Is my dog the only dog who does this? HELP!

[Momily]

Since we moved Lyle has developed a new behavior that is driving me crazy.

Where we lived before was very urban, but our new neighborhood has lots of lush grass to walk on. Like many dogs, Lyle likes to kick the grass behind him after he poops. Unlike any other dog I've known however, he seems to miss quite frequently, sending the poop flying through the air. Once, when I was walking him he kicked it off the grass strip by the sidewalk and it flew onto someone's yard -- it was late at night and there were no lights on the yard and although I looked I couldn't find it to pick it up. I'm sure the owners were annoyed the next day. Another time, he kicked and it landed on me. Then yesterday he sent the turds flying and they landed on someone's car, thankfully on the tire and not the paint job, but still not cool.

Given that flying poop is not a great thing, I'd love a suggestion on how to handle this. I can pull him away, I guess, but I have to drag him by the collar because he doesn't seem to think he's done until he's done this.

[Oubliette8]

My dog does this too. Except she has feathering on her back feet and then she gets poop all smeared in her foot fur and I have to wash her feet as soon as we get home (and its really gross if she has to ride in the car afterward to get home!) I've tried encouraging her to move on immediately after pooping ("Thats enough, leave it, come on pup!") which she thankfully seems to get. Can you lure him away after wards. Maybe have a tasty treat to shove under his nose as soon as he's done pooping and lure him far enough away with it when he's done? Or as soon as he's finished, have something else REALLY exciting to do, like maybe pull out his favorite toy, or pretend you are mega excited about continuing your walk (as if its Christmas, what dog can't resist that?) Maybe then he'll forget to do it, or do it less?

[stardogs]

Oubliette has some great suggestions - giving the dog an alternate behavior to the kicking or just a distraction that lures them out of poop kicking range are the two big options I see as well. You could also consider teaching your dog to target your hand as part of the alternate behavior option - once they know how to target you can use that to guide the dog away from the poop vs always having to have a treat or toy on you.

[mattemma04]

My mini pin will *wipe his feet* after voiding. Never had the poop fly. I do watch and pull him (on leash) in a certain direction right after he finishes pooping so he will not step in his or the other dogs poop.

Lol flying poo. I would not walk your dog UNTIL he has pooped in your yard.Then walk him around.Better the poop hits the car in your own yard rather than a neighbors. I have a fenced yard they can run in,but got tired of poop all over so I leash them till they poop.If they don't poo they go back inside till the next potty break.

Pull him away then let him wipe his feet.