# my dog is house trained and has started pooping at night all the time



## sleddogs1991

hi everyone! 
my dog is 100% house-trained and we never have any problems with this unless ofcourse he has tummy upset, but he been pooping (on the rare occasion peeing too) over night in exactly the same place in the kitchen. (atleast its not on carpet like it has been before with the runs that was hell to clean up)
his poop looks normal and altho this may sound gross but when i pick the main bits up with a poo bag first i analyse it in the bag and check texture cause sometimes it can look normal but can still feel too soft, check for blood etc. 
its all completely normal.
the past week hes pooped in the house nearly every night.
his night feed is at 7.30 and his last chance to go out when im awake is usually around 11pm. my boyfriend goes to bed later and i ask him to let max out if need be. although some nights i know he doesnt cause the back door is still unlocked so not sure if its cause he isnt letting him out or not. weve had words bout it before but causes arguments. but if im asleep how am i supposed to know? so im gona try and rule out other factors first before doing the blame game again. 
we have the door open all day when were in (which is alot) and max goes out as and when he pleases. as it starts to get dark well let him out when he bats the cat flap or nudges the keys.
he is let out frequently and has alot of access to the garden. 
he is 2 years old and fully housebroken.
ive tried staying up later at night but im dozing and my sleep wasnt too good and forcing yourself awake really isnt the most pleasant of things.
max hasnt got a change of food or anything like that. he has CSJ kibble which is recommended by the rescue we got him from for his breed. (we got him a year ago) we also like to add extras like boiled chicken, boiled white rice, carrots, really good dog food jelly etc to mix in. however, he does have his times where its just kibble to have a balance. everythings good in moderation.

so what could be causing this? 
any tips?

he looks so guilty in the morning and depressed when hes had an accident.. i dont shout my lungs out at him i feel its best to ignore him till ive cleaned it up and sat down for a couple of minutes. (i read and have heard this being the kindest way too)

need to get to the bottom of this because we are going on holiday in a couple of weeks and staying in someones holiday cottage and ofcourse bringing max. wouldnt go anywhere without my baby. <3








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## rona

Is there any reason that he is worried about doing it in the garden?
Have you had any other dogs in or are there foxes etc out there?
Does he usually do it in the garden?
Have you tried taking him on a short evening walk?


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## Blaise in Surrey

Have you taken him to the vet?


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## sleddogs1991

rona said:


> Is there any reason that he is worried about doing it in the garden?
> Have you had any other dogs in or are there foxes etc out there?
> Does he usually do it in the garden?
> Have you tried taking him on a short evening walk?


he does go in the garden all the time with no problems. i just wake up, come downstairs and there is poop on the floor. 
and he does get a good morning and evening walk. also, if he needs another hell let us know and will always take him out.


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## sleddogs1991

BlaiseinHampshire said:


> Have you taken him to the vet?


he has got a happy visit this weekend and to get his next batch of wormer. 
ill speak to someone then about it. there is usually a vet or nurse around. 
i hope it isnt anything health wise, but if it is atleast we will get to the bottom of it. just want him to be ok


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## Burrowzig

You could try moving his evening meal to earlier, so you can make sure he poos before going to bed, or later so it won't come through until morning. You could also confine the dog to a small area such as a crate overnight which should persuade him to hold on longer.

It also sounds like boyfriend is slacking - how much effort does it take to let a dog into the garden for a few minutes? Give him a good hard boot up the bum and make HIM clear up anything that occurs as a result of his negligence.


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## sleddogs1991

Burrowzig said:


> You could try moving his evening meal to earlier, so you can make sure he poos before going to bed, or later so it won't come through until morning. You could also confine the dog to a small area such as a crate overnight which should persuade him to hold on longer.
> 
> It also sounds like boyfriend is slacking - how much effort does it take to let a dog into the garden for a few minutes? Give him a good hard boot up the bum and make HIM clear up anything that occurs as a result of his negligence.


ive tried speaking to my boyfriend but causes arguments. hes very stubborn and thinks he can do no wrong. ive tried so many approaches. ill write a separate post which rules out his previous irresponsibility.


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## sleddogs1991

so last night....
i tried to stay up and slept on the sofa again. i woke up at 1am and told the boyfriend to let maximus out. after a few times he did. (thought id get him into the routine too which a while ago had no problem doing.. think its laziness been brought on) 
max went out and did his business. (by the way, he always poops in the garden when ive let him out last thing at night, he has plenty of room as its picked up daily) 
however, this morning... another perfectly formed stool and some urine. 
so good job i didnt do the blame game again. maybe he does let him out most the time and just has a few slip ups. (which i still dont agree with)
definitely gonna be speaking to the vet this weekend to determine whether its medical or behavioural. 
max appears to be happy and healthy. no change in how he is. still hyper and full of joy. doesnt seem distressed in any way. 
he is prone to stomach upsets, although not all the time (common in huskies cause they have sensitive tummies and different tummies all together)
also, its hard to stop him from eating absolutely everything on walks. i call myself 'hawk-eye' cause im always keeping an eye and have quick reflexes when it comes to him eating cat poop etc but theres poop and litter everywhere round here that people dont pick up and the council wont ever do anything. but like the dog rescue co ordinator said.. you cant stop them from eating EVERYTHING. 
really wish i could....  
im doing some research on sudden pooping in the house. i really hope its not serious. we are on the 2nd highest band of petplan insurance and are part of a puppy club thing that helps covers some bills, wormer and flea. 
need to get to the bottom of this asap. before anything gets worse. poor fluff-baby.  good job we have this happy visit. although it wont be an appointment, ill receive some good advice and probably book one for next week if poss. (the week before we go way) and get his stools examined.


