You say you don't tell him off. Don't you think you should?
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Dirty dog!
(106 Posts)I have a six year old Labrador who has always been clean indoors unless on rare occasions,he has had an upset stomach,but over the last few months he has started pooing in the kitchen at night. Not every night but just randomly. He's been checked at vets,he's fine. Nothing has changed,his food and routine are the same. He's walked twice a day,is out in the garden with my husband during the day and let out at about twelve before bed. It's not loose and can be picked up with a dog bag,he knows he shouldn't do it because he doesn't come to greet me and keeps his head down. I don't tell him off and praise him when he's clean
Any ideas?
This thread has put me off ever having a dog. Not that I was ever close to doing so.
Willow10
I understand that thinking but why not a kennel or utility room?
Would it be just as 'acceptable' if an elderly person pooped in the kitchen during the night, not once, but on random occasions?
I just think it's unhygenic and yes, I don't have pets as I don't want to pick up poo or clean pet hairs or wash their beds/blankets in a machine where my clothes are laundered.
They are a chore and an expensive one at that.
It takes all sorts but some dog owners think that everyone should likes dogs.
There is a spray you can buy that they are not meant to like the smell of so don’t poop near it, don’t know if that would help if it’s a big kitchen you have though
How upsetting for you and your dog. Lots of good advice here from Gransnetters, so just a few thoughts from me.
I may have missed it but is he also pooping outside during the day? Has he stopped pooping outside? Has something started frightening him out there and he’s going indoors where its quiet and safe? Change of diet? Illness? Confused bodyclock?
We have a lovely dog, a rescue, aged about 5. Always house trained but just occasionally (every 6 months or so) he has an accidental poop indoors, away from everything, near a pot plant!
Obviously we would prefer it doesnt happen at all but we have taken a pragmatic attitude and put a washable rug where he has his occasional accident.
We did put some fake grass there initially over a plastic sheet in case of accidents but then discovered that our cats thought that the fake grass was marvellous and were pooping and peeing for England there!
Our dog normally gets out 3-4 times a day, for 2-3 walks, and one or more plays in the garden. We’ve noticed that he needs a longish walk at night if he hasn’t had a poop outside in the morning or afternoon.
Hope it’s sorted out, at least it’s somewhere that’s easily washable! ?
GabriellaG54: There is an old saying "If you can't think of anything nice to say, then say nothing" which on this forum I think should be "If you haven't got any good advice to give AND don't have anything nice to say, then don't post". Take a good look at yourself and your motives for being so unhelpful in future.
Different subject but amazed stevej4491 was talking about the plugins then right below it is an advert for Feliway, the plugin. How much do these phones/ computers take in about us? Worries me at times
Gabriella, please tell us you have had a dog and how you managed to stop him pooping at night. Obviously you left him outside in the cold?
Pheromones!
Get a plug -in thing from the vets ,it has theramones ? in, it worked for one of my cats that started weeing indoors despite having poo boxes indoors.Not cheap but they work. Good luck.
Can you pinpoint when things changed and what was happening in his life.
Looking at things like vaccination, worming, any changes in diet, they may have changed the ingredients in his normal food.
Tummy troubles like diarrhoea/vomiting.
Anything like you being away on holiday, being left for an unusually long time, another pet dying. There will be some kind of trigger I suspect. It's unlikely to be age as he is a young dog.
I am a homeopath and that is what I look for in my patients and in my own dog.
Mine is 14+ and has the occasional accident but at her age it isn't unusual.
What a heartening thread. Bellab. 
so many useful tips and kindness.
Why bother coming onto a Pets Forum, to criticize, with no advice at all to give to the OP?
Someone needs to "get a life"! ???
Great news Bellab that was very early especially for twins.
Breeze.
Thank you. The twins came home yesterday and have done really well. Going from 1.8lbs to nearly 6lbs.
We can all relax a bit now and hopefully my dog will too.
breeze
What you think has no impact on me and I'm most certainly not ashamed of my post. Worktops or floor, it's still a stink in the kitchen, flies go on poop and in everything else.
