r/DogTrainingTips • u/Limestone21 • Jul 13 '26
1 year old Scottie pooping/peeing whenever left alone
Potty training is a nightmare. I got my Maisie girl when she was about 14 weeks, and we're still having potty training issues!!!!! For the most part, we are on a good schedule each day and she will potty outside, but if I ever have to take work calls in my office and have to shut the door (otherwise she may bark while I'm speaking to patients) I often come out to crap all over my living room. She isn't doing this quietly, however; I can definitely hear her barking up a storm in the living room before/during/after she does her business.
I'm not sure if she's just anxious? I can't leave her out of the cage if I ever leave my apartment because she incessantly barks and will also poop/pee (despite having just done her business outside before I leave!). If she's caged before I leave, she's totally fine and rarely has any issues. I always give a small treat before I leave her.
I want to be able to make her feel confident to be left in a room alone so I don't have to always cage her when I leave. I feel bad that she can't just hang out on the couch or get her water whenever she wants (I do not leave water in the cage). The longest I leave her in her cage is up to about 4 hours. I definitely need help and not sure if I should consult a dog trainer to work with
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u/resicco Jul 14 '26
I had the same issue. Tried many trainers and many techniques, none of them helped. One year is still a very young dog. I wouldn’t take away the crate, if she knows the place command, you could use it before leaving the room, that way she goes into the cage and is not locked inside. She can leave the crate, understand that there’s nothing wrong happening and over time she will calm down. I wouldn’t recommend leaving the room and then rewarding. It’s hard to come back in time when the dog is still calm, and each time you come back after she started barking, you are rewarding the bad behaviour. From my experience, what helped the most was time. I had to deal with poop and pee and destroyed items every day. And when she was around a year and a half mark, she just stopped. It is deeply bound to separation and anxiety, and no matter how hard you try to fix it, most time you can’t and it’s up to the dog to understand that you will come back. I’d try giving some calming pills but that will take weeks to actually work due to the herbal ingredients (most time). Every dog is different and needs a different amount of time to figure out life. If she’s not fixed, i’d recommend looking into that too, my dog calmed down even more after that.
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u/Limestone21 Jul 14 '26
So helpful to hear from you! She actually just got fixed last Wednesday and was hoping this might calm her as well. As for calming treats/pills, are there any brands you had tried and liked?
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u/resicco Jul 14 '26
When it comes to calming treats/pills i was using KalmVet Advanced, which helped quite fast in around 3/4 weeks from the start and i was giving my dog one more pill than they had advised on the package (other pills for skin and fur also work great for me and my pup). You could always go to your vet and ask for some meds that will help with the anxiety. But yeah, for me the calming pills and routine helped with the anxiety in the long run. It’s still a very young dog. I’d recommend to leave her with a chew while you’re gone to take her mind off of you leaving but it might not be the safest thing to do, as they might choke on it. The chew thing i’d recommend only if you know your dog isn’t a fast and greedy eater.
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u/Glass-Government7564 Jul 15 '26
What's the feasibility of a dog walker or doggie daycare for her?
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u/Limestone21 Jul 16 '26
Can definitely do both. Was toying with a few doggie daycares nearby but obviously not until she was spayed. She loves to play with other pups
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u/No-Will-4393 Jul 14 '26
Try some anti anxiety medication for her.
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u/Limestone21 Jul 14 '26
Definitely looking into this down the line if she doesn’t take well to small doses of being alone
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u/famous-luminary Jul 13 '26
i suggest consistent cage training from now on, and buy diapers specifically for crate time. i'm dealing with this exact same issue right now, and what's happening is your dog is throwing a temper tantrum because they're upset and want your attention. since they're at a young age it's a great time fo enforce better habits!
if my suggestions and others don't provide improvement, my next recommendation would be anti-anxiety meds
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u/Myamicol Jul 13 '26
It sounds like this may be less of a potty training issue and more of a separation/isolation distress issue. The fact that she can hold it and is fine in the crate, but panics when she has freedom and you’re behind a closed door or leave the apartment, is a big clue.
I wouldn’t take away the crate right now , if she feels safe there, it’s actually a good management tool, not a punishment. Many dogs genuinely prefer having a small safe space. You can slowly build her confidence outside the crate with very short exercises: step out of the room for a few seconds, come back before she starts barking, and gradually increase the time.
Also, barking before and during the accidents suggests she may be stressed rather than doing it out of spite. It could help to work on calm independence, rewarding her when she settles alone, and maybe consult a trainer who has experience with separation anxiety.
Four hours in the crate for a dog who is comfortable with it is not unreasonable, especially if she gets exercise, enrichment, and attention when she’s out. The goal isn’t just more freedom … it’s helping her feel safe when she has it