One of the most frustrating training areas for a puppy and its owner is house training.
It can be incredibly challenging and needs to happen immediately after you bring the puppy home.
Even once the puppy is trained, you may find your pup has accidents or continues to poop inside.
This is common among dogs, and there is usually a reason why.
Let us dig into some of the most common reasons why:
Medical Condition
While your first thought may be that this is a behavioral or training issue, it could be more than that.
It might be a medical problem.
You should always check this first.
There are a number of medical issues that could cause your puppy to have potty issues.
These include kidney problems or a urinary tract infection.
In addition, if your puppy is on any medication, it could be impacting their ability to go to hold out from going to the bathroom inside the house.
Too Much Stimulation
Being outside is exciting, especially to a puppy that is in a new space.
There are so many things for your puppy to see, hear, and sniff.
This may be especially true if your puppy is inside most of the time during the day.
Your pup is easily distracted by all the birds, leaves, people, and other dogs that might be around.
They will completely forget they have to go until they get back in the house.
Once the distractions have calmed down, your pup remembers what they were outside in the first place.
When this happens, your puppy may have an accident literally the second they are back in the house.
Fear and Anxiety
While your puppy may be excited about what awaits them outside of the house, it could scare them as well.
If there are loud noises, people, or other animals, it could frighten your dog.
When scared, a dog is less likely to feel comfortable enough to pee or poop while outside.
Dogs tend to feel vulnerable while going to the bathroom.
It takes time, and their guard is down.
A dog will not go to the bathroom if not relaxed.
If your dog is scared or anxious about being outside, they will show you other signs to let you know.
These signs may include hunched shoulders, constantly looking around, low ears, and tail.
Separation is Coming
If you routinely let your dog out to go to the bathroom before you leave the house, they may have noticed.
They may begin to associate going outside to go potty with being separated from you.
This may prevent them from going outside and going inside instead.
If they are also whining, digging, barking, and pacing, they may be anxious about you leaving.
Figure Out the Routine
Your puppy could be going to the bathroom inside your house because you still have not established a good routine.
You also may not have figured out your puppy’s routine, either.
For example, your puppy may not need to go to the bathroom until about 30 minutes after eating.
If you let your puppy out right away, they will not need to go yet.
Lingering Odor
By now, you are sure to know that your puppy is going to sniff everything.
Smell is essential to a dog.
When your pup goes to the bathroom, it leaves its scent behind.
This is like a beacon for your puppy, calling them to the place where they should go.
If your puppy has gone in the house more than once, the scent may linger.
You may not even be able to notice it, but your puppy does.
This scent is calling to your dog.
Not all cleaning products or laundry detergents can remove the smell.
If you are able to eliminate it, you may find your puppy less inclined to go to the bathroom inside your house.
Tips to Prevent Your Puppy From Going Inside
Here are some tips that commonly work for puppies that are going to the bathroom inside the house.
You may find a combination of them work for your pup.
Potty First
You could have your puppy go potty before they are allowed to play.
Do not let your puppy interact with others or play until they have gone potty.
You can do this by keeping them on a leash until they go.
Take your pup to a quiet area and keep them in a small area.
You can keep your puppy focused on finding the right spot and going potty before they get to do anything else.
Once they go, you can unleash them and allow them to play with others, including you.
Figure Out the Schedule
Work with your puppy to figure out the proper schedule.
For example, you can try taking them out right after they eat today and try 30 minutes after they eat tomorrow.
You may need to increase the amount of times you take your puppy out.
They often need to go out more as their digestive system is smaller and processes faster.
Final Word
It can be frustrating when your dog goes to the bathroom inside the house, especially after being outside.
Be patient with your puppy and yourself.
This type of training takes time, and if you become frustrated, your puppy will know, and it may only scare it.