Why won't my dog poop when I'm watching but does when I leave?

It's not uncommon for temporary housetraining setbacks to happen, even in adult dogs. I would recommend going outside with the dog when he goes out to potty, and rewarding with praise and a tasty treat for pooping outside. Until this issue is sorted out, he will also need to be supervised at all times to prevent him from having the opportunity to poop in the spare bedroom - if you notice him starting to sniff the floor or circle, hurry him back outside, then praise and reward for pooping out there. You may need to use a baby gate or other physical barrier to keep him in the same room with you so that you can watch him. The "guilty look" you are seeing is actually appeasement behavior - dogs do not understand the concept of guilt the same way we do. This dog has likely learned that he will be punished if there is poop in the house, but this is not the same thing as understanding the cause-and-effect relationship between the act of pooping and being punished. In fact, most dogs who have been punished for housetraining accidents will show this behavior even if you bring some poop from outside and place it on the floor - you can try this sometime if you have doubts! :) I would stick to this plan until he has gone at least two weeks with no accidents at all before allowing him any unsupervised freedom in the house.

Definitely moving to an apartment can change a pets training behavior. I recommend kennel training Siao-lyn. You can find many great resources online and dog training books. Kennel training her is likely going to be the best way to housebreak her. Sometimes dogs do need a refreshing course in housebreaking when their home environment changes. An adult dog should be able to hold their urine and stool for 8 to 12 hours. Treat her just like she is a little puppy all over again. The only word of caution I will say, is if you are noticing that she is urinating in the house you should take her to the veterinarian to have her urine checked for infection. Sometimes bladder infections will cause dogs to urinate in the house. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely just him needing to get used to going out to defecate with someone else. I would recommend that when he is taken outside by that person, that they give him a longer time to go potty while he gets used to them. This should get better on its own. Best of luck!

You may need to spend more time with him outside. Wait him out, and when he does go poop outside, give him lots of praise and give him a treat. You may also want to consider crate training him. Get him a crate that is big enough for him to stand up and turn around in. Make it comfortable, in a nice quiet place, with his blankets and toys. If he's stubborn and won't go outside, put him in his crate and close it. If he cries, give him a few minutes to settle down, but if he persists, he may be letting you know he needs to go potty. By giving him just enough room, but not too much, your giving him a 'den' so to speak. Dogs are very reluctant to soil the place where they sleep, so by confining him, you're presenting him with a choice; ask to go out and get the job done, or possible make a mess and have to be stuck with it for a little while. When he has gone potty, put him in his crate but don't shut it. The presence of his blankets and a toy will reinforce to him that the crate is a nice place that is all his own.

Hello there! Thanks for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Perhaps there is something that has recently frightened her out in the yard or garden. There is also the possibility she is having pain while urinating and/or defecating and therefore may be associating the area she goes wee and poo with the pain she may be experiencing. I think the best thing to do in this situation is encourage to go out (perhaps join or accompany her) or take her for a walkie to see if she goes then. If not and you are still concerned, especially if she hasn't passed urine or stool soon, then I would recommend you see your veterinarian for an exam. A urinary tract infection can cause pain during urination and constipation can cause pain during defecation. I would want to be sure there is nothing more serious going on if this behavior continues. Best of luck to you and Cindy!

The two most common reasons for this problem are either a medical problem or a behavioral problem. I would recommend starting with having your veterinarian check a fecal sample on Chloe. My dog starting having accidents like you describe when she was around a year old, and we found a microscopic intestinal parasite. Once we treated it, her accidents stopped. The other possibility is that Chloe is holding her stool on a walk because she wants the walk to continue. If that is the case, then I would try to find a location with a large number of dog smells to encourage her to go in that location. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It's possible that it may be an issue of timing - many dogs are very regular in their bathroom habits, and she may prefer to do her business in the evening. If you think that she really does have a preference (some dogs do!), then if your boyfriend is willing he can try taking her on a long walk around the time she usually likes to poop. When she finally goes (which she very likely will, if he walks her long enough), he should praise and reward her with a treat. Have him do this for the next few nights if possible. Once she is comfortable pottying with him as well as you, it shouldn't matter who takes her out :)