Dog peeing or pooing in the house: how to help

Like humans, dogs’ toilet habits may change due to medical reasons. The change might be an increase in how much they pee, the size of their wee, being unable to hold it, or leaking, for example. Each of these could lead to your dog peeing in the house when they haven’t before. A dog that’s in pain for any reason may also start going in the house because it’s less painful than going outside.

These changes are symptoms, and not a diagnosis in themselves. So, it’s important if you notice any changes to visit your vet. Common conditions include urinary tract infections (UTI), bladder stones and kidney disease. Your dog may require a short course of medication, or a longer treatment plan depending on the findings. It’s likely your vet will ask for a fresh pee sample from your dog to help find the cause.

You should also speak to your vet if you notice that your dog’s poo is starting to change and you aren’t sure why. The odd poo that is a bit different is likely to be a normal response to something they’ve eaten. If your dog starts to poo more often than usual or you see changes in the texture, colour, or smell that don’t get better after a day or two, it’s important to speak to your vet. If your dog also appears uncomfortable, speak to your vet sooner rather than later.

When dogs experience emotional stress, they can temporarily lose control of their bladder or bowels. The stress interferes with their bodily functions, and they can’t help but pee or poo. 

Some common situations that may cause fear or anxiety for your dog, making them pee or poo in the house, include:

• loud sudden noises, like fireworks  
• the introduction of a new household member  
• visitors to the house  
• being left alone.  

Use our guide to dog body language to help you spot signs of anxiety or fear that may come with a change in toilet habits.

If you know there’s a specific situation that causes your dog to pee or poo in the house, try to avoid this trigger. You can also get behaviour support.

In the meantime, it’s important that you don’t punish or tell off your dog when they have an accident. It only adds to their anxiety and often leads to more accidents. They may also then go to the toilet somewhere hidden to avoid you, and you won’t be able to clean up properly. Instead, continue to give your dog chances to go outside regularly and reward them when they do.

Dogs who are worried about being left alone may go to the toilet inside. This may happen at the point of being left, while they’re alone, or when someone returns to them. If you notice that your dog only wees or poos in the house when they’re left alone, then it’s likely a separation-related behaviour caused by stress and anxiety.

Find our more about managing and treating separation-related behaviours for specific help with this problem.

When dogs experience change, like moving house or visiting a holiday home, they may start urinating or pooing inside. If there’s no medical reason for the change in behaviour, then they just need to learn where it’s appropriate to go in the new space.

Most dogs can learn quickly in a new environment where they should be urinating and pooing. You can help them by taking them outside regularly and rewarding them when they wee or poo in the right place. They should soon get the hang of it again.

Marking, or scent marking, is a normal dog behaviour that involves a dog leaving a small amount of pee to tell other dogs information about themselves. Pee contains pheromones that can say ‘I was here’ to other dogs when sniffed.

Marking is commonly associated with male dogs and happens on vertical surfaces like walls or chair legs. But female dogs also scent mark.

Marking behaviours can increase due to:

• changes in the environment
• being near to a dog of the opposite sex  
• an increase in anxiety.

Even if your dog doesn’t usually mark at home, they may do when visiting other homes or indoor areas. This is more likely if other dogs have been there.

To reduce the chance of your pup marking repeatedly in the house, make sure everything is kept clean. Wash dirty bedding, or anything that has belonged to another animal, before use. Use an enzymatic cleaner, often labelled ‘pet odour remover’, to remove any previous pee marking or other accidents.

You can also discuss neutering your dog with your vet. This may reduce inappropriate scent marking, particularly in male dogs. Though some dogs may still mark even when neutered.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD), like Alzheimer’s in humans, is more common in older dogs. Symptoms usually include disorientation and confusion. And, as a result, older dogs may appear to go backwards in their toilet training and pee or poo in unusual places.

As our dogs age, they also become more affected by other medical conditions which may affect their toilet habits. For example, stepping into the garden may be challenging if a dog has leg pain, so they might wee in the house instead.  As dogs get older, their toileting routine may need changing to reflect different activity levels and sleep times.

While peeing more is expected as dogs age due to hormonal changes and a weaker bladder, there are still treatments and support available. It’s important that older dogs don’t live with chronic pain, or undiagnosed medical conditions that cause discomfort. They may be tricky to spot even for the most experienced owners. Speak to your vet if you’re concerned about your elderly pooch.

A toilet-trained adult dog may start peeing in the house due to medical issues, stress or routine changes. If your dog is healthy, consider whether anything has changed in their schedule or environment. It could be new people visiting, building work, or reduced outdoor access, for example.

Revisit your basic training, using the step-by-step method further down the page. Supervise closely, providing plenty of opportunities for your dog to pee outside and reward them when they do. Clean accidents thoroughly to remove any smells and avoid telling your dog off as it could make the situation worse. If accidents continue or have come on very suddenly, book a vet check to rule out medical causes.

