Here we provide practical tips and suggestions on how to stop a dog from peeing in the house in the wrong place. From the very beginning, the owner should focus on teaching the dog obedience and “good manners” of the pet in and outside the house.
In all the advice from experienced dog owners on how to wean a dog from shitting in the apartment or peeing anywhere, the main point concerns the fact that this should be done as soon as the problem is discovered, without delay.
With puppies, the issue of training is built through consistent educational actions from the moment the animal appears in the house. But the problem when a dog shits in the house or relieves itself in any place of the apartment also arises with adult animals.
If a small puppy is simply not yet accustomed to the norms of behavior, then with an adult dog everything is more complicated. The necessary measures should be taken when the incident occurs for the first time.
There are some things that need to be considered on an individual basis.
- For example, a bitch may have some problem with the toilet during the period of hormonal background formation. Usually all problems go away after the first birth.
- It happens that incontinence appears in dogs against the background of sterilization , this can be temporary.
- When a litter box trained dog stops using it, it may be worth changing the litter, the cleaning product, or simply moving the litter box to a different location.
- Urination problems in older dogs may begin to manifest themselves due to their age. In this case, the owner should take care of special diapers for the animal.
One of the reasons why irresponsible owners surrender dogs to shelters is precisely the toilet problem. People are not ready to put up with a dog that ruins carpets, furniture, floor coverings, leaves smelly “marks” and mess. All this needs to be cleaned up after a working day.
Why Does the Dog Shit in the House?
From the moment a puppy appears in the house, a new stage in life begins for the owner and family. A person must take care of the puppy, educate and form its habits.
A dog’s life should follow a schedule. It is important to consider the dog’s individual characteristics and breed characteristics in the schedule. A person needs to be prepared to take the dog outside in the morning, after waking up, and before bed. The dog will feel the urge to go to the toilet after eating and drinking plenty of water. It is recommended to maintain a feeding and walking schedule so that good habits take root. Breaking and changing the established schedule for a dog is only possible in extreme cases.
Many puppies spend the first months of their lives at home in quarantine. During this period, animals are taught to go to the toilet in a designated place on a diaper-mat or in newspapers. Then, as the dog grows up, they begin to be regularly taken outside, where they get used to relieving themselves.
In raising a puppy, it is important not to waste time and form a habit. It is necessary to do everything in the shortest possible time. Forming a habit of going to the toilet outside takes time and some effort.
Puppies should first be trained to use the toilet at home (diaper, newspapers), and then they should be taken outside as often as necessary.
Breeders advise to spread newspapers all over the house at first, and then gradually reduce the amount of newspapers. When the puppy whines , fusses and looks for a place for the next toilet, the owner can take it and take it outside.
The dog will pee or shit outside, and the owner will do everything to make this moment positively significant for the animal. Praise and various rewards for the dog help. It is important to record and make the puppy understand that this is normal behavior and that going to the toilet outside is good and right.
The growing family pet begins to become more mature. It gives signals that it wants to go to the toilet – it runs in circles, sniffing everything or arches its back in a special way. As the dog gets older, it begins to “tell” the owner that it needs to “go out” – barking and running to the door. Sometimes owners train their dog to ring a bell hanging on the door handle, indicating its readiness to go to the toilet. Training to the bell occurs through repetition and the formation of a connection between the ringing of the bell and going outside.
It is important for the owner to maintain consistency. The dog needs to be trained to walk regularly and to relieve itself during the walk. Ideally, morning and evening walks should be done at the same time. A responsible owner will have to wake up in the morning with the pet. It is advisable to take the dog out immediately after waking up, at the same time, to take the first walk and morning toilet. Maintaining a walking regimen reinforces the formation of the habit of going to the toilet at certain hours.
Now about why the dog started to shit in the apartment if it didn’t do it before. That is, before your dog relieved itself during a walk and always let you know when it urgently needed to “go for a walk”. But something went wrong, and you started to notice puddles on the floor and wet spots on the carpet. When determining the reasons for the change in the dog’s behavior, many factors need to be taken into account, such as age, history, methods and sequence of training.
Sometimes the reason why dogs start peeing in the house and other inappropriate places is a physical problem. The animal needs to be shown to a veterinarian to confirm the absence of physical ailments. If the veterinarian has given a positive conclusion about the dog’s health, the next step is to find out if everything is okay with the pet’s psychological state. To do this, it needs to be shown to a behaviorist, a doctor who specializes in such problems.
One of the most obvious reasons is a disease of the genitourinary system of the dog. Perhaps your pet has problems with the kidneys or bladder. Try to monitor how the dog urinates, what has changed, whether there is a feeling that urination causes pain, whether new unpleasant odors have appeared. Dogs can suffer from urinary incontinence due to cystitis.
Causes of cystitis in dogs include genitourinary infections, hypothermia, medication, kidney stones and inflammation, and more.
