Why My Dogs Are Breaking House Training

House training is important for any indoor dog if owner and dog wish to live in harmony. Puppies and dogs often have accidents during training, but once they learn to eliminate outdoors the accidents usually end. In some cases, a dog might break house training even though it knows it should not eliminate indoors. There are a number of reasons this might happen, and understanding why is the key to fixing the problem.

  1. Causes

    • A lapse in house training could have several causes. These include medical, hormonal or behavioral causes, veterinarian Ilana Reisner says. Anxiety can also cause a dog to urinate indoors even though it is housebroken. Common types of anxiety include fear of sudden noises such as those heard during thunderstorms, separation anxiety and overexcitement.

    Considerations

    • Major changes in the dog's life such as a move, the death of a human or animal in the household, or even a change of furniture can cause anxiety-related indoor elimination, dog trainer Cindy Moore says. A new animal in the household often leads to a dog marking its territory with urine inside the house to show the newcomer who is boss. A dog that breaks house training but has had no major changes in its life may have a medical problem and should see a vet, Moore says.

    Misconceptions

    • Some owners believe that their dogs break house training out of spite and anger, according to the Dog Breed Info Center. In reality, there is always an underlying reason. Other owners believe that punishing a dog for eliminating indoors after the fact works. Dogs live in the moment and punishing a dog for something it did five minutes ago only confuses it.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Once a dog breaks house training, it may continue to eliminate indoors and may require re-training. Taking the dog out regularly and confining it to a crate or dog-proof room when it cannot be supervised helps eliminate accidents, according to the Champaign County Humane Society in Illinois.

    Warning

    • Punishing a dog that breaks house training is counterproductive, according to the Humane Society. Punishing the dog by rubbing its nose in the mess, yelling at it or hitting it only serve to make the dog afraid of its owner. The Humane Society recommends interrupting the dog if caught in the act and immediately taking it outdoors, praising it when it eliminates.