Katrina: Why my dog pees and poops in the house when no one is watching?
I adopted a 2-year-old "completely house trained" dog 2 months ago. He is crate trained and is in the crate whenever we are not home. I let him sleep in the bed at night, and he used to be perfectly fine, but now he has gotten into the habit of pooping on the floor in the middle of the night when no one is watching him. And then if I'm watching a movie and not keeping a direct eye on him, he will go and pee somewhere. If we are watching, then he won't do this. How do I train him to be OUT OF HIS KENNEL at night and not go to the bathroom in the house?
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Answers and Views:
Answer by Morgan F
Sometimes dogs do these things to get attention even if they have a lot already. or there could be something medically wrong or he found a spot he really likes and just keeps doing it.
Answer by Roni
I'm so happy to see I'm not the only owner having issues when they leave their spoiled rotten little doggie alone for what the dog decides is just too long. My little guy is pad trained but I know for a fact that if I stay gone for more than a few hours that he will poop on the floor instead of his fresh laid out pads. I hate the thought of crating him while I'm gone but it's getting a little ridiculous especially because he knows it's wrong and he's doing it on purpose. There are all those nay-sayers who say dogs don't "revenge" poop but they haven't wrangled with my spoiled little guy. I'm sure he has anxiety about being left alone for too long but I can't even be gone for more than 3 hrs without him taking his revenge poop. He is lucky I'm currently disabled and am not gone at work for over 8 hrs a day. I live in an apt so I really don't want to crate him when I'm going to be gone for over 3 hrs it just feels like I'm putting him in prison BEFORE he does something wrong.
Answer by ScottieDog
Is he neutered? I've found unneutered males will urine mark in unfamiliar surroundings. Since he is still new to your home this could be a concern.
The key here is that he is having inappropriate elimination when he isn't being watched. Crate him when you can't give him your attention. You are sleeping--crate him. You are watching a movie, try using the umbilical leash method. Put him on his leash (6 foot or so) and tie the other end to your belt loop. If he wanders off to pee or poo, grab him and rush him outside. You need to restart his house training from step one. Take him out every one to two hours and do not let him have an ability or chance to go in the house. I suspect that is won't take more than 2 or 3 weeks to get him back on track. And make him earn his way out of his kennel. Again, a few weeks of diligence will give you a lifetime of rewards.
Also, make sure you are cleaning his pee and poo spots with an enzyme cleaner such as Nature's Miracle or Simple Solution. If he is still smelling where he went, he is more prone to repeat.
Note, I'm not giving you a neuter lecture, just saying this could be a factor.
One more thing, if he is pooping at night, try altering his feeding schedule so that he will poop in the daytime. Scheduled feedings equal scheduled poops. You didn't mention if you free-feed, so this can also affect when a dog poos.
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Answer by loopy
in the past, the dog has been told off for toileting inside and so hides when he is doing it, he is still unsure whether to trust and so would rather do that than in front of you if he can than face being told off for doing the toilet.
The timing of his feeds means he needs during the night. He is scent marking since he is not the only dog.
Clean anywhere he has toileted in the house with a biological cleaner.
Change his feeding time to the last thing at night, just before bed, so he needs during the day.
Take him for a 30 min walk in the morning before leaving, then put him in his kennel with a stuffed Kong toy. Someone needs to let him out in the afternoon and walk him for 20 mins plus then back in the crate. Same at tea-time, another 20-30 mins. By now he should be happy to just sleep when you are watching a film (shut the door so he is closed in will also help) You need to check and see if he can go a size down in his crate, there shouldn't be room for him to poop without lying in it, and they don't usually want to do that. Continue with the walk last thing at night too.
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ANY time he poops or does a pee outdoors, give him TONS of praise and play with him. This is to reinforce that what he is doing is great, when its outdoors, as when he does it indoors you will ignore him for 5 mins. He will over the next three weeks make the connection and the routine will also play a big part as he will get used to 'going' at those times, which means he will need when he is going outdoors anyway.
