If dogs go into the apartment at night despite being housetrained, this can indicate fear, stress, frustration or an unfavorable daily routine. However, if it occurs suddenly, illnesses such as a urinary tract infection or diabetes can also be behind it.
If your dog is very young, a lack of training is the most common cause. However, if your dog was previously house trained, then something is wrong.
Here is an overview of the most common causes of nighttime incontinence:
Age of the dogPossible causesFear & stress, immature bladder, urinary tract infection, existing stool odor, unfavorable daily routine1-10 yearsNeutering, unfavorable daily routine, urinary tract infection, fear & stress, diabetes, frustration> 10 yearsUrinary tract infection, castration, fear & stress, arthritis, unfavorable daily routine, frustration, diabetes
Then let's go through the individual causes step by step.
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#1 Anxiety & Stress
In young and very friendly dogs, fear is one of the most common causes of peeing in the apartment at night. Typical triggers here are:
- Loud noises: When cars honk, trains pass by or even fireworks are set off.
- Separation anxiety: When dogs are alone at night and don't see their master.
- Territorial threat: When your dog detects the scent of a dominant neighbor's dog.
Some dogs react to this stress by defecating in the apartment at night. Typically, other symptoms can also be recognized here:
- Avoiding eye contact
- Lowering the muzzle
- Retracting the rod
- Restless and nervous behavior
- Trembling in the body [1]
In this case, it is important to first identify the cause and then eliminate it. Regardless of this, the following measures also help:
- Pay increased attention
- Place the dog bed where it feels safe
- Reduce potential noise
- Let the dog sleep in the bedroom
You should definitely avoid violence or loud swearing here. This only triggers more anxiety and can make the problem worse.
When young dogs go into the apartment at night, fear is often responsible. Emptying your bladder at night only serves to reduce stress. The solution here is to find out the underlying cause and then avoid it.
#2 Urinary tract infection
If your dog pees in the apartment at night even though he is actually house trained, then a urinary tract infection is likely.
This refers to a bacterial inflammation of the urinary tract. Bitches are statistically affected much more often because their urethra is many times shorter.
This makes it easier for bacteria to penetrate. According to studies, a full 15% of all visits to the vet are due to a urinary tract infection. [2]
Typical symptoms here are:
- Constant licking in the intimate area
- Whining and whining when peeing
- Sudden nocturnal incontinence
- Excessively frequent urge to urinate
- Change in urine color [3]
Such infections occur most frequently in the cold, wet autumn and winter. They are usually treated with antibiotics or other anti-inflammatory medications.
At the same time, drinking a lot of water is helpful in flushing out the bacteria. The inflammation should disappear after 5 days at the latest. [4]
If dogs suddenly move into the apartment at night, an infection of the urinary tract may be responsible. This bacterial inflammation occurs relatively frequently, is usually accompanied by other symptoms and can be remedied with medication.
#3 Unfavorable daily routine
In young or very sensitive dogs, nocturnal incontinence can also be due to an unfavorable daily routine. Typical causes here are:
- Walking the dog too early in the evening
- Eating & drinking too late
- Unsuitable dog food [5]
The latter means dog food that contains too much fiber, sugar or even allergens to which your dog is sensitive.
If your dog defecates in the apartment at night, the following measures can help:
- Take away dog bowls 2 hours before bedtime (alarm clock helps)
- Just before you go to bed, go out one last time
- Get pee pads for the night
- Change the food to a high quality dry food
If these measures don't help, then the cause lies somewhere else.
Eating too late, going for a walk too early and using unsuitable dog food can lead to dogs pooping in the apartment at night despite being housetrained. Here the problem can be solved by adapting the daily routine to suit the dog.
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#4 Arthritis
Old dogs and large breeds in particular often suffer from chronically inflamed joints. According to studies, as many as 20% of all dogs suffer from arthritis. [6]
Here, nocturnal incontinence is usually caused by dogs not wanting to get up due to the pain and therefore skipping their evening bowel movements.
In severe cases, the pain is so severe that affected dogs can hardly sleep at night. The bladder therefore remains active throughout and presses much earlier.
