Suddenly pooing indoors

[dizzi]

Have been through the obvious suspect areas on this... nothing's changed at all in the home or garden (possibly a new cat in the neighbourhood but we've not seen much evidence of him - I just know one's moved in but I think they're an indoor cat), no one's been away out of the home or any furniture moved around or anything like that. Physically she's fine - been checked over by a vet.

She's just suddenly decided to start pooing in the kitchen by the front door. It's not that she's whining to go out and being ignored or not being let out, or walked the same as normal - she can have been out 10 minutes prior and STILL go on the kitchen floor, and it's only number 2s and not number 1s. She's not got the runs (thank goodness because I think clearing up squitty ones daily would break me) or anything like that either - it's definitely purely behavioural. Tried going absolutely back to basics and raptures of joy and treats if we get her going outside - that's not showing any effects yet.

Only thing I can possibly think of is that dear Nancy's starting to go a bit potty(er) - but she's only 9 which seems very young to be losing your dog marbles for me - in which case it's obviously going to be damage limitation rather than anything else (which will be fun with a crawling baby and toddler - thankfully we keep them OUT of the kitchen completely at least). She just doesn't seem to be showing any other signs of dementia so I'm completely at a loss if it is or isn't that? It's also one very consistent spot that she's going in (at least I guess I can shove down puppy training pads) - which we've deodorised to within an inch of its life the same way you would to stop a cat spraying repeatedly there so there shouldn't be any residual odours reinforcing it.

Any ideas? Please don't flame me as being some kind of negligent one - I'm at a very low ebb anyway at the moment.

[sharonhigh45]

I have not had this problem with any of my dogs but you are on the right forum to get the right advice as you will probably know, sorry to hear that you are at a low ebb at the moment and I hope it gets sorted soon for you,sending best wishes from Shazx

[ragsysmum]

Maybe she's feeling a bit stressed if you have your hands full with active youngsters and she isn't getting all the attention she is used to or would like.

[lucyrw]

Has something maybe scared her whilst she was toileting outside?

Is it the kitchen door you let her out of to go? One of mine will poo right by the back door if you miss the signs he needs to go out - he knows he's supposed to be outside but can't get there.

When does she do it? Can you catch her and send her straight outside (easier said than done I know!). Hope the back to basics training starts working out for you again x

[dizzi]

Only thing I can possibly think of that would have freaked her out would have been if one of the neighbours had had a go at her - either side of us we're on really good terms with and they like the dogs so it wouldn't have been them - out the back we've had a few problems with him removing the shared fence and coming into our garden unasked to paint his 97 flipping sheds... but we never let the dogs out unsupervised (we have glass patio doors so have a clear view of the garden) and I've never seen anything go on out there. It was one of the first lines of thought I had as well when working through the obvious.

She's literally pooing as soon as she comes in from a wee - there's something going on in her furry little brain saying that number 1s are an outdoor sport but number 2s are an indoor activity all of a sudden. Going to put some puppy pads down to at least make the clear up a bit faster.

Kids aren't allowed to mither her either - we have half the lounge partitioned (open plan-ish) so the dogs can come and chill out next to the sofa next to the partition but can back away if the kids chatting to them gets too much during the day and she's always been utterly indifferent to the small people.

[Letty's Mum]

Dogs do feel very vulnerable whilst toileting, so if your nasty neighbour made her feel scared or uncomfortable, she may see it as a safer option to do it on the inside of the door rather than the outside.
Have you tried staying out with her till she performs? She may feel more confident with you there.
Doesn't sound age related to me
Good luck, keep us updated x

[ellieraven]

Have you changed her food at all or maybe times you are feeding ?

[Rachel and Daisy]

If she is weeing outdoors ok, I would try as soon as she wees and comes in taking her straight back out again like you would a puppy. Sometimes they forget what they were supposed to be doing out there and it sort of resets them. More often than not they will go outside the second time around but if you let them stay in they will toilet indoors. Good luck!

[andywillow]

Feb 24, 2014 2:02:27 GMT -5 dizzi said:

Any ideas? Please don't flame me as being some kind of negligent one - I'm at a very low ebb anyway at the moment.

First of all I don't think anyone on here would flame you as being negligent, we've all got dogs and they all do strange things at times

Roy can do things like this at times, he is so desperate to get back in to go searching for food that he will have a wee then run back in, I turn him around, remind him he needs to poo and he goes back out and does one

If you know she definitely needs to go and always does the same then I would simply pop her back outside, tell her to go and poo and reward her when she does. I know its not as easy if you have small kids and are in on your own but I have gone outside and stood with them until they've done one (infact I do this most nights in winter when its obviously cold and they think they don't need to go but I know otherwise!)

Not sure what others think but I don't know if putting a puppy pad down is the right thing to do as maybe she thinks that this is there for her and its right to do it on there?

Good luck and keep us updated. Hope you feel better soon too xx

[sharonhigh45]

I agree with all that has been said above and putting a puppy pad down will make it easier for cleaning but might signal that it is okay to do it inside, I have trained Moss to go out on the lead as we have a large garden and I don't want him hurting himself running round madly while it is so wet and slippy, but it does mean I have to go out and stand there in all weathers until he performs which in a way is very useful because he more often then not goes before we go for our walks which is great so no having to pick up and carry round as we don't have any poo bins round here!
It must be difficult with small children and hope that it works out for the best quickly xx