As dog owners, we quickly notice any changes in their behavior. This is especially true when something happens suddenly or seems completely out of the ordinary. Pooping at home at night is an example; but what does it mean, why does it happen and what can we do about it? Here's what you need to know.
So why did my dog start pooping at home at night?The most common reasons a dog may start pooping in the house at night is in response to a change in diet, schedule, or as part of the development of a medical issue. However, the reasons can vary from dog to dog and depend on his age, personality and how many times he has had them.
Some of the overnight delete reasons can be reversed, some can be contained, and some will just have to be accepted.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to the underlying cause.
Remember that none of the reasons are your dog's fault or his desire to offend and irritate you.
As hard as it is, especially when we have a lot to do or accidentally stop at something; we must do our best to maintain composure and not yell at the dog.
Besides, it's already happened and there's little you can do about it.
Now let's take a look at the main reasons why a dog might start pooping during sleep hours, along with how you should approach the situation.
Be sure to read on if you want to know if and how you can put an end to this unfortunate recurring circumstance. It's in your best interest and that of your dog!
table of contents
Reasons to poop in the middle of the night
There are five main reasons why your dog may have started pooping inside your house during the night.
not fully trained
You might think your dog has been housetrained if a week or two has gone by without any accidents, but in fact you need to go a month without any accidents before you can claim that your dog is fully housetrained.
Now, this is obviously more common in puppies, but it can also occur in older dogs that have been adopted.
Likewise, if you've made drastic changes to your environment, moved house or moved, retraining may be necessary!
Not enough breaks during the day
If your dog hasn't had enough opportunities to go outside and poop throughout the day, he's likely to hold back.
This means that in the middle of the night they can't take it anymore and need to relieve themselves.
Anxiety and Stress
Dogs suffering from anxiety and stress may not be able to control their bowel movements and will have a hard time controlling them at night.
You may find this to be a problem if you have a rescue dog until he is comfortable in your home and with you and your family.
Once the cause of the stress and anxiety is addressed, the problem of pooping at night goes away.
Medical problems
There are several medical issues that can cause your dog to disappear during this time.
Key conditions to look out for, especially in older dogs, include:
- parasites
- viral infections
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Food intolerances or allergies.
- nephropathy
- bladder stones
- Diabetes
- bowel cancer
In these cases, you must go to the veterinarian and follow his recommendations, each case having its own outcome.
Aging
As dogs age, they develop problems like incontinence and joint pain, making it difficult for them to walk a lot. Many dogs end up using the bathroom wherever they are.
Why does my dog need to poop in the middle of the night?
There could be different reasons why your dog specifically needs to poop at night, as we described above.
If you are sure your dog does not have any medical issues and you have ruled out these other factors, then the first place to look isThe usual culprit has to do with food.
Food plays an important role in many different aspects of your dogs mood, behavior, health and well-being and should always be considered and prioritized.
Are you feeding your dog the right food? Have you changed your diet recently?
If you've changed foods recently, have you done it slowly so they get used to it? What time do you give your dog the last meal of the day?
Depending on the answers to these questions, they could all be causes of your dog needing to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, especially if you don't let him out last.
Should I take my dog for a walk in the middle of the night?
During the first few weeks after having a puppy, you may need to get up in the middle of the night to walk your puppy, unless you know you're going to wake up with a mess and don't mind cleaning up.
Once your pup is old enough to regularly hold his bowel and bladder throughout the night, he won't need to get up.
However, always make sure you let them out one last time before going to bed. This will give you the best possible chance of getting through the night. It also helps to establish a schedule, which is very important for when you want your dog to go outside.
When you get up in the morning, the first thing you should do is let your dog outside to go to the bathroom.
Don't be surprised if they just pee at first; they may not be ready to poop until they have eaten. This is fine and expected. That's ok too, at least you gave them a chance to go and prevented accidents inside the house.
Just make sure you let them out after they've had their breakfast, unless of course you intend to go for a walk, or else they might catch you off guard!
How do I stop my dog from pooping in the house at night?
How you stop your dog from pooping in the house at night depends on why he's doing it in the first place.
Let's go over the top 5 reasons for pooping at home at night and how we can prevent each one from happening.
training solution
This one is simple, but it's hard to put a timeline on it. Just like children, potty dogs learn at their own pace and there is no real way to predict how long it will take or to rush it.
The best thing we can do is take our puppies/dogs for lots of potty breaks and praise them when they go, letting them know this is what we want from them.
Ultimately, the key to training is consistency and timing.Go at the same time and make the experience of picking up your dog as relaxing and comfortable as possible.
Solution for getaways at home
If you leave your dog home all day while you're at work, maybe you should consider calling someone over to your house at lunchtime to let your dog out.
This will allow them to go to the bathroom and run around a bit.
Also, you'll want to let your dog outside at other times of the day, especially when you get home and before you go to bed at night!