If your adult dog is new to your home, they may not have been toilet trained. Or they may not know where they should go and need a refresh of their training. All dogs learn toilet training in the same way, whether they’re a puppy or a golden oldie. Follow our house-training advice to teach your dog appropriate toilet behaviour.

As with all toilet accidents, night-time peeing or pooing can have different causes. These include:  

• medical problems
• age-related incontinence
• increased water intake
• heightened emotions like anxiety
• changes to routine.

Dogs who are sensitive to the weather and don’t like going in the dark, cold, or wet may have night-time accidents if they struggle to wee before bed. Puppies and senior dogs have smaller bladder capacities so may need to be let out more often, even during the night.

Dogs do best with consistent routines. Make the opportunity to pee and poop the last part of your dog’s daily routine and it should help them to be accident free overnight. If your dog tends to be reluctant to toilet in the garden, it’s worth taking them a bit further away to make sure they fully empty. 

A consistent routine will also help you to spot patterns which will help you to identify why your dog is having accidents at night. Once you know the cause, you can work to fix the problem.

If your dog is toilet trained and starts to have sudden accidents at night, speak to your vet. This will help identify any hard-to-spot medical issues and make your training as effective as possible.

If your vet has ruled out medical issues, and your dog is relaxed overnight, refresh their toilet training with regular trips outside in the night. Gradually increase the time between toilet breaks, if they don’t have an accident, until they’re clean throughout the night again.

It’s important to make sure your puppy or dog has access to fresh water during the night and day. Some owners might worry this will result in their dog needing to toilet during the night, but it’s our legal responsibility as owners to meet our dogs’ welfare needs and withholding water could create medical problems.

If your dog is only having accidents in their crate, it’s probably caused by one of two things:  

Being left in their crate for longer than suitable. This means they have no choice but to pee or poo due to a full bladder or bowel.

It’s a sign that your dog feels worried or stressed in their crate. Avoid shutting them in the crate while you plan how to make them feel better. You can refresh your dog's crate training to help them re-learn that being there can be positive and relaxing.  

However, you may also need to think about alternatives to using a crate. Speaking to a qualified professional may be helpful, especially if your dog shows signs of distress or struggles when left alone.

It’s common for dogs to pee on beds or furniture at some point. Reasons for this include anxiety, marking, or being drawn to a strong scent from another animal or person. Soft, absorbent surfaces can feel safe and familiar, giving dogs the confidence to pee there. While furniture bases or table legs often attract marking due to their vertical surfaces. If any smells aren’t fully removed, your dog may be tempted to return to the same spot to pee again.  

In younger dogs, this can be due to a small bladder or not recognising the need to go. In older dogs, or those who have been toilet trained, sudden bed wetting may point to a medical issue. So, it’s always worth checking in with your vet. The good news is that, with the right approach, it’s a behaviour that can be managed and changed.  

Moving home can be unsettling for all members of the family, including your four-legged friend. So, setbacks in toilet training can have several causes when you’ve moved into a new house. Confusion over where it’s appropriate to toilet, a change in routine, or different smells and textures can all lead to accidents in the home.

The important thing to remember is that your dog has previously been house trained so you’re not back to day one. You just need to give them a few reminders and recap their training.

Make sure your new home is cleaned thoroughly with enzymatic cleaner, often labelled as ‘pet odour remover’. Pay special attention to carpets and soft furnishings which may keep the scent or previous residents.

Follow the step-by-step refresher training above and your dog should settle into their new home in no time.

When you bring a new dog home, the training steps are the same whether they’re a young pup or a rescue dog with no training.

Follow our house training advice and keep things consistent. It can be challenging initially but stick with it. As you build a relationship and get to know your new pooch pal, you’ll soon start to see progress.

A previously toilet-trained dog may start weeing indoors due to medical issues, stress or routine changes. If your dog’s healthy, consider whether anything has changed in their schedule or environment. It could be a new pet in the home, or your working patterns.

Revisit your basic training, supervising closely. Provide plenty of opportunities for your dog to wee outside and reward them when they do. Clean accidents thoroughly to remove any smells and avoid telling your dog off as it could make the situation worse. If accidents persist or have come on suddenly, speak to your vet to rule out medical causes.

There’s no set schedule for toilet training. It can take anywhere from weeks to months to house train a dog. It all depends on your dog’s age, training consistency, and routine. Puppies need more time because they have smaller bladders and lack the control. Adult dogs may learn faster, especially if they’ve had some training before.

Every dog is individual. But as a rough guide, most dogs will be toilet trained after four to six months of consistent training. Setbacks are normal, especially during adolescence, and with routine changes or new environments. Stick to the basics, be consistent, and you’ll soon see progress.

Puppy pads may cause confusion for older dogs and increase indoor weeing or pooing. As dogs age there can be many causes of weeing and pooing indoors. Things like medical issues, loss of control in the bladder and confusion in where to go. Puppy pads may be easier to clean up and prevent weeing or pooing on the floor or furniture. But they can encourage going to the toilet indoors and reduce the likelihood of your dog going outside instead.

