Elimination Problems in Dogs
Inappropriate Defecation or Urination
Housesoiling in adult dogs ranks among the most common complaints
of dog owners. Even the most reliably trained dog can have trouble
controlling bowel or bladder function during illness or stress.
If your dog suddenly loses its house-training manners, the possibility
of an underlying medical disorder should be investigated by your
veterinarian. If there is no evidence of physical illness, review
recent events that might have made your pet anxious. Dogs may
lose desirable habits in response to events that are not immediately
obvious to their owners. A neighborhood female dog may be in heat,
for example, arousing tensions in dogs of both sexes. A new dog
in the neighborhood may pose a threat to your dog's territorial
security. There may be changes in the dynamics between your dog
and another household pet. For example, an aging pet may lose
its position of dominance when a younger dog challenges its social
status. Either dog may express anxiety and reassert territorial
claims by urinating or defecating in your home. Loss of house-training
habits sometimes reflects an owner's stress. Dogs are sensitive
to owners' moods. Your dog may react to your tension and withdrawal
by reasserting territorial claims with deposits of urine or stool.
This very act, often in what we consider an objectionable location,
is an immediate emotional relief for a pet. It may even void in
a place that is strongly associated with you. Your bed or clothing,
for example, may become targets. When you are distracted with
family and work, you may be unable to devote much attention to
your dog. During such busy times, many dog owners discontinue
taking their dog for a walk, for example, and begin letting it
out in the yard alone. Because dogs often require continued encouragement
to eliminate outdoors, it is important to continue leash walks
to maintain house training. Spending more quality time together
reduces your own stress level and benefits everyone's sense of
well being. When their dog eliminates in an inappropriate location,
some owners believe that their pet is aware of its misbehavior
because it "acts guilty." More than likely, your pet
is only responding to your attitude or body posture that signals
impending punishment. Your pet is unlikely to understand why you
are upset when you return home to find an "accident"
that happened earlier. Ignore the mess and concentrate on the
steps outlined below. If your dog loses its house-training manners,
follow these 3 steps: First, prevent "accidents" by
resuming basic house training. Provide frequent opportunity for
your dog to eliminate in an appropriate place. Walk it on a leash
within one-half hour after each meal (or sooner) and, if possible,
every few hours during the day. Reward appropriate elimination
immediately with abundant praise. Remember that it is not useful
to punish a pet for inappropriate elimination. This is especially
important when the problem's underlying cause is psychological
or physical stress. Second, decrease your pet's desire to return
to soiled areas. Odors must be removed because they will attract
your pet and maintain objectionable habits long after the initial
cause of the misbehavior is gone. Thoroughly disinfect and deodorize
the soiled area. Many effective household cleaning products can
neutralize or at least dilute the odors that attract your pet
to the location. After cleaning, block access to the target area
with an obstacle, such as a piece of furniture. Alternatively,
feed your pet at or near this spot or simply place a bowl of water
there. Third, implement steps 1 and 2 as soon as possible. The
longer the misbehavior is allowed to continue, the more slowly
it will respond to correction, if at all.
Coprophagia (Stool Eating)
Coprophagia is the ingestion of feces. After giving birth, a mother
dog (bitch) keeps her pups clean. The mother dog stimulates elimination
of urine and feces with her tongue and ingests her pups' waste.
This keeps the nest clean, prevents disease and removes odors
that could attract predators. Newborn pups cannot voluntarily
relax their sphincters until later in life. Young puppies may
begin eating their stools when their mother no longer performs
the task. Coprophagia in pups may persist beyond an acceptable
phase or the pups may become coprophagic when placed in a new
home. Some dogs appear to enjoy this activity, making it all the
more disgusting to their owners. Various solutions have been used
to discourage coprophagia in dogs. Application of foul-tasting
substances to feces is not advised. Even if you are willing to
do this, it may fail. Some dogs acquire a liking for the additives,
while others may persist despite the unpleasant flavor. Inconsistent
application of bad-tasting substances may further complicate matters,
as the dog learns that it sometimes can avoid the punishing taste.
Addition of substances that induce vomiting may fail for many
of these reasons. Feeding digestive (pancreatic) enzymes to the
coprophagic dog may affect the consistency of its stools, rendering
them unattractive, but even this method is not reliable. The best
way to correct coprophagia is to prevent access to fecal material.
If stool is not available, your dog cannot eat it. Diligently
leash walk your dog, moving quickly away from the stool as soon
as possible. You may wish to reward your pet for good behavior
with a food treat. In extreme cases, a very determined dog may
need to be muzzled during walks. It may be helpful to discontinue
yard access for awhile. Immediately and routinely remove stool
deposits from your yard. Provide a wide variety of appropriate
objects for your dog to chew. Increase the time you spend playing
with and exercising your pet. Some dogs learn that eating stools
is a way to get your attention, even though the attention often
consists of scolding. As difficult as it may be, ignore your pet
if you catch it "in the act," and concentrate instead
on preventing it the next time. Some dogs develop a taste for
the stool of other dogs and, occasionally, for the stool of cats.
The same corrective approach applies to this type of coprophagia.
Prevent access to the feces of other animals by using vigilance
during leash walks. Make your cat's litter box inaccessible to
your dog by decreasing the size of the opening of a covered box,
applying a hooded litter cover, placing the box on an elevated
surface, or placing the box in a room with a cat door or leaving
the door open just enough to allow the cat access.
Self-Marking
Many dog owners are dismayed at the sight of their pet joyfully
rolling in its own stool, in the feces of another animal, or in
the remains of dead animals. Though not clearly understood, this
may be a form of territorial marking. The dog identifies itself
with its environment by rolling in it (though territorial marking
is most commonly done by urinating or defecating). Rolling in
stool may also have a predatory function. A predator on the hunt
may confuse the prey by disguising its own odors with the scent
of its prey. The best way to resolve this problem is simply to
deny your dog the opportunity to do it. Walk your dog on a leash
so that you can avoid fecal deposits and prevent rolling. Prevent
access by other animals to your property. Remove stools from your
yard daily. Most common in young dogs, this behavior tends to
decrease with age.
Submissive Urination
Submissive behavior signals a dog's recognition of its inferior
social status toward another dog or a person. Physical cues associated
with submission are similar to those displayed by defensive, even
fearful animals. These may include ears flattened against the
head, head and neck lowered, body arched in a sitting position
or crouched low to the ground, and tail held low or between the
hind legs. These postures present a very clear message that no
threat is intended. Submissive behavior during greeting may be
accompanied by dribbling of urine. This submissive urination is
seen particularly in young dogs and most often in young females.
It may persist into adulthood but usually resolves as urinary
sphincters mature and the pup gains confidence in a stable human
family. The best approach to treating submissive urination is
to keep greetings brief and calm. Excited entrances and exits
may worsen the problem. Everyone entering or leaving your home,
including you, should be calm and controlled. Avoid prolonged
direct eye contact when greeting the dog so that it does not feel
threatened. Similarly, do not pet the dog on its head or back
during greeting. This may trigger submissive patterns, including
urination, because petting is a subtle form of asserting dominance
over the dog. Petting, also a form of praise, should be avoided
during submissive urination so as to avoid unintentionally encouraging
that behavior. Walk your dog at regular and frequent intervals
so that its bladder does not become too full. Punishment is not
recommended because it only aggravates the problem. Punishment
makes your dog more anxious and increases its tendency to urinate
submissively. Further, because the urinary (and anal) sphincters
may relax during times of stress, the pet may naturally void more
out of fear. Your dog may learn to fear and avoid you or to anticipate
punishment at social encounters.