If that really isn't possible, consider buying an indoor lawn for your dog to go indoors.DogLawnit's the product to get if this sounds like something you want to do.
Give your dog a place to 'go' inside
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It minimizes odor, is cost-effective, and allows your dog to go outside when needed.
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Solution for anxiety and stress
This might be the hardest, and perhaps the longest to crack, of all the ones on this list.
The first thing is to find out what the cause of stress or anxiety is, and there can be more than one thing.
Once you know what the main problem is, you can work to eliminate them, which can take a little or a lot of time. After that, the night poo should stop.
You may also want your dog to sleep in the same room as you. That way they can see you and know you're around.
Just having the comfort and security of knowing you are there can help resolve the issue.
Another fantastic solution that many owners swear by is using a reputable and safe CBD product.
Canna-PetIt's the only one if you want to try it out.
Solution for medical problems
Depending on the medical issue your dog has, a short course of antibiotics may be all it takes to resolve the issue.
It may be an ongoing problem, but you can always buy dog diapers to at least prevent the problem from occurring throughout the house. Talk to your veterinarian for recommendations.
solution to aging
While there's nothing you can do when it comes to aging like some of the medical conditions above, you can use dog diapers for easy containment and cleaning.
Simple Solution diapers are some of the best on the market; being affordable, disposable and available in many different sizes for different breeds.
He canget them on amazonfor a great price:
If not, you can try containing your dog in an area overnight to limit where they go. This could be closing a door or keeping them in a certain room through the use of baby gates.
final thoughts
When it comes to your dog starting to poop in the house at night, it's hard not to overreact or get frustrated.
The first thing to remember is not to panic.
If your dog is experiencing other symptoms that seem to be absent, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. If not, start troubleshooting to see what the problem might be.
While there are a number of potential causes and reasons, the most common ones include:lack of sufficient training, insufficient outdoor breaks, anxiety/stress, a medical condition, aging and poor eating or dietary change.
One thing to remember is not to lose your temper with your dog when he has accidents at night, because that's what they are, accidents.
None of the reasons it occurs in the first place is your dog's fault.
In most cases, there are solutions to stop your dog pooping at night at home.
And, where there is no solution or possibility to fix the problem, there are workarounds to make it easier and more manageable.
All we want as dog owners is for our pets to be happy and healthy.
If they are pooping in the middle of the night, it is evident that something is wrong or that they are not resolved in some way.
We owe it to our dogs and our families to do everything possible to resolve the underlying problem; whatever it is.
and at least they are noteating!
Related questions
What do you do if your dog poops at home?
There's little you can do after your dog has pooped in your house other than clean up the poop soon. From there, you should proactively start training your dog not to do this in the future. To do this, you must teach your dog a "poop" command by whispering this command when going to the bathroom.
Related Posts:
- Can you train dogs to use a litter box?
- Dog vomiting alone in the middle of the night
- Where should my dog sleep at night?
- How to Keep a Dog Warm at Night
- Should I let my dog roam the house at night?
- Do dogs feel cold at night?
jeremy
I am an experienced pet owner with decades of experience owning many different pets. I'm also the lead writer and editor-in-chief here at Pet Educate; a website I created to share everything I've learned about pet ownership over the years and my extensive research along the way.
FAQs
Why is my dog suddenly pooping in the house at night? ›
If your dog keeps pooping in the house, they may have a health issue, or something might have changed in their routine, diet, or home environment that's causing the accidents. The first step is to rule out a medical reason, which involves making an appointment to see your veterinarian.
How do I stop my dog from going to the bathroom in the house at night? ›Make sure your dog goes outside to potty before bed-even if that means they have to go on a walk. Give HUGE praise when they do anything they are supposed to. Create a nighttime routine: TV off, hallway light off, outside light off, etc. This will let them know that they have to go potty because you are headed to bed.
Why is my dog having accidents at night? ›Sometimes it's just a matter of not being supervised before potty training is complete. Other times, your dog could be marking his territory in a spot that he previously peed on and can still smell. Another reason that younger pups have night time accidents has to do with when they eat and drink.
Should I hit my dog if he poops in the house? ›Never rub a dog's nose in urine or feces, or punish a dog for an “accident.” This will teach your dog to fear you, and he may hide when he has to “go.” It is not instinctive for dogs to relieve themselves outside; it is only natural for them to not go where they sleep. Everyplace else is fair game!
What to do when dog poops inside? ›- Don't Make a Big Deal Out of It. ...
- Clean the Poop Well. ...
- Take Them Outside Regularly. ...
- Prepare Them for the Weather. ...
- Let Them Stay Outside Longer. ...
- Offer Them a Different Pooping Surface. ...
- Don't Rely on Their Crate. ...
- Take Them to the Vet.
Some causes to consider include improper cleaning of previous accidents, scolding for elimination, fear of the relief area, marking, anxiety, or early learning. Once the cause of the problem is identified, re-establish the habit of eliminating outside by taking your dog through a housetraining refresher.