Why is my dog pooping and peeing on the floor?

February 03, 2022 by Natasha V. Behavior

Is your furry friend pooping in your house and behaving strangely? A move, the acquisition of fears, the emergence of behavioral problems are just some of the factors that can cause a change in a dog's habits.

It's then that we notice strange behaviors that he didn't have previously. But what exactly do they imply, and how should they be addressed?

We'll show you the most common reasons why your dog poops at home if he hasn't done so before in this article and offer you some extra tips to apply to try to stop you from asking "how to stop my dog from peeing and pooping in the house".

Marking

Although feces is one of the less common types of marking, it is crucial to note that it is also a form of marking. In these situations, the dog would generally defecate on the house's walls, leaving little or huge traces of excrement.

Castration, the use of synthetic pheromones, proper cleanliness, and street reeducation might be some of the recommendations against marking.

Syndrome of Cognitive Dysfunction

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome is a typical illness in senior dogs, and it's often accompanied by additional symptoms including disorientation, fear, behavioral abnormalities, and a loss of appetite.

Although it is a degenerative illness with no cure, it is possible to slow or even stop the course of the disease by doing mental stimulation activities, consulting with our veterinarian about the possibility of giving medication, and improving their overall well-being.

The predilection for a location in the house

It may happen that, thanks to an episode of diarrhea, our dog has an accident at home. It is entirely natural and understandable. However, if after that experience he always starts to poop in the same location, it is no longer an accident.

It may happen that our dog has a predisposition for defecating somewhere in the house, such as on a carpet, a bathroom area or on the balcony. In addition, it is usual that the dog poops at home at night, with the purpose of avoiding a potential fight.

In these circumstances, we must limit access to the "location" where he regularly does his necessities, installing an object that prohibits him from passing.

It will also be vital to carry out a correct cleaning, in order to avoid the stench and pheromones that may be left in that location.

To achieve this, employ enzymatic products. It will also be vital to re-educate the dog, training the adult dog to defecate outside the home by methods of positive reinforcement, that is to say, rewarding him with food and praise whenever he performs his needs outdoors.

Various illnesses

There are several conditions that might cause the dog to start demonstrating strange habits, including urinating or defecating within the home.

Before suspecting that it is a behavioral problem, we must rule out that it is a pathology, therefore the first step is to go to the veterinarian and do a general evaluation.

Here are some of the diseases that might cause an adult dog or puppy to poop and peeing on the floor.

• Food allergy
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Intestinal parasites
• Poor nutrition
• Intoxication
• Bacterial infection
• Viral illnesses
• Gastroenteritis
• Incontinence

Irrational fear

Dogs can be terrified of a vast range of stimuli: humans, other dogs, objects, sounds, darkness... It can emerge at any moment in their life, generally after a trauma or traumatic experience, but it can also be a hereditary disease or appear after persistent punishment.

The displays of fear may be extremely different and we can discover dogs that urinate on their owners' feet, a dog that defecates at home at night when it did not done it before or dogs that are overly agitated after an occurrence, so they poop on themselves.

Anxiety is an extremely hard behavioral problem to treat, but some fundamental ideas to start with including not scolding the dog, preventing access to the triggers that generate fear, adequate cleaning, the use of synthetic pheromones, behavior modification sessions to treat phobias, and pleasant and calm interactions.

Separation-related problems

If your adult dog poops at home when you are gone, you may be dealing with a case of separation anxiety. This behavioral problem emerges exclusively when the dog is alone, i.e. in the absence of the owner, and is caused by excessive levels of stress.

To determine that it is genuinely separation anxiety, your dog must defecate while you are not at home, whenever there is a separation and it should occur even on very brief trips.

If your dog urinates and defecates at home when you leave him alone you are definitely dealing with a case of separation anxiety. It is crucial not to scold the dog if he does his necessities at home, to habituate him progressively to going out, and to clean the house carefully, with enzymatic products.

How to stop my dog from peeing and pooping in the house?

It's not always simple to figure out why a dog poops at home if it hasn't done so before, so if you haven't figured out why, the best thing to do is see a veterinary ethologist for a diagnosis, whether it's related to a health issue or a behavioral issue.

Before you consult a professional, here are some general recommendations to prevent your dog from continuing to discharge itself at home:

• To begin, train your adult dog to use the street to empty himself. Even if he already knows how to do it.
• Make a regular walking plan for your dog so that he doesn't have to defecate at home and recognizes when to go out. Remember that your dog needs at least two to three walks every day.
• Use enzymatic cleaning solutions to thoroughly clean your house.
• Avoid scolding or punishing your dog, as this will increase stress levels and make it more difficult for your dog to regain a healthy hygiene habits. Think of using synthetic pheromones.

It should be emphasized that these rules are suggestive and generic and that particular and concrete instructions may be required in each situation depending on the circumstances that have prompted this behavior in the dog.