Why Do Dogs Poop In Front Of The Door? [7 Reasons + 4 Tips]

Being a dog parent is a wonderful experience, but it’s not always easy, especially when it comes to dealing with doggy poop. Have you ever come home to stinky piles of poop right in front of your door? Well, my friend, wonder no more! Let’s explore the reasons behind this behavior together.

A dog may poop in front of the door due to a lack of training and seeing that spot as an acceptable place to go, medical issues, weather, aging effects, fear, and anxiety. But, don’t worry, my friend, there are several solutions to this problem, including providing proper training, addressing medical issues, cleaning the area thoroughly, and reducing anxiety and fear.

So, let’s dive into some basic reasons why your dog might be pooping in front of your door. Then, you can decide at which stage your furry friend might need to see the vet regarding this matter. With proper care and attention, you’ll be able to enjoy the company of your furry friend without any stinky surprises!

Why does your dog poop in front of your door?

There can be solid reasons for your doggy fellow to choose in front of your door to poop as they do not understand like us humans.

So, instead of blaming them and cleaning piles and piles of poop every morning or evening, just have a look at the reasons below, and it will help you a lot to decide what is the matter with your buddy.

1. Issues in training

One of the biggest reasons for your puppy to poop in front of your door might be the poor training they are given.

After bringing a new puppy home, you should be very attentive and careful, especially with their potty training.

Plus, the most common scenario is that sometimes you give up on training him or her, supposing that a few weeks are more than enough for them to be good boys or girls.

But trust me, that’s not enough.

In this case, you might think that he or she is well behaved and trained enough after pooping in the given place once or twice.

Well, sometimes they might poop in the right place for a like week in a row, but still, it needs a little more time to get processed in their brain.

That’s why it is crucial to be attentive even though they have gained enough training.

So, house training issues matter a lot in case of pooping until you pay shrewd attention to your doggy.

2. Medical problem

As mentioned earlier, a medical condition or a physical health problem can be a reason for a dog to poop in front of the main door.

So, this might also be a reason for your doggy to poop in front of your door, no matter if there are plenty of places where you have trained him or her to do the job.

The issue of house soiling can also be taken as a medical problem.

Some of the conditions like,

1. Food poisoning
2. Food allergies
3. Inflammatory bowel disease
4. Intestinal parasites

It can cause problems in digestion and make your dog poop in the nearest place, which can be in front of your door.

If your doggy is suffering from such a medical condition, do remember that he or she is unable to hold it up and automatically passes out.

This is an issue that should be attended to by your vet.

3. Thinking that ‘this is the spot’

Well, some of your doggies might have the habit of pooping in front of your door or sometimes in front of your neighbor’s door, thinking that ‘this is the place for me.’

This happened when he or she used to poop in a particular place once or twice, and they start to think that it is the right place if they are overlooked by you.

And also, the smell of their own poop leads them to do the job in the exact same place, suggesting that it is the ‘spot.’  They smell it and identify that they have pooped here before as well and go for it.

Weirdos!!!

By the way, here is what to do if your neighbor’s dog poops on the doorstep.

4. Weather

Sometimes, due to bad weather conditions, your fellow might show a bit of laziness to go out. Not even for a walk or to play. In such instances, though they really want to poop, they hesitate to go out.

These bad weathers suggest that your doorstep or front of the door is the best place to do the job for them.

My little fellow does this on every rainy day or a gloomy day. He never put a single step into the spot outside, which is for him.

5. Aging

The little pup, once you brought home, might be a little old now. Like humans, they are also getting older.

So, sometimes your older buddy might have forgotten the place separated for pooping and suddenly start to poop in front of your door as a habit.

That is not because they are angry with you or causing troubles consciously but due to a natural factor of aging. So, calm yourself!

As they get old, they might be hit with conditions like cognitive dysfunction and forget some steps and usual places of their daily routine.

This makes them confused and poop or pee anywhere they think it is better.

Sometimes, it is due to physical pain or a muscular issue as they are getting old. They tend to poop at the nearest place which they can reach without big trouble.

And that place can be in front of your door.

Suggested Reading: Can dogs pee and poop at the same time?

6. Fear

Fear can be one of the major reasons for your pup to poop in front of your door without going far from the doorstep. This might be most possible during the night rather than daytime.

This is more common with little pups as they are not old enough to take risks on their own. Some doggies make this a practice even when they get old enough to do the job in a separate place.

