Quick Answer
You should not yell at or punish your dog after the fact for pooping in the house. Dogs don’t understand punishment after the fact, and it can make them fearful or anxious. Instead, focus on positive reinforcement when they poop outside, prevent indoor accidents by taking your dog out regularly, and clean messes thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner. If your dog is having frequent accidents, see your vet to rule out medical issues.
Should you get angry and punish your dog for pooping in the house?
It’s understandably frustrating coming home to a mess your dog left in the house, but yelling at them or punishing them after the fact is not helpful and can actually make the problem worse. Here’s why:
- Dogs don’t understand punishment after the fact. Unless you catch your dog in the act, yelling at them or punishing them after the fact will not deter them from repeating the behavior. They won’t understand what they’re being punished for.
- Punishment can create fear and anxiety. Harsh punishment like yelling or hitting can make your dog afraid of you and associate you or the environment with fear. This can lead to more indoor accidents.
- Accidents may happen when you’re not home. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety or lacks proper house training, they may have accidents while you’re gone. Punishing them when you get home won’t deter future incidents.
- Peeing inside can become a habit. The more your dog is allowed to eliminate in the house, the more ingrained the habit becomes. Punishment does not address this habit.
- Your dog may not be able to hold it. Puppies and senior dogs may not have full bladder control. Medical issues like urinary tract infections make holding it impossible. Punishment is unfair and ineffective in these cases.
So what should you do instead when you find a mess?
Respond appropriately to indoor accidents
Instead of punishment, focus on the following positive strategies:
- Interrupt and escort outside if caught in the act. If you catch your dog about to go inside, immediately interrupt them with a loud noise, say “outside!” and quickly escort them out to finish.
- Thoroughly clean the area. Use an enzymatic cleaner designed to eliminate odors that draw dogs back to the same spot.
- Prevent access to the area. Close doors and use baby gates to limit access until housetraining improves.
- Reward outdoor potty trips. Always give treats and praise for pottying in designated outdoor areas to reinforce this habit.
- Stick to a schedule. Frequent potty breaks prevent accidents. Take your dog out first thing in the morning, after eating, after playtime, and before bedtime.
- See your vet if problems persist. Rule out medical issues like infections, digestive problems, diabetes, or incontinence.
Focusing on positive training methods like these are the most effective way to housetrain your dog and prevent indoor accidents in the future.
Why does my dog keep pooping in the house?
If your adult dog who was previously housetrained starts having frequent accidents, there are several potential causes to consider:
Medical issues
Some common medical conditions that can lead to accidents include:
- Urinary tract infection
- Bladder stones or bladder infection
- Kidney or liver disease
- Diabetes
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Parasites
- Digestive issues like diarrhea
- Loss of bowel or bladder control (incontinence)
A trip to the vet can determine if any underlying medical conditions are contributing to your dog’s accidents. Treatment of the medical issue should stop the incidents.
Behavioral causes
Several behavioral issues can also lead to inappropriate elimination:
- Lack of proper housetraining
- Stress and anxiety
- Confusion from changes in routine or environment
- Submissive/excitement urination
- Marking behavior
- Senility in older dogs
- Separation anxiety
Re-housetraining, keeping a consistent routine, and addressing sources of stress and anxiety can help resolve these issues. Medications may also help with anxiety-related accidents.
Other potential causes
Other possible causes of inappropriate elimination include:
- Getting “caught short” if you’ve altered their normal outdoor potty schedule
- Changes that reduce mobility like arthritis or injury
- Cognitive decline in senior dogs
- Incomplete house training
- Changes in urine acidity or composition
- Territorial marking
Making sure your dog has easy access to potty areas and sticking close to their normal routine can help prevent accidents due to changes. Assisting with mobility issues or taking dogs out more frequently when needed also helps. Refresher housetraining courses may benefit some dogs.
How do I stop my dog pooping in the house?
Follow these steps to re-housetrain your dog and prevent indoor pooping accidents:
Rule out medical issues
First, schedule a vet exam to make sure there are no underlying medical conditions causing the accidents. Treating incontinence, infections, diarrhea, and other issues can get the problem under control.
Stick to a potty schedule
Take your dog outside on a consistent schedule:
- First thing when they wake up
- After eating or drinking
- After playtime or excitement
- Before bedtime
Puppies may need to go out every 30 minutes. Supervise closely so you can escort them out if they start to go inside.
Crate train your dog
When you can’t actively supervise, keep your dog in a crate sized for sleeping, not elimination. This teaches them to “hold it.” Puppies under 6 months may only be able to hold it for 2-3 hours max.
Reward outdoor potties
When your dog potties in the right spot outside, praise them enthusiastically and give treats immediately after they finish to reinforce the behavior. This builds a habit.
Clean up accidents completely
Use an enzymatic cleaner meant to neutralize odors that can draw dogs back to the same indoor potty spot. Limit access until housetraining improves.
