Why does my potty-trained dog poop inside right after walks?

There is no one reason on why dogs will all of a sudden start pooping in the house. I would recommend going back to crate training Cali. I would keep Cali in the crate when you cannot keep 100% watch on her. When she comes out of the crate I would then walk her. If she goes then I would play with her and once you have to turn your back she goes back in the crate. If she does not go to the bathroom when you take her out of the crate I would put her back in for 20 minutes and try again. If you catch Cali going to the bathroom tell her no and take her and put her where you want her to go and praise her for going. If you just see the accident then clean it up and do not say anything to Cali. A crate should be big enough for her to stand up, sit down and turn around. The crate is a very safe option and dogs end up loving their crates, it's their safe house. I would try this route. I would also recommend getting a stool sample performed at your veterinarian's office. This will rule out intestinal parasites. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I'm sorry to hear about your issues with Phoebe, A break in house training can be frustrating especially with a new baby on the way. Changes in toileting behavior can be related to a medical problem or a behavioral issues. Possible medical issues include colitis (inflammation in the colon), infections, parasites or metabolic issues like inflammatory bowel disease or liver disease. Behavioral issues can stem from changes in routine, stress or fear. If your household routine has changed in preparation for the upcoming addition, it is possible that Phoebe is reacting to this. Other possibilities include stress or anxiety caused by things inside and out. If Phoebe has had a scary episode such as slipping on a floor, falling down stairs or being frightened by a person or noise outside, this could cause anxiety about going outside. My recommendation would be to look for other signs of anxiety such as hiding behavior or fear about going outside in general. If you do not notice these, it may be worth taking a stool sample to your veterinarian to check for parasites and possibly scheduling an appointment to address your concerns.

I would talk to your veterinarian about arthritis. Sometimes when older dogs have arthritis they won't position long enough outside to defecate and they end up coming inside and doing it. Your veterinarian can examine her and see if that is what is going on. I also would recommend a joint supplement for Phoenix as she ages. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Hello Diane. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You didn't mention if this was a new problem or a lifelong problem. Has she ever been completely housebroken? If this is a relatively new problem, Nikki may have an underlying medical condition - like a urinary tract infection. I suggest you have her examined by your vet and have a urine test done to check for infection or other underlying medical problem. If you can rule out a medical problem then you can assume it is behavioral, in which case, you should consult with a professional, in-home dog trainer. It is very hard to potty train a dog this age without professional help.

There can be many different reasons for dogs to poop inside a house. If they are older they can have arthritis and not fully empty outside so when they come in they can feel the need to go. They can have diarrhea from stress, intestinal parasites, eating something they were not supposed to or even a virus. It can be a behavioral issue that something cahnged they are not fond of and they can start with this. I would recommend bringing her to the veterinarian just so they can make sure it is nothing medical prior to saying it is from moving into the new house. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If Jewel is urinating in the house I would recommend bringing her into a veterinarian and have them check a urine sample on her. She may have a urinary tract infection. If she is defecating in the house and it is normal this can be behavioral and I would consider checking a stool sample and crating her until she goes outside again. If it is diarrhea then I would recommend checking a stool sample, putting her on a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice and if it doesn't resolve discussed probiotics and medication with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.