Tired of Midnight Messes? Tips to Prevent Your Dog from Pooping in the House
Has your dog started to make a mess at night? Learn how to stop dog pooping at night. We’ll share our best training tips!
So, you may wonder what exactly does it mean and why does it happen. Here, in this guide, I am going to tell you the reason why my dog poops in the house at night and what we can do about it. In this guide, you will get to know how to stop a dog from pooping in the house at night.
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It can be irritating and overwhelming when any dog, even the well-trained ones, poops in the house in the middle of late at night. You might want to get rid of this behavior, but before you start scratching your head, let’s learn about the possible causes of why my dog poops in the house at night and what you can do to stop it.
Why does my dog poop in the house at night?
A dog may start pooping in the house at night due to a poor diet, routine change, a change in their diet, or any medical issue.
Why has my dog started pooping in the house at night?
There could be many reasons why your dog has started pooping in the house at night. Some of the reasons are just for the nighttime elimination, which can be reversed, and some can also be contained. However, some will have just to be accepted as it is. You will notice all of it comes down to an underlying cause.
Always remember that none of these is your dog’s fault or your fault. Your dog never desires or wants to upset you or offend you. We should do our best to stay composed and not shout at our dog for such behavior.
There could be many reasons behind this kind of behavior related to medical causes and behavioral causes. Here, we have divided all the reasons why your dog poops in the house at night into two categories – the first one is Behaviour Reasons, and the second category is Medical Reasons.
Behavioral Reasons
Not Fully Trained
If your dog has not been fully trained or house trained adequately, then this could be the primary reason why your dog has started pooping in the house at night all of a sudden. This issue can easily be advertised by training your dog correctly or getting them a good pet trainer.
But preparing an adult dog can be a tough job for you which is why we are recommending you this program where you will learn all the best & easy methods to train your dog not to potty inside your house at night. This is one of the best programs to teach your dog potty training.
Anxiety, Depression, And Stress
Anything could lead your dog to be stressed out or depressed. If your dog has been stressed out or feeling anxiety, which could be anything, they may start pooping in the house late at night. Separation anxiety has been seen as the primary reason behind this kind of behavior.
Little Or No Breaks Throughout The Day
Giving your dog little to no break throughout the day will lead them to poop at night in the house. If your dog did not have time to pee or poop throughout the day, it could lead your dog to start pooping in the house late at night while you are sleeping.
Communication Problem
If you and your dog have trouble communicating, then it can also be why your dog has started pooping in the house all of a sudden. This problem should disappear automatically in a few weeks once your dog starts feeling comfortable with you. This kind of behavior and the cause has often been seen with new dogs and fellows.
Medical Reasons
Joint Issues
A dog can feel reluctant to go outside at night due to joint issues. If you have a large dog breed or any dog getting older, then common problems could lead them to poop in the house at night.
Most large dog breeds, mainly German Shepherds, Akita, and other dogs are prone to joint issues like Arthritis and Hip Dysplasia. This kind of ailment can make them feel pain with age when they move, resulting in them being more reluctant to go outside at night.
Diarrhea or Food Intolerance
Take your dog to your nearby vet office and get them checked out. If your dog has been suffering from diarrhea or has a food intolerance, it could lead them to poop in the house at night to relieve themselves. The veterinarian should administer this kind of cause.
Other Issues
Your dog can also start pooping in the house at night due to other health-related issues. The first thing that you want to do is to take a quick look at their stools. Then, the second thing you should do is check their stomach and examine if their belly is inflamed or normal. If you notice any of these signs, then your dog may have one of these sensitive issues.
- Parasites
- Viral infections
- Allergy
- Kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Bowel cancer
- Bladder stones
How to stop dog pooping at night? 5 Tips
The very first thing that you should do is house-train your dog. If you got a new puppy, then here are a few things that you need to do.
Potty training must be taught to any puppy if you want to prevent this kind of behavior
1. Train Or Retrain Your Dog
If your dog has already been appropriately trained but still pooping in the house at night, then before you start working or training your dog not to poop in the house, make sure to determine why it is happening.
You should find the primary cause. If you have recently adopted a new adult dog in your home, check if they were rescued or sheltered.
There is a chance that your dog may not have been trained not to poop in the house at all. At that moment, you will have to consider training an adult dog who has never been shown the ropes all over again.
Training an adult dog could be challenging, and it is always recommended to hire a good trainer. If you don’t want to hire a pet trainer, you can also take the help of this guide.
There are a few instances where some small puppies and dogs, especially lapdogs, are even trained to poop indoors. If this is the case, you might have to get a good puppy pad or a newspaper. Whether you decide to make your dog poop in or out of your house, it is essential to determine what potty training method would be suitable for your needs.
Indeed, you will need to teach your puppy or dog a new bathroom habit. Other than that, if you have just adopted a new dog, your dog may have been experiencing anxiety about the change in the environment and surroundings.
2. Work On Their Anxiety
There are lots of tips and rules that can help you reduce your dog’s anxiety. Reducing your newly adopted dog’s anxiety level will help you control and train your dog not to poop in the house. You should also allow them to roam outside and give them plenty of opportunities to poop outdoors.
3. Vet Visit
I would recommend you rule out a medical condition because a dog can also start pooping in the house due to medical causes. If you notice your dog pooping in the house suddenly, there could be a medical cause.