You have your view and I respect the fact that you don't think poop overnight in a kitchen is ok, however, I have different standards.
Possibly picked up on the edgy vibes in the house then Bellab
He is anticipating double the ear pulling in a year or so 
Congratulations on the twins
I hope they are thriving and doing well. Must have been a worry indeed arriving so early. I do hope all is well with them.
And good luck with your boy. I hope he settles down.
My grand dog, an 11 year old lab mix, has lost control of his bowels and often has accidents in the house. We've tried everything including food adjustments, medication, chiropractic and now acupuncture. My understanding, from the vet and research, is that arthritis in his back is causing an incomplete evacuation and he "builds up" until there is a spontaneous exit. When he is at my house, I put down foam tiles on the floor which are very easy to wash and sanitize. We have a new baby in his family so that has been a little challenging to keep the floor sanitized. Otherwise, the dog is still happy and enjoys life.
Thank you all for thoughts and help. Fed him two hours earlier yesterday and he was fine this morning. I'm also making a big fuss of him all during the day. My daughter in law gave birth to twins last December,three months early,and this has caused a lot of disruption with us being out more during the day and being upset and worried. I'm thinking he has picked up on this ,although his own routine hasn't changed and we have another dog ,so he is not alone. They are so clever and seem to know everything that's going on and especially when we are upset. I will continue to feed him early and plenty of tlc. Fingers crossed.
I agree with most people's responses but would add that some dogs benefit from the effect of a short walk to stimulate pooing. Maybe a walk before bed, Bb?
Before I had a dog, I wouldn't have dreamed in my worst nightmare of picking up dog poo. Now, if my lovely dog and I encounter poo left by other dirty, antisocial dog owners, we pick it up and bin it. Dogs are not intrinsically dirty. Their paws are no dirtier than the soles of my shoes and their coats are not seething with pathogenic organisms. Children who grow up with dogs are generally healthier than those who have no pets. Cats don't confer the same health benefits, apparently.
It might be worth cutting out table scraps (if you give them) and only allowing grain free dog treats and raw carrots. My 6 year old cavvy has just been diagnosed as massively gluten intolerant. Check what proprietary dog food you're giving your lab. It may contain wheat or barley, often on the list as 'cereal'. These conditions may get progressively worse and only be noticed as a dog gets a bit older. Ours started having funny turns and that's how his condition was diagnosed. My springer has an iron stomach and can eat (help himelf) to just about anything with no ill effects. My reading glasses were the most recent casualty. ?
Lovely thing to do Anja the oldies often get forgotten.
Hope you don't 'flash' people in your MAC

Think the OP may not be around today. She posted yesterday lunchtime. Difficult to give advice without knowing a little more.
One of my dogs, my old boy has had an occasional pee in the house recently. We put a puppy pad down by the back door just in case but it's usually dry. It does save the mess if he can't hang on though.
All part of loving them. Sometimes they have an accident. Not the end of the world.
6 is young to have those sort of problems though. Unless it's a behavioural issue, then possible he has developed a more sensitive digestive system and could need a change of diet (gradual).
One of our Irish Setters started dirtying and weeing at night but she was about 11. We had dog sitters come to stay and when we told them what she did they said they had a dog who did the same so they left the back door ajar at night so it could get outside. We did this and were able to lock the door from the kitchen to the rest of the house and she never dirtied or wee'd again. I think she judt enjoyed being abke to wander in and out during the night. Yet she never dirtied if we went out during the day and the door was locked.
I have heard that dogs can pick up on hormonal changes - do you have a grandson or granddaughter who has just reached puberty? It can apparently make dogs behave differently.
Good idea re the car flap. Also we have recently adopted a 14-year old dog that nobody wanted. She has a bit of an issue at first but luckily it was in the hallway which might meet more with GabbyG’s approval.
We now take her for a short walk just before bedtime and that has broken the habit. I’m often to be seen wandering the streets in my PJs and MAC late at night.
It’s worth a try.
The reason people leave their dogs in the kitchen overnight Gabriella is because if they do have an accident, it's usually a lot easier to clean and disinfect hard floors than it is carpeting.
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