Do you have nighttime ninja poop?
It’s not uncommon for dogs to appear completely house trained during the day while their humans are awake, then sneak around at night and leave gifts for their pet parents to discover in the morning.
Luckily, you won’t discover your dog’s nocturnal mishaps by stepping on your glasses/socks/shoes before you put them on. If you are… I can’t imagine the frustration.
Nighttime pooping and peeing can be stopped with a few adjustments to your routine and a quick refreshment with your dog’s training. You can look forward to better mornings soon, I promise. No more rude awakenings!
What time is dinner?
Although transit times vary, you can usually expect your dog to poop shortly after eating.
It takes approximately 8-12 hours for food to move through your dog’s body from start to finish. Your dog’s next poop will most likely be the result of before their last meal.
Some dogs poop and pee more frequently than others.
Cows poop three times a day, while Matilda only poops once. This has changed over time in different diets, but has become very predictable. I know Cow poops immediately first thing in the morning and lunchtime is Matilda’s poop time.
It’s much easier to be aware of your dog’s poop and pee schedule when you take them for a walk than to let them go about their business in the backyard.
Walking your dog or keeping an eye on their deposits may not be feasible, especially if you’re not their sole caretaker. Just keep an eye out for any patterns and keep your family informed so you can work together on their schedules.
The best time to feed your dog depends on your and their schedule.
I prefer to feed twice a day, around 7am and 5pm, with the occasional snack around lunch or before bed. So it makes sense that early morning coincides with the time the cows leave for their dinner.
If she wakes me up at night to go out, or if there’s an accident, I might have dinner later so it takes longer for her to poop.
Instead, eating earlier may help. You may need to experiment to see what works best for your dog. If they have a fast stomach transit time, they may eat breakfast before bed.
Sneaky Sleep Arrangements
A dog that has an accident in your home should not be free-ranging while you sleep.
You can crate your dog at night. You’ll need to have their crates close enough that you can hear them barking or stirring so you can take them out to potty during the night. If your dog has never been crate trained, they may hate being crated at night, but if you make it comfortable, make sure all of their needs are met and put them in when they bark or whine Take them out and they may adapt quickly.
If you don’t want to use a crate, you can keep your dog in your bedroom so you can hear them scratching at the door, barking, whining, or otherwise communicating when they have to go outside.
Now, you may not like the idea of getting up and taking your dog outside, but it’s a lot better than cleaning up an accident. In time, you can move their potty breaks outside of your sleeping hours.
How does your dog ask to go to the toilet?
Remember that all dogs need to be out in the middle of the night occasionally.
Even if you change their potty schedule so they sleep through the night instead of having to live with it, they could end up having indigestion, eating or drinking late at night, or just needing to get out and about.
Some dogs have a hard time potty training when we take them outside on a schedule, but they never learn to let us know when they need to go outside. Either they held it until their bathroom break, or it was just an accident.
Your dog may naturally bark, whine, stare at you, sit by the door, or scratch when they have to go outside. If your dog doesn’t communicate with you, you can use a potty bell or talk button to help them find their voice.
Can I just use the potty pad at night?
It’s perfectly acceptable to use the potty pad intermittently, and take your dog outside if that works for you.
Taking your dog out at night may not be safe or possible, depending on whether you live in a safe neighborhood, or just can’t do it.
This might feel like a step backwards if you’re going back to a puppy pad at night, but it’s just a tool. Your dog will thank you for having an acceptable way to poop instead of having to hold back or having an accident and ruining your morning.
Sometimes using puppy pads doesn’t necessarily make your dog dependent on them. Dogs often prefer to go outside, especially if they like to make marks rather than use a mat. Still, using a pad is more comfortable than going out in the rain or cold, so it might be harder to get used to if you don’t want to use it as a backup every time you encounter inclement weather.
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As Matilda and Cow’s dog mom, she spends most of her days on long walks and practicing new tricks, and most evenings trying to make the most of the very modest part of her bed.
You’ll also find her baking and homemade pizza, laughing, painting and shopping.