Answer by Gabriela
that's normal my dog does that all the time all what needs to happen is the dog needs to get trained
Know better? Give your own answer to this question!
Melissa says
We got a 1.6 month old Frenchie. He HATES walks but I take him out 2x in the morning before being fed breakfast at 7 am & then take him out again. As soon as I turn my back (to grab coffee or w/e) he pees. He doesn’t do this w/my friend who co-owns him. Just me. As soon as I turn my back, he pees, even though he had just urinated outside. WHY & what can I do? He is crate trained but don’t want to put him in there just b/c I’m getting coffee.
Steve P. says
Actually, you shouldn’t have taken him before the puppy is 2-2,5 months old! The puppy is too small and it’s normal for him to pee at home. He should also have all the shots done before you can take him out, especially if you live in an apartment. For small puppies like him, people usually use puppy pads. Don’t demand too much from him at this age. You can continue to housebreak him but please be cautious and patient.
Tiffany Myers says
My dog knows how to open the back sliding door so once he’s in the house the back door is wide open and he pee’s in the house in random places then he runs to his crate. I’m mean hello he clearly can go outside.
romina says
I know what you are talking about…
I adopted a 2yr Yorkie 2 months ago… If we are home everything runs PERFECT and she doesn't do anything wrong . I walk her in the morning and she goes potty there, but as soon as she is alone (it doesn't matter if it is for 20 mins or 5 hrs) she pees 3 or 4 times and poops at least 1 or 2 again!!!! even she hasn't eaten anything buy that time. I don't get it… then I feed her at 5pm walk her again and she doesn't go. Finally before bed I take her to the backyard before bed time and the night is always perfect.
I know is not a health issue because on weekends she doesn't do it because we are there and she only goes when we walk her or the backyard.
Don't know what to do… the problem is only when she is alone :( HELP!
Angie S says
If he always poops/pees in the same room or spot, try to start feeding him there. Dogs wont poop or pee where they eat. Also try to avoid feeding him after 6 pm and if at all possible not letting him drink after 7 pm. Also make sure you clean the spots very well. Especially if he is a boy, sometimes they like their scent at will continue to pee by where they have peed before. Also some dogs pee or poop when their owners are gone in an attempt of "revenge" for leaving him. My dog has never been able to be left out when were gone for this reason. After a while he learned to like going in the crate especially if he gets a treat, so I don't feel so bad. But Good Luck!!
Ron says
I always heard dogs won't pee or poop where they sleep or eat. Unfortunately that is incorrect when it comes to our 1 year old yorkie. He's fine during the day, but at night he sleeps in the kitchen area where his food is. We leave out one pad which he pees on over night. But sometimes, even though we walk the block before bedtime, he will poop on the floor overnight. this morning he even had a few small poops in his bed.
Don't know what to do!
Javier Ramos says
You are giving him too much freedom. Yorkie’s are small and he is only 1 year old. He shouldn’t hold it in for more than 6 hours. Get him a crate (that is only big enough for him to lay and adjust in (no extra space). He should be able to fully stand on all fours without bending his neck awkwardly. Start him off by leaving him in there for an hour at a time, then after a few days increase to two, then three, and so on. Because he is a smaller breed, you are looking at a MINIMUM of 4-5 potty breaks daily. For any puppy or dog I have trained (small-medium breed), I have used the general schedule (give or take an hour depending on how lazy we are) of 6ish am, 12ish pm, 5ish pm, 11ish pm, AT MINIMUM. If you can do something like 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 11pm, you will be in the clear 98% of the time. Remember, lots of praise and yummy snacks when they potty outside and bring them to the same spot everyday. Do not reprimand if they potty inside and you do not catch them in the act. If you do catch them, screech, say “no” loudly, or (some would consider this mean) spray bottle. They should go out to their spot immediately, then continue the schedule thereafter. Good luck with potty training!