Dog suddenly pooing on carpet?

Question

My 8 year old Sheltie has always been good in her house manners, but recently she has been pooing on the carpet while we are gone.

She and our Cocker Spaniel are left in the kitchen with a doggie door to go outside, but the Sheltie has learned how to push open a swinging door into the living room. We have allowed this because she has always been dependable as far as going back through the kitchen to go outside.

Lately though she has been pooing on the rug in the living room. She knows that it is wrong because of how she acts before and after we find it. She cowers and is timid and then will not look us in the eye when we do find it.

I want to train her to now not be able to come into the living room by sending her back in when she is out, and praising when she is in there otherwise, but my mom doesn't want to ruin the rug anymore.

I am also wondering if this is behavioral or just stubburnness or anything else. I doubt stubburnness because of how ashamed she acts when she is caught. We also are not able to do barricading of the door.

Thank you!

Answer 1

She has separation anxiety. This means she is rebelling while your gone. To let you know she is upset you left her there alone. Dogs

get like this and can be trained not to do this. Look into some dog training or obedience school. Good Luck..  

Answer 2

try,....  idk? the problem could be that there is too much poo in the yard and she doesnt like that. If u already dopnt, pick up all the poo in the tyard once a day and see what happens.  best of luck!!

Answer 3

The easiest thing for you to do would be to install a way to lock the swinging door closed when you are gone.  Any hardware store should be able to supply what you need.  This would save you a lot of time and trouble.

Your Sheltie is NOT acting guilty or that she knows she has done wrong.  What you are seeing and misinterpreting is SUBMISSION.  She is afraid of your anger.

Your 8 year old dog may find it uncomfortable to go back through the swinging door or she may have a problem with your cocker spaniel that causes her to prefer pooping away from the other dog.  

From a simple hook and eye to a fancy scrolled lock, you can find something to lock that door in a way that a landlord won't mind (if you rent).  Otherwise, you may have to keep your dogs outside when you're not at home.

Answer 4

It could be a couple of reasons. You can start by taking your dog out before you leave to go anywhere, make sure she goes before you bring her back into the house. second if and when she does go to the bathroom in the house make sure you clean up that spot with a cleaner that is made for pets cuz it breaks down and enzyme in the animals waste that causes odor.  Remember a dog can smell anyplace he or she has gone to the bathroom in the past even if you cleaned up before without using a pet cleaner. And pet store will have it just ask. you dog might have an upset stomach and need to go to the bathroom more often than usual just until she gets better. Or she can be trying to get your attention about something so it can really be anything. Good Luck  

Answer 5

it sounds to me like lazyness. a couple things that i have heard that work. shove the dogs nose in it. get a newspaper just not the sunday ny times alil excessive sounds like a small dog. get angry with the dog make sure it knows that it made a mistake.

Answer 6

Dont' ever shove the dog's nose in it.  That's their highest sensitivity.  Smaking a newspaper in your hands or on the floor could work.  You can also get an empty coke can and put a few pennies in it.  Shake it when she does wrong.

I think more off, she is wanting to mark her territory.  I keep my dogs in the kitchen also.  They also have a doggie door.  When I let them free to roam the house, they go into the room my step daughter was in.  She had cats here.  They p**p on the rug in her room.  They cower when I yell and they know it's wrong.  I just put them back in the kitchen when I find it.

Answer 7

Mom's house mom's rules.

clean carpet professionally with enzyme cleaner to make sure rug is not attracting dog.  Do not clean up in front of dog. go back to housebreaking 101. http://golden-joy.blogspot.com/2008/07/h...

Buy gates for doors ( youCAN barricade save up your pennies and do it)

You can also leash do g to you for closer supervision.