If the dog defecates at home, although it has not done so before, then it is necessary to track the process and deviations in the nature of the animal’s stool. Possible causes are varied – from gastrointestinal disorders to the presence of parasites in the animal’s body. If there are suspicions and concerns about health, a consultation with a veterinarian is required.
Another reason why your pet pees or goes to the toilet “big time” in an apartment or house is banal and at the same time common. These are changes in nutrition. That is, something has changed in the dog’s diet – dry food or natural food, it does not matter.
Analyze this issue, see what’s new in the dog’s bowl lately. Try to review the diet. In the context of the impact of nutrition on the dog’s “hooliganism” in relation to the toilet, consider a change in the feeding schedule. For example, the animal’s second meal was much earlier than according to the standard feeding schedule. Perhaps for this reason, somewhere in a secret or in the most visible place of the room, the owner will see a “mighty pile”.
The number one reason why a dog starts peeing and shitting in the house is a change (violation) of the walking schedule. What else can an animal do if instead of an evening walk according to the schedule, the dog hears – “don’t whine, be patient, we’ll go soon, I’ll finish watching the series now, finish playing the game” and so on. A dog can be patient and restrain itself, but there is a limit to any patience, and in some cases, a dog has to wait for its owner who is late from work for several hours. No patience or restraint will suffice here. If the owner is at work for ten hours, then the dog should spend at least an hour outside in the morning, and preferably more. And this will not be a 100% guarantee that the family, returning from work, will not see “traces” of an animal that has lost its restraint in the apartment.
If it is not possible to walk the dog regularly, the owner needs to take care of a designated place for the pet’s “needs”, where you need to lay a diaper, put some torn soft paper or newspaper, and put a tray.
It happens that walks with a pet are scheduled, but their duration is noticeably reduced. And then, instead of the required several hours for playing and relieving oneself, the dog gets half an hour in the morning and fifteen minutes in the evening. It is clear that with such a schedule of being outside, animals simply do not have time to do all their business, and what they do not have time to do, they “finish” at home.
Dogs are sensitive animals, they can also have psychological problems. The general condition of the dog can change in stressful situations – the death of the owner, moving to a new place of residence, the appearance of a new family member or another pet in the house. The dog could get stressed, being very scared of something. As a result, involuntary urination in the animal can occur from any sharp and loud sound. If you suspect that the dog has started to pee or poop at home, this is why you should show it to an expert in dog behavior – a veterinary behaviorist.
The situation when a dog starts to go to the toilet at home on purpose, and has never done anything like that before, may be the result of a big problem. The root of the problem is not in the dogs and their “ugly behavior”, but in the fact that there are serious contradictions between the animal and the person related to education. With age, animals can try themselves in the role of “leader”. The dog “marks” the territory, thus showing its importance and attracting attention.
Perhaps there was a conflict between the owner and the pet, or the person’s authority in the relationship was not sufficiently formed. Having found out the reason, it is necessary to work through the situation on a psychological level. In this case, the problems of the animal’s need to relieve itself in the house will go away.
Any disobedience is not the norm, in the relationship between an animal and a person, the authority should always be with the latter. From an early age, the dog should understand “who is the boss in the house” and unquestioningly obey his will. The established rule should not be violated. And smelly piles, puddles and wet spots in the house can be signs of incorrect, insufficient or poor-quality training of the dog and a signal that action must be taken.
If the owner has taken an adult dog from a shelter that grew up on the street, he or she should be prepared for the fact that such dogs are used to peeing and shitting where it is convenient. The upbringing and socialization of a puppy and an adult dog are very different. In some cases, an insufficiently socialized adult dog should be adapted to new conditions as a puppy. The owner of the animal should be prepared that it will be more difficult to teach an adult dog to go to the toilet in the “right” places, and the upbringing process will be much slower than with a puppy.
How to Stop a Dog from Pooping in the Wrong Place at Home?
Having understood the reasons, it becomes much easier to solve the question of how to wean a dog from peeing in the wrong place at home and marking in the absence of the owners. It happens that a dog simply likes to go to the toilet at home.
In this case, pets intentionally hold their pee while walking outside, and comfortably relieve themselves at home immediately upon returning. The dog develops a kind of habit of going to the toilet outside. In this case, you can try:
- Give your dog a drink before going outside. You can also take clean drinking water and a bowl with you to give your pet more to drink during the walk. Having drunk a lot of liquid, the dog will not be able to hold out until you get home, and will do its business outside.
- Make the walk outside longer and more interesting. If the dog is interested in a long walk, it will not ask to go home, but will relieve itself right there, on the street. In this case, it is important not to forget to reward the dog for the “correct” actions.
- Dogs are a lot like children. Children don’t want to leave the street if they have someone to walk with. Likewise, an active dog will benefit from playing with other dogs in the fresh air. And once it’s played, it will most likely follow the urge and go to the toilet outside.