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## smokeybear

There are lots of potential underlying causes for this behaviour

Dog has been frightened/hurt in the garden
Dog has been punished and now is frightened of emptying himself when people are around/wake
Dog may have an underlying medical condition 

etc etc

Keep a diary and note how many times he empties himself.

Keep a diary to determine if the dog will happily relieve himself in the presence of owners when on walks both on and off lead

This way you will narrow down the potential triggers to actual


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## advocate for animals

It's always a good idea to have him checked by a vet when changes of behaviour are involved.

You might also consider feeding him earlier so he has more time between his last meal, and when he goes out. I think you said you feed him around 7:00pm and that sounds quite late. 

Never, ever yell at your dog for having an accident in the house. Causing him to fear you is not the answer. 

Did something happen to cause him to poop when no one is around?

What kind of food are you giving him? Perhaps you need to look into something better suited to him. 

Some dogs are like vacuum cleaners when they're out, so you really have to keep an eye. I have that issue to, and I know it's almost impossible to prevent it 100% of the time. Is there a cleaner area you can walk to?

I hope you're not arguing too much over the dog, that won't solve anything. You both have to come up with some kind of schedule that works for you, obviously being flexible should the need arise. If he's not prepared to do his part, I guess it will fall on you. The dog needs a schedule, so whoever is able to provide that for him...

Have you considered putting the dog in an area you can close off with a gate or barrier, and putting pee pads down? At least until you solve the problem.

Hope this helps!!


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## sleddogs1991

smokeybear said:


> There are lots of potential underlying causes for this behaviour
> 
> Dog has been frightened/hurt in the garden
> Dog has been punished and now is frightened of emptying himself when people are around/wake
> Dog may have an underlying medical condition
> 
> etc etc
> 
> Keep a diary and note how many times he empties himself.
> 
> Keep a diary to determine if the dog will happily relieve himself in the presence of owners when on walks both on and off lead
> 
> This way you will narrow down the potential triggers to actual


this reply has been very useful - thankyou 
he seems fine in the garden behaviour wise, there are no changes, hes happy to go everywhere in the garden and bounce around chasing moths etc..

he does not get punished. he gets disciplined and knows we are alpha, listens well etc and knows his place..but we dont believe in punishments. like locking away and shouting at him, isolating him and ignoring him all day, taking his food away etc.. like some dog owners do.

i spoke to the rescue people and it was suggested to feed him earlier as he may just want a change. if this hasnt helped then a vet appointment is definitely something we need to do. i like to run things by them first if it doesnt seem serious because like one of the co ordinators said vets will money grab. if nothings wrong and they know it they will still get you to come in so you get charged a ridiculous amount. ive had advice before with worries and speaking to them solves it and i save some money. its brilliant that i get support with him till the end of his days. many people have said this too not just them. and im not made of money so will try and rule out other causes first as he is completely fine in himself. 
- id rather people dont judge though cause i have taken him in when he is unwell. its not cause i am being selfish cause i would definitely pay for the vets to get him well but i do go by rescue first with things like this and see what they suggest first. and they have helped alot with natural remedies etc so hes not being pumped full of veterinary drugs and a hefty bill when there are alternatives.


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## nickmcmechan

What do you mean when you say you discipline?

Has anyone else shouted at your dog for the poo, how do others react?


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## sleddogs1991

advocate for animals said:


> It's always a good idea to have him checked by a vet when changes of behaviour are involved.
> 
> You might also consider feeding him earlier so he has more time between his last meal, and when he goes out. I think you said you feed him around 7:00pm and that sounds quite late.
> 
> Never, ever yell at your dog for having an accident in the house. Causing him to fear you is not the answer.
> 
> Did something happen to cause him to poop when no one is around?
> 
> What kind of food are you giving him? Perhaps you need to look into something better suited to him.
> 
> Some dogs are like vacuum cleaners when they're out, so you really have to keep an eye. I have that issue to, and I know it's almost impossible to prevent it 100% of the time. Is there a cleaner area you can walk to?
> 
> I hope you're not arguing too much over the dog, that won't solve anything. You both have to come up with some kind of schedule that works for you, obviously being flexible should the need arise. If he's not prepared to do his part, I guess it will fall on you. The dog needs a schedule, so whoever is able to provide that for him...
> 
> Have you considered putting the dog in an area you can close off with a gate or barrier, and putting pee pads down? At least until you solve the problem.
> 
> Hope this helps!!


