I finally found a way to stop my rescue dog from pooping around the house or apartment. Let me share it with you too…
Some proven methods can help our dogs understand what we want from them without putting them under pressure.
You can do whatever you think might work with your dog.
Still, we recommend implementing several things at once—as usual, specific tactics can help us get the most satisfying results.
Stopping A Dog From Pooping In The House
Here we have a list of propositions and advice that’ll hopefully do the trick…
Unity of space and time
No, we’re not talking about physics here, at least not in the same way.
When potty training our dog, we should abide by this rule because having a specific time and place for it can help our dog; we should abide by this rule because having a particular time and place for it can help create a habit.
Everyone who’s ever had a dog knows what role habits play in a dog’s life.
Whether it’s stealing another dog’s toy from a nearby lawn or waiting patiently for a walk at a specific time, having habits makes their life more organized and exciting.
Moreover, these give them something to look forward to throughout the day.
A walk is a good starting point
So, during your journey of discovery called How do I stop my rescue dog from pooping in the house, it might be a good idea to begin the training during a walk since that’s the most common and natural time.
Take it for a walk, preferably every day at the same time. Then, during the walk, linger at a particular place and wait for it to “go.”
If done regularly and at the same spot, the dog will probably start to think of that place as its bathroom spot.
The thing that’ll help strengthen this association in its head is its familiar smell.
Take it outside after a meal
An excellent tactic rarely fails in getting the dog out after a meal.
This works very well, especially if the dog in question is a puppy or likes being indoors or with people.
Having a yard helps since you wouldn’t have to take it for a walk.
When the dog finds itself out of nowhere, it should quickly understand that something must be done to get inside again.
After all, just like with people, goals help dogs find the motivation necessary to think.
Listen to nature’s call
Finally, nature’s call is one more thing that can help us choose a good time for a walk. If the dog spends the night inside, it’ll most likely want to do the deed in the morning.
Accordingly, if we’re going to spare ourselves any unpleasant surprises in the morning and avoid asking ourselves the same old question (How do I stop my rescue dog from pooping in the house?), we’ll take it for a walk before bed as well.
Behavior supervision is the best prevention tactic
We should pay attention to the dog’s behavior when it’s in the house between walks.
If it becomes restless or starts circling and sniffing intensely around previous “crime scenes,” we should react as soon as possible.
During the training period, it’s not the best idea to let the dog move all around the house without supervision.
The freedom of movement and secluded spots might tempt it too much.
By allowing this to happen, we risk undermining all our progress. In the end, we would have to start from scratch.
Generalization doesn’t help
So, we’ve taken a rescue dog and have already heard several answers to the question “How do I stop my rescue dog from pooping in the house?” from other people.
However, the way they did it and the amount of time it took won’t necessarily be the same for our dog.
Listening to other dog owners’ advice could turn out to be counterproductive. First, comparing our dog to someone else’s could hinder our progress and demotivate us.
Second, if the dog sees we’re frustrated, it might get discouraged.
Therefore, we should remember that each dog has its personality and pace, just like people.
The only thing to do is act responsibly, provide the dog with the necessary space and patience, and make it feel loved.
So, in short, the answer to ‘’How do I stop my rescue dog from pooping in the house?’’ is — to be the best dog owner you can be and have faith in your furry friend.
Eventually, it will learn where it can and cannot “go.”
The Absolute Don’ts
One thing every dog owner out there should keep in mind is that they have to avoid punishment at all costs.
If you resort to discipline, you can kiss your success goodbye.
No one likes being forced to do anything; the same applies to dogs. If we lose our patience and start yelling, the dog probably won’t understand.
More importantly, if we scare it, it probably won’t be able to do anything we so desperately want it to do.
Besides making the dog feel bad, these measures will likely have the opposite effect.
This means the dog will probably start hiding from us when it has to go potty out of fear that we’ll yell or punish it again.
And we all know where that leads: right to the beginning and that lovely smelling minefield around the house.
Tips that NEVER fail
If we do everything right and try to develop a relationship with our dog through some quality bonding time, our success is pretty much guaranteed.
However, in case we want to prevent failure at all costs, we will:
- Thoroughly clean up any “accidents.”
- Reward good behavior.
The first one is an obvious must because after making some progress, we certainly don’t want to take any steps back!
That’s when cleaning the house is of utmost importance.