How to Stop a Puppy from Peeing Anywhere in the House?
When a dog goes to the toilet in the house, it “marks” the territory. And the next time the smell of these places will stimulate the animal to repeat its toilet there. Inconsistency in upbringing and the habit of spoiling pets can lead to numerous “marks” in the house.
You can hear from owners of so-called toy dwarf breeds: “My dog is everywhere in the house!” Small dogs get very used to the “diaper reflex”. Diapers laid out in different places in the house have become the norm. In the future, the dog may consider any textile items, a fabric-covered sofa or bed as a place for the toilet.
There is a way to wean a puppy from shitting in the house. It consists of treating the places marked by the dog with special enzymatic cleaning agents.
They can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy or pet store. The effect of these cleaners is to neutralize the smell of urine or feces of the animal. Such preparations form an aversion in the animal and make it ignore all treated places as a possible dog “toilet”. If the dog has marked only the edge of the carpet, it makes sense to treat its entire surface.
If your dog has gone to the toilet on the carpet, you need to clean up the mess as quickly as possible and clean the stain with an odor remover. Removing the odor is an important step that will prevent your dog from using the area for similar actions in the future.
If a dog continues to go to the toilet in the same place in the apartment, this indicates that there is still a smell there, and the dog is heading towards it.
Regular baking soda will help remove the smell of animal urine from the carpet. Sprinkle the soda on the cleaned and dried area and leave it overnight. Then vacuum the area and repeat the procedure if necessary.
Another “folk” method regarding how to clean a carpet and how to wash a floor so that a dog does not pee in the house. To prevent a dog from peeing anywhere except in its tray, you can make a product yourself, equally simple and effective. This product has its pros and cons, the cons are related to its smell. It is necessary to add a small amount of acetic acid to the water and thoroughly wipe all the places that the dog managed to dirty with the resulting liquid.
You can wash the entire floor surface in the house with this solution, excluding the part where the dog tray is. The sharp and pungent smell will not allow the dog to go to the toilet in places wiped with vinegar.
Recommendations on the correct steps to remove dog urine odor from carpet?
Having found the places on the carpet where the dog peed, put a layer of newspapers or paper towels to absorb all the moisture. Then you need to remove the papers and rinse the areas with cool water. After that, you need to dry the area thoroughly. And then – treat it with a store-bought or “homemade” product, ridding the carpet of the smell.
As stated on the website of one of the most famous American cynological organizations, “all dogs can be “good” dogs, and all owners can be great owners for their dog.” All that is needed is sufficient attention, training, and a lot of love for the animal. Proper training of a dog from the first days lays the foundation for a long-term trusting relationship between the owner and his pet.
The owner needs to watch their puppy closely for individual rhythms and signals. Some puppies can tolerate it, while others need to pee more often. Dog habits are very individual.
They often behave like children and may suddenly stop in the middle of playing to pee.
Dogs have a hard time handling large amounts of food. Therefore, it is important not to overfeed animals and to stick to a feeding schedule. You should also try to ensure that the dog food is of high quality and suitable.
If you catch a dog that is starting to squat, preparing to urinate or defecate, stop it and, if possible, take it outside quickly. Once the process is completed outside, give the animal maximum attention and praise it. Read how to train a puppy to use the toilet outside ?
It is not advisable to scold a dog for soiling the floor or carpet when it has happened and nothing can be done. The most you can do is gently scold it and do not focus on the “bad” behavior, but focus your efforts on preventing similar cases in the future. Dogs are emotional creatures. Even by the owner’s voice and grumbling, they will understand that they have done something wrong.
Questionable methods of punishment, such as poking a dog’s nose into poop, are very strange and ineffective. Moreover, dogs may react and start hiding their poop. There are known cases when animals that were punished by “poking” began to eat their feces , fearing further punishment .
In turn, praising the puppy for doing the right thing is best suited for everything related to dog training. Let your pet understand that a simple, natural, correct action that he has done is an important achievement and an event worthy of encouragement. The encouragement can be some kind of treat, a favorite toy, or an exciting game with the owner.
FAQs
1. How long does it take to house-train a dog?
House training can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the dog’s age, breed, and previous training. Consistency is key.
2. What should I do if my dog has an accident?
Clean the area thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner and avoid punishing your dog. Focus on reinforcing good behavior instead.
3. Can older dogs be house-trained?
Yes, older dogs can be house-trained, but it may take more time and patience. Address any medical issues first and follow the same training principles.
4. Why does my dog pee in the house when I’m gone?
Separation anxiety, lack of house training, or medical issues could be the cause. Consider crate training or consulting a professional for help.
5. Should I use pee pads?
Pee pads can be helpful for puppies or dogs who can’t go outside frequently, but they may confuse your dog about where it’s okay to go. Use them sparingly and transition to outdoor training as soon as possible.