You should first examine their poop and belly. If you notice their stools being too loose or having parasites, then get them to your nearest veterinarian’s office. Other than that, if you see your dog’s stomach inflamed, then get them to the veterinarian soon.
4. Diet Change
If you have made any change to their diet, it could cause a change in your dog’s behavior it could cause your dog to poop in the house. It would help if you considered feeding your dog the best quality food possible.
5. Altering Habit
If your dog has been pooping in the house continuously for months, it has become a habit. If you want to alter your dog’s habit, you might have to teach them a new habit. It would help if you started defining tasks. Make your dog aware of the designated spot in your yard or somewhere where they’re allowed to poop.
Other than that, make your dog go outdoors, spend time, and allow them some breaks. It would help if you considered walking your dog and exercising them properly. Walking in the morning and evening always works with this kind of behavior.
How to stop dog from pooping at night: 3 Ways!
You should also schedule their time so that you can have a good idea when your dog wants or needs to poop so that you can appropriately direct them to the right spot.
The first thing you must do is keep your dog in the area of your house where they have not made any accidental poops. Different methods can be used, like the tether method or crate training method.
You can also use a crate to confine them in your home so that they won’t have any opportunity or chance to make an accident or reinforces their pooping habit in the house at night.
Here, we will talk about three different methods: The Tether Training Method, The Great Training Method, and The Reduce Anxiety Method. But before that, it is imperative to choose the right spot where your dog can poop. Creating a designated area outside where you can direct your dog without confusing them where to go bathroom will lead to a rewarding result.
If you want to train your dog perfectly, lots of treats will be required to reward your dog with appropriate bathroom habits. There are few methods to help you out training your dog not to poop in the house without getting a pet trainer
The Tether Training Method
The Tether Training Method is one of the most used methods to train a dog not to poop in the house at night.
1. Get a Tether or Lease
It is essential to choose a good-quality leash for your dog. Put your dog on a short leash with a length of less than 6 feet long.
2. Tether Your Dog
Now, whenever you and your dog are in the room, you can always tether your dog to your belt or waist. Alternatively, you can also put hooks on door jambs or baseboards to tether your dogs to those. Most dogs usually do not poop when they are in a confined area or roped to you. If they are likely to poop, you will immediately notice.
3. Breaks / Bathroom opportunity
It is essential to give your dog their moment and time to have the opportunity to go to the bathroom. It is necessary to take your dog regularly outside. If you see them sniffing around anywhere, it is also an indication that they might need to go to the bathroom. Allowing them some breaks and opportunities to go to the bathroom will have them head towards the designated area outside if appropriately trained.
4. Reward & Walk
If you notice your dog pooping and going back inside, then reward them with a treat. After rewarding them with a treat, take them for a walk on a long leash. It will help them understand that pooping outside is rewarding and will always be noticed by you.
5. Continue
Repeat this kind of behavior for several days until your dog realizes that pooping is always rewarded when done outside.
The Crate Training Method
1. Get a Crate
The very first thing is to get a crate that is chew-proof and cannot be easily damaged by your dog. It is very vital to confine your dog to the trunk when you are not in your home or anyone to supervise your dog. Always remember to choose and provide a crate of the right size for your dog to give them comfortable bedding. Stock the crate with a sturdy and chew-proof toy to keep your dog happy.
2. Take Your Dog Out
Always allow your dog out every few hours and get them to a designated bathroom spot chosen by you.
3. Reward Them
If your dog starts pooping, then consider rewarding them with a treat and taking them for a walk. If not, then continue to the second step.
4. Confine Them
To prevent any further accidents, always confine them. If you notice your dog is not able to relieve themselves or poop, take them back into the crate but avoid using any punishing tone.
5. Decrease Crate Confinement
In the beginning, repeat this behavior for several days and then gradually let your dog out of the crate for a more extended period. Always make sure to supervise them carefully. If you notice they are likely to poop or are about to poop, take them immediately to the designated spot where they should be pooping. After several days, of attempts, and practice, your dog should have learned not to poop in the house at night.
The Reduce Anxiety Method
1. Set Up the Bathroom Area And Schedule
Make sure to create an outdoor designated spot where your dog can go poop. Make sure your dog has got enough opportunity for bathroom breaks.
2. Reduce Anxiety
Give your dog lots of toys and time to play and exercise. Keep them around kids or people with whom your dog is comfortable. It helps them reduce anxiety and increase their socialization opportunity. Besides that, providing them with lots of new experiences is also helpful in reducing stress to an extreme level.
3. Positive Reinforcement
Reinforcement of appropriate behavior is essential. Always take your dog frequently outside to go to the bathroom. If they use it and poop, then reward them.
4. Avoid Anxiety Situations
Suppose your dog has accidentally pooped in the house, then never shout at them or punish them. Avoid commanding or speaking with your dog in a punishing tone. This could make your dog feel anxious. Avoid any punishing or provoking behavior in your dog.
Punishment is only going to make your dog feel more afraid, anxious, confused, and encouraged. If you catch your dog pooping at home at night, then with a firm command say, “Go outside,” take them to the bathroom spot where they can poop and relieve themselves.
5. Be Consistent
Have patience and be consistent over several days. Always direct your dog to one spot for elimination without getting frustrated. Interaction from your end should be firm.
