Understanding your dog’s behavior is the first step towards preventing him from pooping in your home. It is possible that a puppy or new dog may not be able to recognize the right time and location for elimination. But if your house-trained pet suddenly poos inside, it is important to determine the cause, whether it be behavioral or medical. You could be experiencing a variety of reasons, including:
Insufficient house training (behavioral).
Separation anxiety (behavioral).
Inflammatory bowel Disease (medical).
Parasites or viruses (medical).
Muscle atrophy (medical).
Although pooping in the house is frustrating, it’s important to find the root cause. This is especially true if your dog is house-trained. Any new stressors that may be present to your pet should be considered and you should keep an eye on any changes in the behavior or health of your pet.
Why dogs pee in the house
Even though it may seem obvious, dogs don’t make distinctions between outside and inside when they choose a place to eliminate their waste. Dogs will only poop in the place they sleep, so it is important to contact your veterinarian immediately if your dog poos in his bed.
Training in the House is not Enough
Dogs and puppies are not familiar with your daily schedule, and may have to go outside to poop. Dogs will eliminate waste according to their eating habits. Dogs may poo more if they are introduced to new routines or new foods.
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety doesn’t have to be caused by an underlying medical condition. However, it affects dogs who are close to their owners. It is possible for your dog to feel severe separation anxiety when you go away. Your dog may start acting out, such as pooping all over the place, vocalizing, or becoming more destructive.
Parasites, Viral Infections
You may have a parasitic or viral infection that is causing your dog to soil the house. Your dog may experience diarrhea if his digestive tract becomes inflamed. He may also feel the need for bowel movements. Infections are more common in dogs younger than those with compromised immune systems.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
IBD, which is similar to parasites, can cause diarrhea in your dog. IBD occurs when the intestinal lining of your dog becomes inflamed. This can cause your dog to have difficulty digesting nutrients and may even prevent you from getting them to eat. IBD is not a temporary condition. It can become severe. It is unknown what causes IBD.
It is important to be patient when housetraining a puppy or older dog. It may take time for your dog to adjust to your and your schedule. To rule out possible medical conditions, it is a good idea to see your veterinarian if your dog suddenly starts to poo in your home.
House soiling behavior in house-trained dogs can be a problem. It is important to evaluate your dog’s stress level. You may need to ask yourself whether there have been any recent changes made in the dog’s schedule, walking and feeding times. The stressor in your dog’s life may be obvious, like a move to a new family member or subtle, like the fact that you work a bit later than normal. Retraining undesirable soiling behavior requires patience. Don’t yell at your dog or poke his eyes.
Adult dogs that suddenly stop using the toilet inside can have many causes.
Separation anxiety could also be a reason dogs may pee in the house. Dogs can’t predict when their actions will cause an upset.
Here are six things to do if your dog is going to the bathroom.
Schedule a Veterinary Exam
Kristen Collins, American Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty to Animals’ animal behaviorist, said that dogs reach their golden age around the age of seven to eight. At this time, you will notice a decline in energy, confusion and, occasionally, house-training issues. Collins says that a lot of it is related to some kind of physical issue. “If they are an older dog, they may have issues with house-training. Cognitive dysfunction is also a condition where they may forget.
A thorough vet exam can help determine if your pet is suffering from incontinence.
Determine what caused the Change
Amber Burckhalter is a certified dog behavior consultant. She owns the Atlanta-based canine daycare and training facility K-9 Coach. You might be surprised at the correlations between changes in lifestyle and the date of the accident. Small changes such as changing the type of food or when the dog is fed, even if they seem small, can have a significant impact on a dog’s health.
Chris Redenbach is a certified dog behavior consultant and owner at The Balanced Dog Academy in Tucker. “It helps keep diet and meals the same,” he says. You can make them self-regulatory, but if you alter their routine they will not be able to do the same amount of exercise.
Be aware of your emotions
The frustration of having to deal with a dog that poos all over the place is especially acute if they are an adult dog. However, it is important to be patient. Redenbach believes that anger only reinforces bad behavior.
Redenbach warns, “Reacting negatively is a sign she is still getting attention.” “She can understand why you are mad, but emotionality surrounding it can reinforce her anxiety and cause further distress.”
American Humane states that dogs should not be punished for accidents. Instead, go for a long walk with your dog to stimulate bowel movements. Don’t hurry the process, even if it’s at 1 a.m.
Burckhalter states that accidents are very common among geriatric dogs. It is possible that you will need to go back to basics when training your dog in house manners. The American Kennel Club suggests that you start by monitoring your dog’s water and food intake.
Collins says, “Pretend your dog is a puppy or a newly adopted dog.” You should take your dog out regularly and give rewards to the dog when they use the toilet in the correct place. While it might seem silly to reward your dog for their good behavior, it can be a great refresher.
You can make an indoor potty to house your dog
Collins suggests that you create an indoor area if you have the space. Collins says this is because dogs will often use the same spot to relieve themselves. You can cover the area with newspapers, puppy pads or, according to American Kennel Club, a litter box. Either get one for cats or a specific litter box for dogs. It simulates grass. This will make cleaning up easier.
If you want to encourage your dog to use the outside toilet, you can add some liner to his alfresco spot. The number of puppy pads will decrease over time.
Why is this happening?
Dogs that don’t spend enough time outside may become disoriented when they are allowed out. After spending most of their day inside, dogs will be eager to go outside to smell everything and play to burn off excess energy.
Dogs can easily get lost in all the sensory overload and excitement of moving their legs. Once they get back inside, they realize the urgency and have an accident immediately. This is common in dogs.
How to Deal with It
It should be a daily routine that your dog goes to the bathroom immediately after he is outside. Talking and interfacing with your dog while he goes potty is not a good idea. Let him just focus on exploring the yard. You should not play outside with your dog until he is potty trained. Take your puppy or dog outside when it’s quiet. If your puppy or dog is distracted by neighboring pets, please wait for them to come inside.
Your puppy should not be allowed to go potty without your permission. When your puppy goes potty, praise him gently (without interrupting him). Then reward him by spending some time outside exploring and playing in the yard.