That is because once they are obsessed with a comfortable place to poop, they do not show any likeness to do the job in a separate place. So be alert!

7. Anxiety

The mental condition of anxiety can lead your doggy to poop just in front of your door. Dogs are also suffering from anxious conditions, and separation anxiety is more common among them.

That is because you might spend a lot more time in the workplace or anywhere out of the home.

Your doggy can feel it, and it can hit them very badly. So, when you are home after work, they do not like to stay away from you, even for a single minute.

On such occasions, if they wanted to poop, trust me, they go for the nearest place, and that can be in front of your door.

That is because they have been suffering from separation anxiety since the time you left home, and they fear that if they get away from you again, you might leave.

As they are unsure about you, they try to stay with you more by sitting next to you or sleeping next to you. So, it is evident that, in such situations, they never go far out to poop nor even to play.

By the way, here is why do some dogs poop multiple times in a row.

How to stop your dog from pooping at the front door?

As a dog parent, maybe you have had enough burdens when coming to the matter of poop. The major reason is that they do not understand like human beings, and they tend to do whatever they want in front of your home or outside.

So, pooping is one of the major troubles you have to face if you do not find a better solution.

So, let’s see how to stop your doggy fellow from pooping in front of your door.

1. A proper training

Giving your doggy fellow proper training regarding everything is a must. It is very important to have good potty training before everything. Train your pup from the little ages to a separate place for pooping.

Meet the vet of your doggy and make a schedule for proper house training and follow his or her guidelines when training your pup. It might take a little longer but be patient with your fellow.

Be concerned more about your dog’s meals and potty breaks, which is a must in their daily routine.

Once they are out for the job, let him or her sniff around as much as they want and find a comfortable place. Do not rush with them and give them time when they are taken out to poop.

Do not give up training thinking that they are well trained since you trained them for about a considerable period of time. Trust me, some doggos tend to do many naughty things at any time.

So, providing proper training is a must if you want to avoid them from pooping in front of your front door.

2. Attend to medical issues

Once you feel like your doggy needs medical solutions for the issue of pooping, carefully attend to them.

First of all, you should observe them very well. Note their behavior and stay alert when you notice something unusual with their loping schedule.

For sure, you will need the guidance and help of the vet in such situations, and do not wait too long.

If your loving pooch is suffering from some underlying medical condition, the vet will advise you on what to do and carefully take care of your fellow until he or she shows some improvement.

This is a condition you must see the vet.

3. Clean the place

If your buddy starts pooping in front of your door thinking that ‘this is the spot,’ the best thing you can do is clean the place very well.

To clean the pooped places, use an enzymatic product. Go and ask from a pharmacy, and you will have it.

By doing it, you can stop him or her from pooping in front of your door as they lose the smell of the previous poop in the place.

And if it does not make any progress, you can use a baby gate and restrict the area for them. This will also be a good solution. Try both!

4. Reduce anxiety

Spend more time with them and reduce their anxiety and fear. Make them assure that you are not going anywhere, leaving them all alone.

Go for a walk with them, and during that time, you can train them to poop.

Build trust with your doggy and make them relaxed to do their job at the proper place or outside.

If it doesn’t work, you should consult the vet, ask for advice, and follow what he or she asks you to do as your doggy might be in a serious situation.

Apart from all the above facts, if it is a problem with fear or bad weather conditions, the best thing to do is go with him or her when they are out to poop.

Feel them secure and not worry that you are there with him or her. It is better for them and for you as well.

Because you will not have to drag piles of poop from your doorstep early in the morning.

Suggested Reading: How to change your dog’s pooping schedule?

Things to be aware of

The pooping schedule of your doggy is very important when considering both their health and your freedom.

Make sure to clean the place separated for them to poop. Cleanliness might be a reason that they tend to change the place for the front of your door.

Use strong chemicals but make sure not to use harmful stuff as your doggy can be infectious.

Stay alert on them when they are to do the job no matter how well they are trained. This can be done only when you are at home. But train them to behave well when you are not around as well.

Feed them with healthy foods which do not cause any allergies and diarrhea.

Conclusion

Hope the article gave you a clear idea about the issue of dogs pooping in front of your door and the practical solutions have been provided. So you can now identify the matter with your buddy, and you know what to do after. Do try them and get the problem solved without blaming or punishing your furry friends.

Cheers until next time!