How to prevent dogs from defecating at home

When we return home full of joy but see the dog's excrement on the floor, the helplessness and irritation at that moment are beyond words. However, looking into the dog's innocent eyes, all our complaints turn into pity. A dog's tendency to defecate at home is not an intentional act of "messing around" but is due to complex reasons behind it. Understanding these reasons and taking scientific and effective methods to guide it can not only solve the hygiene problem but also help the dog develop good living habits and build a harmonious life between humans and pets.

A dog defecating at home may first be because it has not yet established the correct defecation habit. During the puppy stage, a dog's self-control ability is relatively weak, and it cannot hold its urine and feces for a long time like an adult dog. If the owner does not guide it to defecate at a fixed place in time, the dog will, according to its instinct, randomly find a place to excrete in the familiar home. Just like a child who is like a blank sheet of paper and needs to be taught step by step, a puppy also needs the owner to patiently tell it "where the correct toilet is". For some dogs that have been stray, during the period of being stray, they did not have a stable living environment and a fixed place to defecate. After entering a family, it is also difficult for them to quickly adapt to the new life rules, and the owner needs to spend more time and energy to guide them.

Physical health problems can also lead to abnormal defecation of dogs at home. When a dog suffers from gastrointestinal diseases, such as gastroenteritis and parasitic infections, it will have symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. The frequent urge to defecate makes it difficult for them to control. Even if they want to defecate at a fixed place, they may not be able to do so due to physical discomfort. In addition, urinary system diseases, such as cystitis and urethritis, will make the dog have a frequent urge to urinate, which will also cause random urination at home. At this time, the dog is actually sending a "distress signal" to the owner. They cannot live a normal life due to physical pain and need the owner to notice it in time and take them to see a doctor.

Psychological factors should not be ignored either. Dogs are animals with rich emotions. When they feel anxious, nervous, or lonely, they may express their emotions by defecating at home. For example, when the owner is away from home for a long time, the dog will have separation anxiety when left alone at home. In order to leave its own smell and gain a sense of security, it may defecate in various corners of the house. Or when there is a sudden change in the home environment, such as moving house or the addition of a new family member, the dog will feel stressed due to not adapting and then exhibit abnormal defecation behavior. At this time, what the dog needs is the comfort and company of the owner. They are telling us in this way: "I need you."

After understanding the reasons why the dog defecates at home, we can "prescribe the right medicine" and take corresponding measures to stop this behavior. For dogs that have not yet established a defecation habit, the owner should grasp their defecation patterns. Generally speaking, dogs have a greater need to defecate after eating, waking up from sleep, and playing. The owner can take the dog to a fixed defecation place in a timely manner during these time periods, such as on the pee pad laid on the balcony or in a fixed area outdoors. When the dog defecates in the correct place, immediately give praise and rewards, which can be gentle strokes, enthusiastic compliments, or delicious small snacks. Through this positive reinforcement, let the dog understand that defecating in this place will be liked and rewarded by the owner, and gradually form a conditioned reflex.

If the abnormal defecation is caused by physical health problems, the owner must take the dog to a pet hospital for a comprehensive examination in a timely manner. The doctor will determine the cause of the disease through professional diagnosis and give corresponding treatment. During the period when the dog is receiving treatment, the owner should take more careful care of it, adjust its diet, and give more love. When the dog recovers its health, the problem of abnormal defecation will also improve accordingly.

For dogs that defecate at home due to psychological factors, the owner should give them enough security. Spend more time accompanying the dog, playing and interacting with it, and let the dog feel the owner's love. When the owner needs to go out, some items with the owner's smell can be left for the dog, such as old clothes, or some interesting toys can be prepared to distract its attention and relieve its anxiety. At the same time, try to keep the home environment stable and avoid sudden changes from bringing stress to the dog.

During the process of correcting the dog's behavior of defecating at home, patience is the key. It takes time for a dog to learn, and there may be repeated situations. When it is found that the dog defecates in the wrong place at home, never beat or scold it, because beating and scolding not only cannot solve the problem but also make the dog feel scared and rebellious, making the situation worse. The owner can tell the dog "No" in a gentle but firm tone, and then clean up the excrement and use a special pet deodorant to remove the smell, preventing the dog from being attracted by the smell again and defecating in the same place.

Every dog is a unique treasure in the family, and they accompany us with loyalty and love. When there is a problem of a dog defecating at home, we should have more understanding and less complaint, and use scientific methods and full love to help them develop good defecation habits. I believe that under the careful guidance of the owner, the dog will definitely learn to defecate correctly and jointly create a clean and warm home with us.