# Please help! I need someone who is experinced with this



## StephStew (May 6, 2013)

I have posted in the past about this problem but here I am several months later with the same issue. I have talked to the vet and to trainers and I just can't figure this out. I'm starting to become fearful that my husband is going to make me get rid of him. He WILL NOT stop pooping in the house. I cannot get him to stop. I trained him from 8 weeks using the bells to tell me he needs to go out because of the way my house is set up and because I have 3 small children and I knew I would be distracted. He will ring his bell 100% of the time to pee and 80% of the time to poop. But randomly he just poops in the house. Sometimes is everyday for 4 or 5 days. Sometimes he will go 3 weeks without an accident. I don't see any rhyme or reason. Every time I think he is finally trained he starts it up again. I have tried starting from scratch using boiled chicken every time he rings the bell and every time he poops. I praise him overtime he rings his bell and overtime he goes outside. Then he will do good for a while and then he starts pooping in the house again. 

Here are some things I've noticed:
He hates stepping on the grass when it's wet.
He always poops first thing in the morning a little bit and then usually again just an hour or so later.
He will pee and then try to drag me back in the house. I have to force him to stay outside and poop. 
When he does have an accident he puts himself in his crate (which he never goes in there on his own). So he knows what he did is wrong. 
His poop looks normal, not runny or anything like that. 

Has ANYONE been through this or have any advice. I am seriously desperate. I don't know what else to do. You can email me directly too: [email protected].

Thanks so much


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

He sounds like he's built up a bit of insecurity about the whole pooping thing. You say he put himself in his crate as he knows he's done wrong, has he been scolded a lot? Understandable to get frustrated with him but it just sounds like he finds the having a poo situation quite stressful?
Personally I would go right back to basics. Crate him when alone, reduce his freedom in the house as dogs will rarely willingly poo in their immediate vicinity. Don't scold at all (hubby too, so you are both consistent) and although I would treat and praise when things go right I would keep it calm and brief. No excitment. 
I also think it would be worth trying raw food?! He will need to poo much less and it's pretty solid and non smelly. You will find his pooing much more routine and when he does have an accident its much easier to clean up.
I think the key here is to get your boy to relax about the whole thing and you should find it will change but it has to start with you relaxing first


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

I had a rescue dog that came with no house training at around 7 months - he was huge and so were his nervous anxious poos  At the time I had a 2 year old and a 5 year old son.... He was also destructive, suffered from separation anxiety and was massively strong delighting in barging over small children and attempting to pull who ever was on the other end of his leash to the ends of the earth as quickly as possible... he very nearly was returned to the rescue center on numerous occasions over the next 12 months or so - but in the end he was the most wonderful dog. Some of his problems were easier to solve than others... 
They all were solved though, in time and with lots of patience and treats 
I know Donna's Willow went through a period of pooping indoors, she may be along to share some of her wisdom.

I'm with Karen - a raw diet will drastically reduce the size and smell of the poops - although it will not necessarily stop the pooping indoors - just a lot less.
Also don't get cross keep calm.
Can I ask what your routine is with your dog? When is he walked and what are his walks - on lead, off lead on his own, off lead with other doggy chums to romp with?
Are your expectations that he will do what he needs to do in the garden?
My dogs are not keen on using the back garden to wee or poop in, they would much rather go out of their territory to mess. The front garden is a better option for them.
How many times a day does your dog poop?
My advice would be find some other local doggy friends. Try and fit a social walk in for you and your dog every day. I don't know how old your children are or how hectic your schedule is - but for this to work you will have to work out regular fun walks for your dog. At 15 months he is in the peak of his fitness, energy levels and general delightful zanyness.
Now that we are having dark evenings get your kids some torches and plan an exciting regular torch walk with your dog - get him a flashing collar. Make it fun. The dog is the responsibility of the whole family and you should not feel that you are having to tackle this alone. Maybe your husband could get up half an hour earlier and take the dog for a walk around the block. My dogs have a place they like to poop locally - this is handy as I know where they will go. I'm lucky in that they can be off lead within 4 minutes of leaving our house on open fields - but all dogs are creatures of habit, you just have to give them the opportunity to create the habit.
Go back to basics - reward him when he poops outside and link a work to the action ('be quick' works for mine.
Good food will reduce the number of poops, regular exercise will provide opportunities for him to poop outside and relax inside. Routine will help establish the habit.
Do you still have baby gates around? I'd gate off the kitchen or utility area so you can restrict his access to the rest of the house. Personally I'd also ditch the crate.
You can do this - it is not an insurmountable problem (although I know that it can feel like it.)
Good luck.


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## Miss Lilly (Sep 12, 2014)

Brilliant advice from the previous posters as usual!!

The only other thing I can think of is to make sure that your dog has very regular mealtimes: (i.e. morning and evening and no 'free feeding' in between). You should then be able to work out roughly the length of time between his eating and his needing to empty his bowels ... and you can then make sure that you are out with him 100% of the time around this time.

I agree that dogs generally do not like to soil their own territory. Also, some dogs will give certain signals when they need to go. In Miss Lilly's case, she gets a bit silly: she will start to attack her bed - she drags it around and tries to chew through it. She will also get more excitable and jumpy with me. 

You might want to watch your dog very closely to see if he does something similar around the time he needs to go.

Good luck - it must be very frustrating trying to deal with this!


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