Dog(s) pooing in the house - grrrr! Any advice?

[notjustapuppymum]

Ok, we have 2 golden retrievers, both just over 2 years old. Fully toilet trained up until last week it would seem...

We had a new baby 3 months ago and their routine hasn't changed. They seem to love the baby and have been very calm and kind around him.

Anyway, whether that has anything to do with it or not I don't know but the last week or so they have started doing poos in the house.

They have even done a couple overnight in their bed area. I was prepared to let them off of that thinking that maybe it was a tummy upset or they really couldn't hold it overnight but this morning really took the biscuit.

I came downstairs, let them straight out into the garden for the toilet while I made the babies bottle. Watched them both do a wee and a poo, then come to the door to be let back in.

So I let them back in and went and fed the baby. Came back down 20 mins later to find a massive poo in my dining room.

Now, this is very odd for several reasons:

1. They ARE toilet trained and haven't pooed/weed in the house since pups, so why have they suddenly started.

1. They especially never pooed in our dining room as pups.

1. They used to sit at the door and bark if they needed the toilet. I have even been woken up by them at 5am if they are desperate for the loo.

Furthermore, the trouble is I don't actually know which one is doing it - or indeed whether it is the same dog each time.

Sorry for the long ramble but does anyone have any advice?

The poo in the dining room could have been an attempt to do it in secret, and avoid being told off. It does sound more like stress/anxiety tbh.

I live in a village with no street lights too - it is possible to walk dogs at night

Just a thought, with them being litter brothers and just reaching maturity - is it possible one of them is doing it to show they are "top dog" to the other one?

I have heard of cats doing this to show their territory- and have had a neighbours cat do this.

We had litter brothers and though didn't experience this problem, there were other things that emerged at around this age. We had their Dad as well so just treated him that tiny bit better - putting his food down first and so on, and the problems stopped after a short while but not sure how this could help you though.

Hmmm I don't buy that Bella, they don't really get told off anyway and the stairs lead down into the dining room so it couldn't have been in a more obvious place. If they'd wanted to try and hide it it would have been in the kitchen or utility.

Even if I wanted to go out in the pitch black to walk them at night, which I don't, then what would I do with the baby? My oh works until late at night and I have enough on my plate getting the baby bathed and to bed without walking the dogs again too and I'm not taking him out in the cold at night to walk them.

They get 2 long walks a day, I don't see why at 2 years old they suddenly need another and that still doesn't explain the one in the morning after they'd just been out!!

Today we are giving them lots of extra strokes and love and are going to treat them if they go to the toilet in the garden.

Really don't know how else to get over it.

Well, I didn't ask you to buy anything - I was merely offering suggestions and advice but you seem to know why they are doing it so will leave you to it.

Might be nice if you said thanks re my other suggestion, btw

I think part of the problem is you're putting human trains of thought onto them. 'the dining room is obvious because it iss at the bottom of the stairs'. The dogs wouldn't think that, what they would think is 'we've never been told off for doing it in there before, lets try that'.

Babies are not like toddlers, they can easily be wrapped up warm to go for late evening walks. You might fin dit helps, an dif you're lack of flexibility on this spills into other areas of your life becaus eof the baby (understanably in some casesmaybe) then I suspect the dogs way of life has changed more than you think.

I think part of the problem is you're putting human trains of thought onto them. 'the dining room is obvious because it iss at the bottom of the stairs'. The dogs wouldn't think that, what they would think is 'we've never been told off for doing it in there before, lets try that'.

Babies are not like toddlers, they can easily be wrapped up warm to go for late evening walks. You might fin dit helps, an dif you're lack of flexibility on this spills into other areas of your life becaus eof the baby (understanably in some casesmaybe) then I suspect the dogs way of life has changed more than you think.

Sorry Bella I didn't mean to offend you or sound ungrateful for your advice. It's just that I know the layout of our house and so know the poo wasn't trying to be hidden and I also know that they get plenty of opportunities to go outside and poo.

I am finding it very stressful as I'm sure anyone reading this can appreciate. It's not merely the stress of having to clear up their poo again and feeling back to a puppy stage with them, it's the stress that they might be feeling upset and anxious and not knowing what to do about it.

They poo the same amount as before the baby came, when we go for our morning walk one of them always does three in quick succession - there's no change in any of their habits or as I've said their routine.

I don't know how to make them happier but I will not react next time it happens (as I didn't this morning) and see how it goes.

I don't think I'm being inflexible in not wanting to take the baby out for a walk at night. I'm too busy in the evening to do it anyway, we only just manage to fit in dinner, feeding, bathtime etc as it is without another dog walk!

The dogs have two hours of walks throughout the day, plus as much time as they want in the garden. It has always done them fine until now.

I think I'd get your oh to take them out when he gets home, even just for 15 mins to see whether that helps. I can see why you don't much want to go out in the pitch black/freezing cold with 2 dogs and a baby.

Does the utility room lead onto the garden? If so, you could consider putting a doggy door in so they can come and go as they please (therefore solving the problem if it is just 'need to go' related). Staywell do loads for lab/retreiver size, and I couldn't be without ours now. I certainly don't miss being up and down like a yo-yo letting them out! They all come with security covers so you can lock them if you go away, and they can be put in uPVC and wooden doors.

It would also be worth trying the DAP collars / plug in - I've just tried the spray for the first time literally half an hour ago, and my two are both snoring now! Usually at this time they'd be running about like nutters. So that could help if it's a stress issue. They stock it in PAH so it's easy to get.

Hope you manage to sort it out.

Unfortunately it doesn't MrsL123 otherwise that would be great! That is one of our top priorities in our new house (moving later this year).

I am going to go to PAH tomorrow and get some DAP. One of them suffers really badly with car sickness as well and my vet had previously recommended it for that so I have been meaning to buy some for a while anyway.

Hopefully when the warmer/drier weather gets here (ha ha) things will sort themselves anyway because I can leave the back door into the garden open all day and evening.

My local pet shop owner who has known them since pups has also suggested it could be a territory marking issue where the pack order has changed.

The dogs are definately not doint it to wind you up.

I would say this is very much a stress issue.
You say you are stressed they will pick up on this
You have a new baby if you are not stressed now you never will be.
Babies crying can stress a dog out big time and obviously the babies cry makes you react which reinforces the dogs anxiety.

The dogs are picking up on your stress and things are going round in circles.

What would cure it would be going out with them when they poo and praising them for pooing outside everytime for a week or two.

No reaction at all for a poo in the house not even a raise of the eyebrow or an intact of breath.

A brief walk in the evening to empty their bowels so if they are stressed there is nothing they can poo!

Certainly get a dap collar this may be all you need.
Increase the exercise at any time in the day to relief the stress and make the dogs calmer

Do check with vet that nothing is amiss

Actually this behaviour does show how your boys have bonded with you. They realise that things have changed in the household and are anxious for you and them
Good luck

Thanks minimu - that's actually a nice thought that it shows they have a strong bond with me.

No poo indoors so far this morning so fingers crossed.