Besides maintaining hygiene, we must find a way to eliminate the dog’s bodily odors because they seem to be some natural trigger for the dog to squat or lift its leg.
Naturally, we ought to eliminate things that might reinforce the behavior we’re trying to improve.
We must be ready to arm ourselves with cleaning agents that can neutralize all the potential threats to our training.
Rewards matter too
The second thing we should do is reward our dog.
Even though that might seem like we’re trying to bribe it, the reward doesn’t have to be something consumable.
Of course, it’s never wrong to have some treats in our pockets, but the most crucial part is the praise.
If we get the dog to warm up to us, it’ll likely be glad to hear some verbal motivation.
Even though dogs don’t understand our language, our energy and tone of voice can show that they’ve done something right.
Most dogs, being what they are, have a strong tendency to do things that make their owners happy.
So, success is bound to follow if we play our cards well. In any case, a rescue dog probably hasn’t heard a lot of praise in its life.
Thus, we might even be able to change its current negative and uncertain state of mind.
Take your time
If you’ve found yourself thinking, “How do I stop my rescue dog from pooping in the house,” know that it won’t be easy.
As we can see, the training process might take a lot of time and effort on both sides.
But despite all the hardship, the relationship we’ll develop with our dog will be something beyond precious and meaningful.
We’re their support and guardians, and they are our dear special friends and, unknowingly, our teachers.
As such, we might start altering our behavior because of them. Additionally, we might become a lot more patient and understanding.
After all, every relationship is a two-way street; this experience might help us become better people and, more importantly — better dog parents.
Problems to have in mind when adopting a rescue dog
Let’s talk about current and future owners more willing to commit to their dogs.
If we’ve decided to adopt a rescue dog, we should be aware of possible problems that might await us.
We won’t be raising a cute little ball of fluff or adopting someone else’s well-behaved companion that ended up in a shelter due to some unfortunate reason.
Both those cases are doubtful. We must be aware that our dog might have been neglected and abused and that those situations most certainly have affected its behavior.
Like people, rescue dogs with abusive backgrounds usually feel either fear or aggression while interacting with others.
Sometimes, these emotions are linked together.
This means we’ll most likely face problems with discipline, socialization, and destructive behavior.
The only solution to all these problems is proper training.
However, besides finding the correct technique, the activity asks for undivided attention and, more importantly, lots and lots of patience.
Disciplining our dog should be a given that any violence is a no-no. We shouldn’t shout, no matter what, as that puts the dog in a defensive mood.
Additionally, we should never resort to physical punishment; it is counterproductive and could lead to severe consequences.
Patience is the key to everything
As was suggested before, we should give our new friends some space and emotional support.
That will surely pay off by making the dog feel at ease in our presence, which is the base for building deeper trust.
As we already know, having a positive attitude towards someone can work wonders.
If our dog trusts us and feels comfortable around us, it will be more open to our instructions.
You might be wondering why patience is so important. The reason is straightforward and logical: the dog’s age plays an important role.
A history of abuse or neglect, combined with age and personality traits of certain breeds, could make a dog’s resistance to training pretty strong.
So, whether the dog keeps acting defensive or doesn’t obey your commands, try not to get too frustrated.
Still, the most painful question we ask ourselves after the adoption is: “How do I stop my rescue dog from pooping in the house?”
Indeed, that issue worries many owners, not just because of hygiene.
The most troubling part is finding the proper training method for a dog that has probably endured a lot of pain and is still suffering.
The joys of potty training a rescue dog and why we must endure them
Potty training a rescue dog can be a mighty unpleasant experience, especially for our noses.
The dog might stubbornly relieve itself around the house or in specific places.
Thus, besides patience, we should equip ourselves with enough tissues, disinfectant, and Febreze during these challenging times.
Our behavior should be consistent if we want to improve the situation. The dog might try doing things out of spite if we behave the wrong way.
If it feels threatened, relieving itself in a particular place might be asserting dominance by marking the territory.
We must endure it if we don’t want to ruin our frail relationship.
Otherwise, ask ourselves how to stop my rescue dog from pooping in the house. It will be pointless.
Of course, depending on the severity of the dog’s condition, it might be almost impossible to train it.
If that’s the case, at least you can use specialized products like belly bands to avoid dealing with urine.
Or, if you think the dog might have more significant issues, take it to a specialist.
In any case, if we manage to correct our dog’s behavior, not only will it feel good and be a lot more hygienic, but it will also be a significant step towards a happier life.
