9 wk old maltese pup having trouble pooping

by Steve
(Kingsport, TN. USA)

Will play for 5 to 10 minutes and then tries to poop, sometimes it gets some out and sometimes it doesn't.

The poop is not a hard stool. The poop is not as big as it's sister. She walks in the position to poop like she is straining and sometimes she puts her head down like she is in pain but never whines.





Hi Steve
Constipation isn't terribly unusual in puppies, especially the smaller breeds.

It doesn't sound as though this little one is seriously constipated, but he's definitely having 'issues'.

The first thing to try with a constipated puppy is to increase the amount of water he's drinking. Too little fluid is one of the most common causes of canine constipation, especially in hot weather.

Some dogs do walk while pooping, it seems to be a 'habit' thing, and if they do it as pups they will likely always do it. But it's not generally a big problem.

If he continues to have difficulty even when he's drinking more water, I'd have your vet check him out to make sure that there's no physical problem - that's unlikely, but it's always best to check.

Hope this helps some. Best of luck.