If you are going to use puppy pads, always place them in the same spot and secure them to avoid slipping. Change the pads regularly, and make sure your dog still has outdoor access. This is important for overall wellbeing, not just going to the toilet. We’d also recommend speaking to your vet to see how they can support your dog.

Yes. Physical and emotional stress, fear and anxiety can lead to accidents indoors. Triggers could be anything your dog is worried by. Some potential triggers include: 

• loud noises
• visitors
• changes in the home
• being left alone or conflict between pets in the household.

An anxious dog may be worried about going outside to pee and poo. You can support yours with calm and consistent routines. Reward them when they go in the right place and give reassurance if they seek it.  

If stress and anxiety related toilet incidents are a problem for you and your dog, you may need to find professional support from a trainer or behaviourist. They can help you build your dog’s confidence and support their toilet training. And it’ll help prevent problems carrying on or worsening.  

Use an enzymatic cleaner, often labelled ‘pet odour remover’. You’ll find it in most supermarkets. Choose one specifically designed for pet wee if possible. Other household cleaners or disinfectants aren’t effective enough at removing the scent. You’ll need to fully remove the scent to prevent your dog repeatedly weeing, or marking, on the same spot.

Always make sure any cleaning products used are dog-friendly and speak to your vet right away if you think your dog has ingested anything toxic.

Using consistent, reward-based training will help your dog stop going to the toilet indoors. This method is usually effective after a few months, no matter what age they are.

Dogs won’t just grow out of peeing and pooing indoors on their own. They do it to meet their basic bodily needs. It’s normal to not want them doing it in the house. But we have to teach our four-legged friends where we’d like them to go, and reward them when they go in the right place. Otherwise, they won’t learn.

Neutering will unlikely stop your dog marking completely, but it may reduce it depending on the reason for marking. Neutering can reduce instances of marking when the behaviour is caused by hormones. In an adolescent dog, for example.

However, dogs scent mark for many reasons, like to communicate with other dogs and animals, or when they’re worried. You can help to minimise marking indoors by being consistent in toilet training routines and keeping everywhere clean. This is particularly important if you have multiple pet animals. The likelihood of marking is increased with more scents in the home.

Your dog may not have fully finished toileting outside. They might’ve been distracted by smells, or unsettled by a noise and gone back inside. You can help by keeping toilet trips calm and distraction-free. Choose quiet times of day and avoid play or fuss while waiting. Walking calmly around your garden or outside area can encourage them to move and go to the toilet. Standing and watching often isn’t helpful.

Pay attention to where and how your dog likes to go to the toilet. Some dogs only wee or poo on certain surfaces, like grass, or need to be on-lead and walked. Others might prefer to be off-lead. You may also simply need more time outside to fully finish pooing.

Remember to reward your dog promptly for toileting outside so they learn that’s the right place to go.

If the problem continues, or starts suddenly, digestion issues could be involved. Speak to your vet for advice.

When your dog feels overwhelming emotions like fear or excitement, they may temporarily lose control of their bladder. They’re not being naughty. Weeing for this reason is something they can’t control and is more common in puppies. You might notice it when saying hello to other humans or dogs, during play, or when you’re returning home after leaving your dog.

Keep a close eye on your dog's body language to help understand how they’re feeling and support them to stay relaxed. If your adult dog is struggling with excited or scared weeing, you might need to find behaviour support as the behaviour is likely more complex. Help them in the meantime by keeping the environment calm, giving reassurance, and avoiding situations that scare them when you can.

Puppies need to be taken out every couple of hours for a chance to pee or poo. You should also take them out after sleeping, playing, or eating. This can be reduced as they grow and get the hang of toilet training.

Toilet trained adult dogs will vary but taking them out every four hours works well for most.

Senior dogs or those with extra veterinary needs may need to be taken out more often. The same applies for dogs who will only pee or poo in specific places or conditions.

Keeping a consistent schedule helps to prevent accidents and uphold good habits and training. Pay attention to your individual dog. If you notice things like restlessness, pacing, circling and sniffing the ground, it’s likely they need to go to the toilet outside.

No. Never remove or limit your dog’s water. Dogs need constant access to clean, fresh water. This is one of the five welfare needs, and you’re required to meet these needs by law.

Speak to your vet if you’re concerned about the amount of water your dog is drinking, or if you notice changes in their drinking habits.

Make sure any areas are thoroughly cleaned with enzymatic cleaner. It’s often labelled as ‘pet odour remover’ in supermarkets and will help break down the scent. This is important as dogs will go back to pee or poo on areas that carry smells of other dogs’ pee or poo. Their sense of smell is more sensitive than humans so they can sniff out even the smallest trace.

If needed, restrict your dog’s access to the area until it’s fully clean and dry. Keep up good outdoor toilet habits by rewarding consistently for peeing and pooing outdoors.