How To Train Your Dog to Poop in One Spot
Have you ever wanted to train your dog to poop in one spot? I bet you did when you accidentally stepped in a pile of dog poop! The more places your dog poops, the more spaces you have to avoid. The more places your dog does his doody, the harder cleanup duty becomes for you. Unless you hire Super Scoopers, of course.
Yes, you can train your dog to poop in one spot, and today, we are telling you how.
Why You Want to Train Your Dog to Poop in One Spot
The first thing to address is why you want to train your dog to poop in one spot. As mentioned, it will make your life easier. You won’t have to worry about stepping on random piles of dog poop throughout your yard. You’ll also only have to clean one area of your yard.
But, most importantly, the reason to train your dog to poop in one spot is because dog poop is gross and unsafe! Dog poop contains dangerous bacteria.
The Department of Energy and Environment explains, “Pet waste contains bacteria and parasites that infect people and pets including food poisoning, tapeworm and hookworm. These diseases can be especially dangerous for children, elderly, and people who have compromised immune systems. A dime’s worth of dog poop contains 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, such as E. coli.”
When your dog poops all over the yard, it means all these bacteria are left to spread everywhere!
Plus, unlike manure, dog poop is not good for your yard. It doesn’t function as fertilizer. It is extremely harmful and dangerous to people, animals, and water sources. It isn’t something to simply mow over it. If you mow your lawn with dog poop in it, it cuts and spreads the bacteria-filled poop across your entire yard. This is the opposite of what you want.
Rather than allowing your entire yard to become your dog’s toilet, train your dog to poop in one spot.
Prepare Ahead of Time
It’d be pretty cool if you could just wake up one day and decide to train your dog to poop one space. But it’s going to take some preparation.
First, figure out what is going to serve as your dog’s special spot. Some dog owners clear a section of the yard and even put up a fence to establish a clear “poop zone.” The key here is to choose a safe, distraction-free space where your dog can do his doody daily.
Next, stock up on training treats. Dogs live for rewards and praise. It is one of the most effective ways to train dogs – including teaching your dog to go number two in the same spot each time.
Finally, pay attention to your dog’s needs and cues. For example, pay attention to when your dog typically goes number two. Is it in the evening after a walk? Is it after naptime? Do you notice certain behaviors before he goes, such as alerting you that he needs to be let outside to go to the bathroom?
Steps to Train Your Dog to Poop in One Spot
Learning where to go to the bathroom won’t happen overnight. It will take time and patience. Be prepared and willing to repeat the following steps until your dog is fully trained.
- Choose the poop spot. Ideally, this will be an area that is comfortable for your dog.
- When it is time to take your dog to the bathroom, take your dog on a leash directly to the designated area. Do not allow your dog to roam.
- Pick a command and speak this command (such as “Go potty”) when you reach this designated area.
- Do not leave this space until your dog does his doody.
- When your dog goes to the bathroom, use lots of praise and give him a treat. Allow him to then play freely in your yard.
- Make it routine to visit this designated space at each potty break time, such as after meals or when you return home.
- Repeat and reinforce until your dog comes to see this as the one spot where he should poop.
You can do it!
You can do it! But just in case you can’t – or don’t want to – Super Scoopers can!
At Super Scoopers, it doesn’t matter if your dog poops in the same spot or uses your whole backyard. Our insured pet waste management specialists will make sure your entire yard is poop-free each time we visit.