How to Train Your Dog to Not Poop on a Walk
Introduction
Everyone has been there, you’re out on a walk with your canine pal and he decides to go about his business in a built up residential area. You reach into your pocket and realize you’ve forgotten poo bags. Now this was a pure accident and it happens to everyone, so you sheepishly head off with your hood up. But he then continues to offload a number of other stools throughout the walk, as some dogs do to try and mark their territory. Never mind-- you certainly don’t forget your poo bags again after that!
If he insists on only defecating on walks, there is no quick and easy taking him to the field over the road in the evenings. You may not have time to give him another long walk in the evenings, so training him to poop in a designated area will alleviate these concerns.
Defining Tasks
Training your dog not to poop on a walk will involve training him to poop in a specific place instead. That will involve teaching him some obedience commands, but mostly it will entail establishing a consistent routine and taking steps to discourage him from going about his business mid-walk.
If he is just a puppy he should respond quickly to training as his brain is still young and malleable. If your dog is older you may need several weeks to successfully drill this training into him, as you’ll need to break a habit he has developed over many years.
Getting this training right is important if you want to be able to quickly nip over the road in the evenings to deal with his business. If you could just let him into the yard in the evening then life may be even easier again!
Getting Started
Before you do battle with his bowel movements you will need a few things. You will first need to identify a designated space where you do want your dog to do his business. Once you have found that, you will need treats or his favorite food to incentivize and reward him.
A leash will also be required for training and you’ll need to find 10-15 minutes each day for the next few weeks. After you’ve sorted the above, you’re ready to tackle all of these toilet training methods.
The New Toilet Method
The Appealing Toilet Method
The On Command Method
Success Stories and Training Questions
Training Questions and Answers
Simba
Loki has never went poop on a walk, until about a month ago he started going poop every time I took him on a walk. It was normal for him to urinate on walks but never for him to poop and for this reason I never had to carry doggie bags. Why has he just started pooping on walks and how do I stop this from happening again?
494 Dog owners recommended
Hello Ali, I can't say for sure why. Honestly it's more unusual that he never pooped on a walk before, than him pooping now. The movement during a walk and the scent of where other dogs have gone potty both encourage a dog's body to feel the need to eliminate. His age might be making him hold his poop more at home because its uncomfortable to poop now, then when he walks he can't hold it anymore because of the movement. The added movement might make it easier for him to poop now if that's harder for him because of muscle deterioration. The scent of a new dog on the block might be causing it. The timing of when you take him for a walk - like right after feeding him or running him around, might be causing it. To deal with this you can trouble shooting a few things. First, when you take him potty outside, tell him to "Go Potty" and give one treat if he pees and three if he poops in your yard. This is to teach him to go potty on command if he doesn't already know that. When you take him on a walk, before you walk him down the street, walk him around your yard, tell him to "Go Potty", and after he pees walk him around a second time for even longer, telling him to "Go Potty" again to try to get him to poop. Once he pees, and poops if he may need to, then take him on the walk. Check with your vet and make sure there isn't arthritis in his back or something else that would cause him to hold his poop during normal potty breaks (I am not a vet), or something causing diarrhea or unusually soft poops. Pay attention to when you feed him - many dogs need to poop within an hour of eating, so time your feeding and walking schedule accordingly or spend extra time walking him around the yard thirty minutes after he eats, before you walk down the street. Have you switched his food and if so has that changed the frequency of how often he poops or how hard or soft they are? - that can effect whether he is holding it do to discomfort of going, or needs to go more often because it's really soft - so goes again during a walk. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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I already had a designated spot and schedule and yet he still poops on walks, throughout the entire time we are out on the walk, even until he is pooping out water and he still continues straining to go unless I put him back in the back yard. I stopped the walks due to lack of this control. Can you offer any insight? This has been pattern for many years so I don't walk him often
494 Dog owners recommended
Hello, Walking stimulates a dog's bowels, getting things moving along, so many dogs will poop after being walked around if they have not gone yet that day. What you are describing is a medical issue and not behavioral...As I am sure you know, continuing to poop more than two times on a walk is not normal and is a sign that there is something physical and not behavioral going on. I suggest a trip to your vet to find out what's causing it and addressing the cause if it's something that's treatable. - I am not a vet. There is also an ask a Vet a question section under the medical articles found on wagwalking.com (this is the training section - and ask a trainer). You could ask one of Wag's Vet's about the issue to get an idea of different things that might be causing it, but you would still need to visit your vet for testing to find out exactly what's going on. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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