Hi everyone, my 4-month-old puppy has been peeing and pooing in the house every night for the last 10 days. This is despite me taking her out for her last walk of the day around midnight, and she can go out as much as she likes during the rest of the day. I know she’s still very young, but is there any way to make this stop?
It’s not just the odd accident; she’s going 2 or 3 times every night.
Thanks in advance for any kind advice.
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I’ve limited his water to just one bowl overnight and there have been no accidents.
I’ve also stopped soaking his dry food in water, which I’d started doing about ten days ago during the heatwave, thinking I was doing the right thing, and there haven't been any more messy, runny poo accidents everywhere either.
Hello,
As is mentioned very often on here, a 4-month-old puppy needs time to settle in. We’ve had plenty of discussions on similar topics, so I’d recommend checking those out.
You should, however, be strict about mealtimes so you can take the dog out about 6 hours later, right when they'll need to go.
⚠️ At night, for a 4-month-old puppy, I give them a drink before I go to bed and then limit their water. Or you can take the bowl away and get up to give them a drink. But 2 hours later = a wee. So you need to factor that in too. Tomatoes speed up digestion. So, in the first week after adoption, I give them a tomato-based meal: that way I get a poo pronto.
Finally, at this age, for a first puppy, I use the bathroom or the kitchen to restrict their space. Just so I don't find any poo on my rugs or my sofas. If there's a second dog in the house, the older one helps with the house-training and finishes the education by using puppy pads or guiding them to the right spot to go. To do a poo. That’s really handy. 👍
Hi there,
At 4 months old, it’s not unusual for a puppy not to be fully house-trained at night yet. However, if this has only been happening for about ten days and wasn't an issue before, it’s worth considering whether there’s been a change (diet, routine, environment, stress...).
You could try taking your puppy out right before bed, making sure they’ve actually been to the toilet before coming back inside. Clean any soiled areas with an enzymatic cleaner to get rid of the odours that might tempt them to go in the same spot again. Finally, always reward them for going outside.
On the other hand, if your puppy was previously clean at night and is now having two or three accidents every night, it might be worth seeing your vet to rule out any medical issues (digestive problems, a urinary tract infection, parasites, etc.), especially if this change started suddenly.
All the best,
Inès
