Dog Pooping in the House

by April
(Tucson)

How do I fix my Jack Russell's pooping problem in my house? I have a 4 yr. old Jack Rrussell named Oodie. Odie has a very bad problem of pooping in the house when I leave to go to work. Odie is not alone because my husband is home with him. Last night, 1-22-2012, Oodie pooped right beside my husband with no warning at all. My husband did not yell at him or even scold him but just told him that he was a bad dog and began to poop while he was sitting down.

Odie goes outside constantly, because I have another little Jjack Rrussell ppuppy, so he is always outside. I have tried punishing him and praising him, but Odie still has this problem. Can you give me some support and some advice on how to solve my Jack's problem?


Vet Suggestion on Dog Pooping in the House


Hello April,

The first step in fixing problems with inappropriate elimination is to rule out any medical conditions that might be playing a role. If you have not already done so, make an appointment with your veterinarian. He or she will need to perform a physical exam and take a look at a stool sample under the microscope.
If an abnormality is found, addressing it could very well solve your problem.

If Odie gets a clean bill of health however, a well-designed behavioral modification plan should help the situation. The exact details of how to proceed will depend on the reasons behind your dog’s behavior. After an exam and a thorough history, your veterinarian will be in the best position to develop such a plan. It is important to remember that anxiety plays a role in many unwanted pet behaviors. Therefore punishment, including scolding of any sort, tends to make things worse rather than better. Dog appeasing pheromone, over the counter anxiety-relieving preparations (e.g., Anxitane), and prescription medications can all help in cases like this.

While you are waiting for your veterinary appointment, ignore Odie’s inappropriate elimination completely (other than cleaning it up, of course) and be sure topraise him and give him a treat when he acts in the way that you desire.


Good luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM