Dog A-Z > B > Behaviour problems > Housetraining problems

Housetraining problems

These include:
• Soiling in the house or in an inappropriate area
• Refusing to go to the toilet in front of the owner and then messing in secret
• Soiling when left alone
• Urinating when excited, nervous or anxious
• Urine 'scent' marking in the home

Possible causes include:
• Medical problems - including incontinence and being too physically immature to be able to 'hold' it for long enough periods.
• Anxiety or submissiveness
• Inadequate or incorrect toilet training
• Effect of past punishment by owner, or owner's behaviour

Example - Why does my dog wait until we get back to the house after our walk, to go to the toilet?

If a dog is punished (shouted at, told off, hit, shaken or had his nose rubbed in an 'accident') for going to toilet in the wrong place during toilet training or at any other time, the dog may learn that it is not safe to go to toilet in front of his owner. Some dogs may learn that it was actually the place that was wrong, but many others won't. This may include going outside as well as inside because the dog has learnt that to avoid punishment he must not go in front of people - regardless of where he is. So, even though all through the walk your dog is desperate to go to the toilet, he will wait until he gets home and into the spare bedroom where he can poo out of sight. If when the mess is found later, you take him upstairs, show him his mess and tell him off - this will reinforce his belief that being anywhere near his poo and you is bad and to be avoided.

Another possible reason for this problem may simply be that the owner has always ended the walk as soon as the dog has gone to the toilet. The dog may then have learned to 'hold on' for as long as possible to make sure that his walk doesn't end too quickly. He then gets ‘caught short’ on return to the house.

So, what can you do?

• Never punish your dog for 'accidents' in the house. Dogs never have accidents out of malice or on purpose, so should never be punished for this. Dogs that look guilty when you return home to find an unpleasant doggy mess, do so merely because they are used to being punished on your return.  They display a submissive or appeasing body and face posture (which does look very guilty!) to try to prevent the telling off that is about to come.

• Always clear up 'accidents' quietly without a fuss and out of sight of your dog. Wash down the effected area with a biological solution (diluted biological washing powder will do) or a specialist commercial cleaner for pet odours from a pet shop or supermarket, to completely remove the smell.

• Retrain your dog by taking him outside every hour on the hour to go to the toilet. You must supervise him at all times so that you can also take him out when he looks like he needs to toilet. On the rare occasions when you cannot supervise him, confine him to a small sleeping area or put his lead on and keep him with you. When you let him outside, watch him from a window so that he feels safe to go to toilet without you being there. If you see him start to go to the toilet, quietly walk outside and give him gentle praise, being careful not to interrupt what he is doing. When he has finished, give him lots of excited praising, treats or have a fun game with him as a reward. If this is successful, he should start to feel better about going outside. After a while you can move onto standing in the doorway and then to standing outside with him when he 'goes'. Always heap praise and rewards onto him when he has finished going where you want him to and ignore any accidents. He'll soon get the idea.

• In time you can even introduce a command word as he starts to 'go' and train him to go whenever you tell him to. Please remember to pick up his poo in public places.

Further information/courses of action

• Please take your dog to the vet to rule out any medical causes.

You may need to see a behaviourist or trainer to help you decide the correct course of treatment and subsequent training.

Associated factsheets:

Housetraining factsheet (opens new browser window)