i feed him at that time cause when i got him i asked when his feeds were so i can carry on the routine that he was used to with his foster owners. but there will be a change in time tonight to see if this improves.

i never said i yell at him for it. i clearly stated in the post that i do not go mad at him when hes done an accident. there is no need. and he looks sad and guilty enough as it is. i do feel a bit offended that you would think id be nasty like that after i clearly said i wouldnt.

i cant think of any causes as to why he would when no ones around. we left him a few hours in the afternoon yesterday and he was good as gold. he has never had accidents when we arent home. hes so good with being left.

the food he is on is CSJ kibble adult champ. this was recommended by the husky rescue for his breed. its much better for them that supermarket food and many feed theres this food. we do switch it up too sometimes with carrot, boiled chicken breast, boiled rice/pasta (rare though, didnt know it was ok for them till i saw on a dog forum) and BURNS jelly from time to time with some bran when he he needs a little help with his anal glands (which isnt often by the way). cant think what else ive just woke up.

i do keep an eye. something i also clearly stated. 'hawk-eye' is my nickname. but anyone would agree its impossible with every tiny little thing.. even the rescue people said that. no one is perfect.

and no we are not arguing much.. it would bring on stress etc to him i know. and i am aware dogs needs schedule. he does have one.

this isnt max related but rather on how i took your reply. im not being horrible or anything like that, im at here perfectly calm just a bit disappointed so please dont think im meaning this in a shouting way.

please dont take this the complete wrong way but i found your reply a little offensive. you may not of read my post properly and had assumptions which causes me to have assumptions that you think i dont know what im doing and that im a bad owner that punishes him over nothing and he fears me which cannot be further from the truth, that i dont watch what hes eating, that im arguing in front of him alot etc.

i am a peaceful animal lover, i have so much love and empathy for all animals great and small, ive done lots of research and continue to do so as animals have always been my main point of interest since i was little, ive been around a variety of different animals since i was born(dogs included my whole life) and im not the sort to be so irresponsible. ofcourse we all have much more to learn all the time but your approach in your comment did make me feel a bit down. cause its so far from the truth. it makes me look like a terrible dog owner. i like to take on other peoples advice and ideas otherwise i wouldnt post but your approach i didnt take the right way atall.

if you are replying to peoples posts like this alot then one day someones going to snap and not be as tolerable as i am (if they havent already) cause youve jumped to conclusions and havent read the post properly. i wont, im calm.. just gutted. i hope you understand or maybe read back and see where its wrong. i do suggest you read over my post if you do not believe.


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## sleddogs1991

nickmcmechan said:


> What do you mean when you say you discipline?
> 
> Has anyone else shouted at your dog for the poo, how do others react?


being stern in tone of voice with him when he needs to, hes not allowed human food, being told commands like 'no' , 'leave' etc..
the usual.

HE NEVER GETS SCREAMED AT.
I AM NEVER PSYCHICAL - ONLY WITH LOVE, HUGS AND KISSES
HE IS A HAPPY DOG.
I LOVE HIM TO PIECES. 
AND IM ALL FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS.

are people seriously assuming im the dog owner from hell??


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## sleddogs1991

if i dont reply straight away ive taken him for a nice early morning walk before it heats up. 

hope i dont get anyone else thinking im the sort of owner that i hate.


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## sleddogs1991

nickmcmechan said:


> Has anyone else shouted at your dog for the poo, how do others react?


sorry, forgot to reply to the other bit..
no one reacts. we ignore the situation, no eye contact, carry on as normal and get him to do his tricks before breakfast and lots of praise.

this was suggested by an amazing dog trainer back from when we had our beautiful samoyed sky and he was in housebreaking stage and chewing when he was a pup. (miss him to pieces <3 )


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## nickmcmechan

sleddogs1991 said:


> being stern in tone of voice with him when he needs to, hes not allowed human food, being told commands like 'no' , 'leave' etc..
> the usual.
> 
> HE NEVER GETS SCREAMED AT.
> I AM NEVER PSYCHICAL - ONLY WITH LOVE, HUGS AND KISSES
> HE IS A HAPPY DOG.
> I LOVE HIM TO PIECES.
> AND IM ALL FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS.
> 
> are people seriously assuming im the dog owner from hell??


I'm not assuming anything, I'm asking questions to understand


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## nickmcmechan

In any case, take Smokeybears advice


How does he signal to you he wants out for the toilet?


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## Burrowzig

sleddogs1991 said:


> ive tried speaking to my boyfriend but causes arguments. hes very stubborn and thinks he can do no wrong. ive tried so many approaches. ill write a separate post which rules out his previous irresponsibility.


In that case I would re-home the boyfriend. That will make enough room for the crate which should solve the problem.


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## Rappy

Can I ask how Max is doing now? 
I have a 6 yr old greyhound who has started doing the same thing every night now for 2 weeks .
Im at my wits end now :/


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## MishkaM00

My husky has just started with exactly the same problem. I'm just starting to try her with her crate door open, she is 22months and always been really clean. I'm wondering if it's because she's not used to the freedom of having the whole kitchen at night. We are going back to night time crating for a while To see if she goes through the night again.


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