Why Is My Dog Pooping In The House? | The Family Handyman

Home » How To Stop A Dog From Pooping In House » Why Is My Dog Pooping In The House? | The Family Handyman

Maybe your like

Skip to main content How To Stop Dogs from Marking Their Territory in Your Yard How To Stop Dogs from Marking Their Territory in Your Yard 8 Home Remedies To Stop Dogs From Chewing Furniture 8 Home Remedies To Stop Dogs From Chewing Furniture How to Get Pet Urine Smell Out of Carpet How to Get Pet Urine Smell Out of Carpet 10 Ways To Keep a Dog From Pooping in Your Yard 10 Ways To Keep a Dog From Pooping in Your Yard How To Get Dog Poop Out of Carpet, Wood & More How To Get Dog Poop Out of Carpet, Wood & More 9 Ways to Get Dog Smell Out of a Couch 9 Ways to Get Dog Smell Out of a Couch 5 Tips for Getting Dog Smell Out of Your House 5 Tips for Getting Dog Smell Out of Your House Why Do Dogs Kick Up Your Lawn After They Pee? Why Do Dogs Kick Up Your Lawn After They Pee? Is Your Dog Peeing in the House? Here's What To Do Is Your Dog Peeing in the House? Here's What To Do This Is Why Your Dog Likes To Eat Its Poop This Is Why Your Dog Likes To Eat Its Poop Here's How To Keep Your Home Secure If You Have a Doggy Door Here's How To Keep Your Home Secure If You Have a Doggy Door This Magical Spray Will Tell Your Dog Exactly Where to Poop This Magical Spray Will Tell Your Dog Exactly Where to Poop What to Do If Your Dog Runs Away or Gets Lost What to Do If Your Dog Runs Away or Gets Lost Why Does My Dog Follow Me to the Bathroom? Why Does My Dog Follow Me to the Bathroom? How to Keep Dogs Out of Your Flower Beds How to Keep Dogs Out of Your Flower Beds How To Keep a Dog From Jumping the Fence How To Keep a Dog From Jumping the Fence How To Stop Your Cat From Peeing Outside the Litter Box How To Stop Your Cat From Peeing Outside the Litter Box How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing on the Carpet How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing on the Carpet How to Clean Up Dog Poop in 8 Easy Ways How to Clean Up Dog Poop in 8 Easy Ways
How to Stop a Dog From Pooping In the House
damedeeso/Getty Images
Home Topics Pets Dogs How to Stop a Dog From Pooping In the House
How to Stop a Dog From Pooping In the House
damedeeso/Getty Images
Sara Coleman

By Sara Coleman

Family Handyman's Editorial Process

Updated on Jun. 08, 2023

If you own a dog, you've likely asked yourself, "Why is my dog pooping in the house?" Sometimes the answer is easy; other times, not so much.

Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.

Most people understand that when your training a new puppy home, accidents are likely. But what about those times a trained dog starts doing its business in your dining room? With dogs in an estimated 48 million households, the question “Why is my dog pooping in the house?” is all too common.

Figuring out the cause of the sudden change and how to stop it can be a real mystery. Fortunately, our furry friends may offer a few clues with their actions to help you solve this issue in short order.

Why Is My Dog Pooping in My House?

Unlike humans, dogs can’t tell you how they’re feeling. They use other methods — like pooping on the carpet — to let you know something may not be right. Dr. Chyrle Bonk, a mixed-animal veterinarian based in Idaho, explains why dogs may start relieving themselves indoors.

Not fully potty-trained yet

One simple explanation could be your pet isn’t fully potty-trained. It’s possible your dog has learned to pee outside first, but hasn’t grasped the concept of where exactly to poop.

If you think this might be the case, be sure to give your dog lots of time and praise while outdoors. Also, use a single command to indicate it’s time to go to the bathroom, such as “go.” Then give even more praise when they do. While you’re at it, here are a few ways to keep a dog from pooping in your yard.

Easily distracted

When outside, give your dog plenty of time to go. It could be they’re easily distracted by outside noises and activities, which means they may not finish their business when they should.

Don’t let them go outside by themselves. Stay with them and continue giving the single-word commands as a reminder.

Anxiety

Dogs may poop inside to avoid facing something that scares them outside. The anxiety could occur for lots of reasons, like weather (too hot or too cold), passing cars or the continuous barking of a neighbor’s dog.

Medical

Several medical conditions could cause unexplained pet accidents in the home. “Anything that causes diarrhea or an urgency to go, such as parasites, infections, a food allergy, inflammatory bowel disease or cancer, can make it so that dogs don’t have a chance to get outside before they need to go,” Bonk says.

Look for changes in feces consistency or color, frequency in pooping and changes in their appetite.

Aging

Older dogs may simply not be able to hold it any longer, or they may forget where they need to go to the bathroom.

How To Stop a Dog from Pooping in the House

Getting to the source of the problem is the first step in solving the pooping mystery.

  • Rule out age or medical reasons. A visit to the vet will confirm if your dog is experiencing a medical or age-related condition. If it’s caused by one of these, the vet can advise on the best course of action or possibly prescribe medicine.

  • Use a schedule. Create (and stick to!) a schedule to encourage pooping outside and not inside. As dogs age or household routines change, it may be easy to forget how essential a schedule is to a dog.

  • Increase potty time. Whether you let your dogs outside in the yard or take them for extended walks, bringing them out more often throughout the day will signal to them to go outdoors instead of in.

  • Create a safe place. Establishing a safe, quiet place outside can help reduce dog anxiety. You can also encourage your dog to use a spot that’s out of the way to avoid their anxiety triggers. If your dog follows you into the bathroom, it’s likely a result of their animal instinct and pack mentality.

  • Clean up the messes right away. Be sure to remove and thoroughly clean up dog poop in the home with an effective enzyme cleaning product that removes pet stains. “Lingering odor is like a magnet, attracting your dog and begging them to poop there again,” Bonk says. “Remember, just because you don’t smell anything in the area you just cleaned doesn’t mean your dog can’t.” An enzyme cleaner will help neutralize the odor and not simply mask it, so your pet won’t be tempted to return to this spot to go. Investing in a dog poop trash can is also a good choice.

  • Use training items. As a last resort, Bonk suggests placing a pee pad or indoor artificial turf grass potty pad where your dog regularly poops. Once your dog is trained to use these, you can start gradually moving them towards the door. Stick with encouraging and reminding your dog to go outside, and eventually they will understand that outdoors is the best place to go. Here are a few tips to stop your dog from peeing in the house.

Family Handyman Logo
ⓘ back to content Author Sara Coleman Hi, I'm Sara Coleman. Writer and Ghostwriter, ready to work with businesses to create amazing stories. I am a full-time writer specializing in articles about personal finance and lifestyle topics. Read More Sara Coleman Family Handyman Logo

We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices.

We recommend our users to update the browser.

Close Icon
  • Google Chrome
  • Apple Safari
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge

Tag » How To Stop A Dog From Pooping In House