Be patient!
Housetraining can take weeks to months to really stick. Stick with the program and you’ll see results. If you need extra help, consider an obedience trainer experienced in housetraining.
How do I discipline my dog for pooping in the house?
Rather than punishing your dog after the fact, focus on the following positive training techniques to teach appropriate elimination habits:
- Reward outdoor potties with treats and praise.
- Maintain a consistent potty schedule.
- Use crate training and confinement when you can’t supervise.
- Clean all accidents with an enzymatic cleaner.
- Interrupt and escort out if catching in the act.
- Limit access to previous accident sites.
- Exercise regularly to encourage regular potties.
- Avoid giving too much freedom too soon.
- See your vet to rule out medical causes.
Patience, supervision, and consistency are key. Punishing or yelling at your dog is ineffective and can cause fear and anxiety that contributes to more accidents. Focus on rewarding the right behaviors instead of punishing mistakes.
How do I stop my puppy pooping in the house at night?
To stop a puppy under 6 months old from nighttime pooping accidents:
- Take them out immediately before bedtime.
- Remove food and water 2-3 hours before bed.
- Set an alarm and take them out halfway through the night.
- Crate train your puppy at night. The crate should be just big enough to stand up and turn around.
- Clean accidents thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner to remove odors.
- Reward potties outside with treats and praise.
- Limit roaming and confine to dog-proofed areas when possible.
Sticking to this routine helps establish the habit of holding it through the night. As your puppy ages and gains control, they should outgrow nighttime accidents. If issues persist beyond 6-8 months old, see your vet for advice.
What is the best way to discipline a dog?
The best way to correct your dog’s behavior is through positive reinforcement training, not punishment. Positive training uses rewards to encourage desirable behaviors instead of scolding or punishing unwanted behaviors.
Key elements include:
- Reward behaviors you want with treats, praise, playtime, etc. This reinforces good habits.
- Ignore unwanted behaviors when possible. Attention rewards bad habits.
- Interrupt and redirect inappropriate behaviors to something better.
- Use cues, signals, and prompts to show desired behaviors.
- Be consistent in training and apply rules uniformly.
- Use physical prompts gently, sparingly, and only to guide dog.
- Avoid punishment like yelling, scolding, spanking, shock collars, etc.
- Focus on prevention through dog-proofing, supervision, routine.
- Train multiple times daily in short 5-15 minute sessions.
Harsh punishment is counterproductive and leads to fear, anxiety, aggression, and potential abuse. Consistent positive reinforcement methods work better long-term.
How can I punish my dog without hitting them?
You should avoid punishing your dog altogether. Rather than punishing bad behaviors, focus on rewarding and reinforcing good ones. Effective positive techniques include:
- Use praise, petting, play, and treats to reward good behavior.
- Train them with clear, consistent verbal cues and prompts.
- Interrupt and redirect inappropriate behaviors.
- Use brief timeouts for short cooling off periods.
- Spray unpleasant but harmless tastes or smells to deter certain actions.
- Use devices like citronella bark collars that interrupt behaviors.
- Allow natural consequences rather than interfering.
- Remove rewards in absence of good behavior vs. actual punishment.
- Prevent access to problem stimuli.
- Teach mutually exclusive alternative behaviors.
Harsh physical punishment can cause aggression and lasting psychological trauma in dogs. Positive reinforcement training is safer and more effective. Seek help from a certified trainer if needed.
How long should I ignore my dog after pooping in the house?
Rather than ignoring your dog for pooping in the house, focus on positive reinforcement when they eliminate outside. While supervision and confinement help minimize accidents, ignoring your dog for extended periods does not teach appropriate potty habits and can lead to anxiety.
Here are better ways to respond:
- Immediately interrupt and escort outside if caught in the act.
- Clean all accidents thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner.
- Reward outdoor potties heavily with treats and praise.
- Stick to a consistent potty schedule matched to your dog’s needs.
- Limit access and supervise until housetraining sticks.
- See your vet to rule out medical causes like infections.
- Invest in refresher housetraining if needed.
Rather than ignoring altogether, maintain normal affection and interaction. Just keep a close eye to prevent indoor accidents and be sure to reward appropriate bathroom habits. Consistency and positive reinforcement work best for training.
Conclusion
Yelling at or physically punishing your dog after they poop inside is ineffective and can worsen housetraining issues. Instead:
- Rule out medical causes for accidents with your vet.
- Stick to a potty schedule matched to your dog’s needs.
- Reward outdoor potties heavily to reinforce habits.
- Clean all accidents fully with enzymatic cleaner.
- Limit freedom and supervise until housetrained.
- Crate train your dog when you can’t actively supervise.
- Interrupt and escort out if catching them in the act.
- Consider refresher housetraining courses if needed.
With patience and positive reinforcement methods, you can resolve pooping issues and help your dog learn where to appropriately eliminate.