How to Stop a Dog From Pooping in the House at Night
Does your dog wake up during the middle of the night so that they can take a night poop? Here is everything you need to know about why your dog wakes up during the night to go poop.
Your dog is going to have a very special journey throughout their life, and it can very easily follow many different roads. The longer you have them, the more of a family member they become and the more benefits that they will be able to enjoy because of it. As your dog continues to age, there will be more and more health problems that will need to be dealt with, you normally wanting to provide them with the very same level of care that you would to any one of your family members.
One of these problems that your dog may run into is going to be that they just always seem to need to go to the bathroom, no matter what time of day it may be. Whether it be in the middle of the day or the middle of night, if your dog is having a bowel issue leading them to having to constantly go to the bathroom, it will have some type of impact on your entire household.
While these types of problem can happen at any age and at any time, the best thing you can do for them is to be prepared and help them through this difficult time in their lives. While it may be a huge inconvenience to you and your family, it is also going to be a huge inconvenience for them as well. With that being said, here is what you should do whenever you notice that your dog is constantly having to wake up to go poop in the middle of the night.
What to do When Your Dog Needs to Poop in the Middle of the Night
If you notice that your dog has started waking up in the middle of the night to go poop on a regular basis, the very first thing that you will need to do is to figure why this has started happening. Perhaps your dog just needs some more time being outside, are in need of a smaller space during the night, or just simply need to have more time spent house-training them. At the very same time, there is always the chance that they are having this problem due to their old age or are suffering from some type of medical problem. If it is a behavioral issue though, there are some very easy changes that can be made to your daily routine that will be able to help you solve this problem. Here is how you can help to break your dog’s habit of waking up in the middle of the night to go poop.
Why Your Dog Wakes Up to Poop in the Middle of the Night
There are several different reasons that your dog may wake up to go poop in the middle of the night. While it is going to be difficult to narrow it down initially, when you know the main reasons why they may be repeating the behavior, it will put you on the right path to correcting it. With that being said, here are some of the main reasons that your dog may be waking up to go poop in the middle of the night.
Behavioral Issues
No matter what type of dog you have, there is always the chance that they will have some type of issue with their bowel movements. For example, if your dog is woken up in the middle of the night for some reason, there is a very good chance that they may need to go to the bathroom. Maybe your dog has ingested something that is not sitting well with them and has caused them some type of stomach problem, or maybe they ate their dinner later in the night than they normally do.
No matter what the reason may be, after your dog has awoken in the middle of the night, they will need to relieve themselves by soiling the house or being allowed to go outside.
If your dog is new to your home, there is a very good chance that they are feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and separation issues. Just remember that it will take them some time to get comfortable in their new environment and with their new family. This means that there is more than likely going to be some type of adjustment period before you are able to eradicate the nighttime potty sessions.
As your dog continues to become more comfortable and learns that they are able to trust you more, you should notice that nighttime accidents will occur less and less. Oftentimes, however, it is going to be house training that is the issue. This means that you just may need to do some more training or even get back to the very basics as far as your dog’s habits are concerned. If you are training your dog, you should always expect for some accidents to occur, but these should always be decreasing as your dog continues to learn about the house and what is expected of them. You will notice that they start to ‘ask’ whenever they need to go outside to handle their business.
Medical Issues
If you feel that your dog has some type of medical issue that causes them to poop in the middle of the night, the best thing you can do is to take your dog to your local veterinarian to get a complete examination. While pooping in the middle of night can simply be a sign of old age, it can also be a sign that your dog is suffering from an infection or a side effect of a medication. The best thing you can do if your dog is pooping in the middle of the night, is to monitor exactly what they are eating and what their regular pooping habits are. This will help you figure out whether or not there is a medical issue in play or not.
Here is what you should pay attention to:
- Your dog’s stool frequency
- If they have an illness or not
- Any physical limitations your dog may have
How to Help Your Dog Stop Pooping in the Middle of the Night
No matter what the cause of your dog pooping inside the house in the middle of the night may be, there are several different tips you can use to help them break that habit.
First off, you should never rub your dog’s face in the mess that they have made, as it will only teach your dog that they should be afraid of you. This means that you will not be doing anything to help teach them that they should not be going to the bathroom indoors.
Next, you have to keep in mind that your dog has no idea that they should not be going poop inside the house. This is something that you will need to teach them and then reinforce those lessens as they grow and evolve.
Third, you are going to always need to make sure that you are being patient with them. No matter if your dog is a puppy or a newly adopted adult, your dog is not going to automatically understand that the routine they should have in your house is to go outside if they need to poop.
If you are not having any luck trying to get your dog to stop pooping in the middle of the night, you may want to try changing their eating habits. Perhaps the time that you feed your dog dinner is simply too late for them, or they are eating too little or too much food. When you feed your dog too late, they may need to wake up in the middle of the night to relieve themselves.
When you are able to stick to the recommended amount of dog food and start to limit how late they are able to eat, your dog will have much more help in eliminating their late-night poop problems. A good rule of thumb is to not feed your dog within 3 hours of bedtime.
On top of that, you may want to start adding nutrient boosters to the food that you are currently feeding them. Things such as eggs and pumpkin seeds have been known to boost your dog’s overall health and digestion.
When it comes to your dog pooping in the house in the middle of the night, it can be several different reasons that are causing this to happen. If you are unsure and feel as though it is something that you cannot handle on your own, your best bet is to take your dog to your local veterinarian so that they are able to look them over and give them a full exam. Your veterinarian will then be able to let you know what the issue is and how to fix it.
