We’ve all heard the expression, “Do bears s**t in the
woods?” Of course, they do! It would be rather terrifying to encounter one in a
public restroom, wouldn’t it? We poop indoors, animals do it outdoors, that’s
nature.
So what do you do when your dog defies the laws of nature and refuses to do it
outdoors?
Various Reasons
So, just why does your canine companion refuse to defecate outside?
Medical Condition
Firstly, you have to be aware that, though the problem is behavioral, there may be an underlying physical reason. This is especially true if your previously well-behaved dog won’t poop outside anymore.
Your furry friend may be ill, and this could be particularly true is he is exhibiting loose stools or diarrhea. This could be caused by parasites such as hookworm or giardia, food intolerance or allergy, a bacterial or viral infection, inflammatory bowel disease, or even bowel cancer.
Old age can also cause weakness in your pet’s hindquarters and subsequent incontinence. Any of these situations may make it impossible for any being to control his bowels, and will definitely require a trip to a vet to check his health.
Other Causes include:
A Basic Instinct
First of all, many of us assume that dogs are innately
programmed to relieve themselves outdoors, but this is not always true. The
only instinct a canine has is to not relieve itself in the same place it
sleeps.
If he is kept indoors, he will consider your home his domain and will feel free
to pee and poop in the house anywhere he wants.
A different Environment
Even if he is used to poop outside, if he is in a new environment, he simply may not know how to access the area. He can see trees and grass through windows but has no idea how to get there.
Too Much Food … Or Distraction
A pet who has access to their food or who are eating throughout the day may poop inside because they are unable to get outside. And even if they go outdoors, they may be easily distracted by sights, sounds, or smells. If this happens, they may delay hold off until you lose your patience and call them inside.
Lurking Predators!
Strange as it may seem, although it’s perfectly safe, your
dog may believe otherwise. He may be nervous about peeing or pooping because he
instinctively knows that predators can track him this way. This may seem a bit
ridiculous, as you know there are no lions, tigers, or even bears looking for a
convenient treat or a meal in your well-groomed backyard, but your pooch does
not.
A young pup, or even a mature one, once attacked by an angry bird, may come to
be a bit fearful out of doors.
Inclement cold weather may also play a role. It’s easy to understand how trying to relieve yourself in pouring rain may be a bit uncomfortable, or squatting in a rainy mound of snow could be off-putting. You should really consider if this is the reason why your dog poops in the house after being outside during winter.
How To Stop It?
Adjust Your Schedule
Puppies can usually be fed treats three times a day, but
adult dogs should only be allowed food at most twice. A pup’s gastrointestinal
system is much smaller than yours, so it stands to reason that meals are
processed much more quickly hence the importance to feed them three times.
It usually takes only twenty to thirty minutes for a dog to feel the need to
defecate, so, knowing this, it will be easy to know when it’s the right instance.
Some of the best other methods and tips are listed below:
Do Not Interrupt!
Accompany them to their designated potty areas and remain there until they defecate. Do not interact, or offer any attention. Once they have pooped, recompense them with affectionate pats and verbal praise.
watch him like a hawk
For your dog to poop outside the house, he must be prepped. Therefore, as his trainer, you must be very observant. The goal is to catch your dog in the act.
If you catch them assuming a posture which indicates that they are about to defecate indoors, put the leash and scoop them up in your arms to carry them or walk them out to a designated bathroom in the yard instead of simply letting them get away with it.
While keeping them on leash, and giving him his sniffing opportunity, walk in circles, withholding conversation and don’t leave and wait until business is done. Afterwards, give and offer tons of praise. Maybe a treat to eat will do the trick! After all, this reward praise is a form of positive reinforcement and it works.
In addition to all this, you must gather that dropping. For a canine, is not simply a matter of relieving themselves, it means much more, as it is also a way for marking a territory. As you’ll see below, occasionally it’s crucial to use a carpet cleaner.
Clean Up Any Previous Signs!
Once your pet pees or claims a spot, he will consider it his
bathroom. He will return again and again to renew that claim to that same bathroom.
That’s why it is so important to remove all signs to prevent more accidents in
these bathrooms. This includes urine as well.
Standard household cleaners are not sufficient in this respect. Try to use
specialized cleaning products or an enzymatic cleaner, or even hire a carpet
cleaning service to do so. This instinctual response may work to your
advantage, in some respect, however.
When doggy indoor accidents occur, pick up any stool, and transport it to your dog’s
designated outdoor relief station. And don’t rub your canine’s nose against it
as it doesn’t do any good! This isn’t a way of teaching your mutt to relieve
himself.
Train Your Pup Early
A key method to follow in order to get your hound potty trained is to begin coaching from an early age. Once a puppy is home, potty training to meet desired expectations must become a priority to learn and be adopted to this habit in the first months no matter how hard it is. This walk will require quite a bit of work and a lot of patience.
The first thing to do is setting a schedule to make the behavior stick. Don’t hesitate to give him more frequent breaks though.
Puppies can be fed three times a day and will need to
defecate within about thirty minutes. Urinating will be required more
frequently, and if a schedule isn’t set, you will be slipping on puddles very
soon.
Plan each potty break to an hour apart or every couple of hours. Correct timing
will depend on a pooch’s size, age, or breed so search for this information and
other related questions beforehand. Take him out to a designated spot while circling
him a bit and use a consistent command, such as “Go potty.”
Stick to a regular for the necessary amount of time, predictable program until
it has proven successful, then you can increase intervals between breaks
gradually.
Crate Training 101
Making a pet sleep in a crate at night can be quite helpful, but remember to choose one with a correct size. A pooch will consider anywhere inside his home as his territory and will be inclined to mark it as such. An only exception to this rule is that your hound will most likely stop pooping or peeing in his immediate environment.
If a kennel is too large or longer than it should, it may allow enough room for sleeping and marking, and this is never a good thing. It should be just large enough for a pet to stand up, turn around, and lie down to sleep.
You may think he looks cramped, but he feels comfortable and protected. This is definitely a case where bigger is not better. A properly sized box as opposed to a long one will allow you both to rest comfortably.
This practice is as beneficial as walks and can help eliminate other conditions such as separation anxiety.
Let us know if you have more dog questions or problems!!
