a horribly slimy pile of feces beneath that rug. The little devil had covered up his shit! In doing so, two rugs got soiled (thank god for "Nature's Miracle).

Later in the morning, I went down to the garden to weed and apply some 10-10-10 fertilizer. After about two hours of hoeing (yep, I'm a hoe-er), I heard a lot of barking up at the house, where I had left Sirius and Nick-Nick on the screen porch. I walked out of the garden for a better look at what was going on. I then saw three dogs run out of the porch, playing. Ah, the neighbor's dog from way down the road was visiting.

I called my neighbor. "Vega is up here," I said. "I know," she said, "Nick-Nick came down and got him."

Neighbor needed to drive to Asheville today, so we decided it would be good to let Vega spend the day with his pals at my place.

They had a great time. Even old Sirius got out and rumbled a time or two. Nick-Nick and Vega disappeared a couple of times, only to return drenching wet from a romp under my waterfall.

Around 5pm Nick-Nick and Vega disappeared again. Creek? Vega's house a quarter mile away? After 45 minutes, I blew the police whistle. Nick-Nick knows that coming to that whistle gets him liver treats. No Nick-Nick. I blew the whistle at 6 pm, no Nick-Nick.

At 6:30, Sirius started barking. I heard a car coming up my long driveway. I walked out on the deck. It was neighbor, with Vega in her car! About the same time I heard a crashing in the woods behind the house. Out streaked Nick-Nick (fastest dog this side of Ebro).

Neighbor said she encountered these two hellions on our main gravel road, near our community lake, which is about 1.5 miles from here. Said hellions were outbound on the inbound road. Her dog, Vega, jumped into the car with her. Nick-Nick refused the ride (I always tell him about accepting rides with strangers). Neighbor said that Nick-Nick paced her 15-20 mph (20 is the max due to the blind curves on our roads) until directly behind my property, where he peeled off down the ridge, past the rock outcroppings and bat-caves, and through the woods. Thus Nick-Nick pulled up at the same time neighbor did.

Two big issues here: 1. Pooping in the house. Forth time in five days. I may need to take him to a vet (in fact his shots are due in June). It's always runny, with lots of mucous. 2. Roaming. He is a roamer. Maybe he eats sushi on his roams. Both problems have gotten bad in the last week or so. I got him at the Dallas SPCA on Bastille Day, last (7/14/03). He is a wonderful, lovable dog. I am afraid he is becoming UN-house-broken, and worse, might end up as dinner for the panther that scared him so badly eight months ago.

[Lisa]

1. he actually pulled a rug over top of his mess?

Nasty for you to have to clean up -- but I have to admit, I'm impressed. I'm used to dealing with my landlord's elderly cats who just walk away afterwards and pretend they had nothing to do with it. Is Sirius the one you trained to do his business on Dick Cheney's lawn?

[DemoTex]

3. Yep. Sirius was the one the SS hated in the late 2000 days.

He always pooped in Cheney's yard.

[fairfaxvadem]

2. Runny & mucous, not good....

Had the same problem w/one sweet old cat, but instead of it being what he ate outdoors, it was what I had given him. (he cannot digest tuna, period). Anyhow, he had some freak alien count in his feces that blew the vet away. Had to get him meds, the whole she-bang. No problem since I have kept him on a strict "no tuna" diet.

I'll bet anything that he is eating something he likes that doesn't like him.

I don't know how you keep him from roaming though. Sounds like a pretty cool place to be a free 'n easy doggie....

Get to the vet's, though.

[DemoTex]

4. It is a big problem!

We move into our downtown flat in Greenville, SC, next week. Needless to say, Nick-Nick is on the porch tonight.

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. Take him to the vet.

If it were just pooping in the house, I might think it's a behavior issue. The runny and mucous part sounds like a medical or dietary problem. Best to have him checked out.

The roaming I am not sure about, only am familiar with city dogs who are kept in yards.

[havocmom]

6. See if the little miscreant will eat some yogurt

Get the good stuff with lots of active cultures. A wee bit at a time might be good. If he is not totally lactose intolerant (some dogs can do milk products, some cannot) give him a bit throughout the day. Might be he is getting into bad shit (possibly, literally) out there in the woods. The culture in the yogurt can help get the flora and fauna in his gut back to rights.

I have also had luck with Pepto for dogs with tummy issues when not able to get to vet pronto (ah, life out in the country... have done improvised sutures too, but it's a different story) One of those syringe type medicine devices for babies is really good to have on hand for dogs, but if nothing else, tie the little rascal up, stuff a funnel in his mouth and pour the pink goop in. (kidding, I am kidding about the funnel).

Also, might be a good plan to roll up valuable rugs until his problem gets better.

[DemoTex]

7. The vet will be the first order on Monday.

Again, I love that little rascal. I'll save his life. Again.