Other typical signs include:
- Unusually stiff running style
- Dislike of stairs and jumps
- Visible swelling of the joints
- Groaning when getting up
- Unusual inactivity [7]
Unfortunately, arthritis itself is considered incurable. However, the symptoms can be treated well with the help of medication, physiotherapy and a change in diet. [8]
If there is no existing pain, there is no longer any reason for your dog to constantly defecate in the apartment at night.
Dogs with arthritis often prefer to go indoors at night rather than endure the pain of running and walking. Large and old dogs are most commonly affected. However, the symptoms can be greatly reduced through medical treatment.
#5 Frustration
If you have the feeling that your dog is intentionally peeing in the apartment at night, then frustration could be responsible. Typical triggers here are:
- Too little mental activity
- Too little physical activity
- loneliness
- Lack of attention
In dogs, this defiant behavior serves as communication. Because unlike us, they don't know 42,000 words to be able to express themselves verbally. [9]
Most often, this behavior occurs after a new child or pet joins the family and suddenly gets all the attention.
Here, too, it is important to first find out the cause and meet your dog's corresponding needs. Crate training can also help.
This isn’t about locking your dog in a crate. Rather, it's about creating a safe place to sleep where your dog feels comfortable.
Sleeping in their crate overnight also serves as motivation for their own house training. Because hardly any dog wants to sleep in their own urine.
If dogs lack activity or attention, one of the ways they communicate this is by going into the apartment at night out of spite. The solution here is to identify the cause and satisfy the corresponding need.
#6 Diabetes
If dogs have existing diabetes, they either no longer respond well enough to insulin (type 2) or cannot produce enough insulin on their own (type 1).
While most people with diabetes suffer from type 2 due to a diet that is too high in sugar, dogs are more often affected by type 1. [10]
But the consequences are the same: the blood sugar level is too high and at the same time the organs, muscles and cells are inadequately supplied with sugar.
Other typical symptoms include:
- Unusually strong thirst
- weight loss
- Nocturnal incontinence
- Loss of appetite [11]
According to studies, around one in 300 dogs suffer from diabetes. However, the frequency has increased by more than 80% in the past 10 years. [12]
Blood is usually tested for diagnosis. While the disease itself cannot be cured, the symptoms can be greatly reduced through medical treatment.
In diabetic dogs, the organism no longer functions properly due to high or low blood sugar levels. Among other things, this can lead to affected dogs peeing or even defecating in the apartment at night.
#7 Existing stool smell
Especially in dogs aged 6-12 months, the cause of nocturnal incontinence is often due to inadequate hygiene.
An existing smell of feces or urine signals to dogs that this is a suitable place to defecate or pee.
The problem? Dogs' sense of smell is many times better than that of humans. To be more precise, they smell up to 100,000 times better than we do. [13]
If throwing it away is not possible or not desired, then only very intensive cleaning will help. The following procedure has proven to be bombproof:
- Mix BactoDes (from Amazon) with water in a 1:5 ratio
- Then let the cleaning agent work on the area for 10 minutes
- Wipe the area with a rag and a little water
Vinegar and steam cleaners are usually sufficient for tiled floors. For everything else, I definitely recommend BactoDes. Because it was developed specifically for this purpose.
Dogs' noses are so good that they can detect the slightest smells of urine and feces even after months. If you feel a sudden urge to defecate at night, you often pee or defecate in exactly these areas.
#8 Immature bladder
If your dog is still very young and goes into the apartment at night despite being housetrained, then this could be due to anatomical reasons.
Because in young puppies (
However, as you get older, the bladder becomes increasingly larger. Adult dogs therefore have to pee less often at night:
Age of DogHow long dogs can hold urine1-3 hours6-12 months2-8 hours1-8 years6-12 hours8-10 years4-10 hours>10 years2-6 hours
In this case, you just need to be a little more patient to solve the problem. At the same time, you should remain consistent during training and always give appropriate feedback.
These reusable dog diapers from Amazon are also a great alternative. The around 30,000 enthusiastic reviews confirm this.
When young dogs pee in the apartment at night, a small bladder is often responsible, among other things. For anatomical reasons, puppies can rarely hold their urine for longer than 1-3 hours. Dog diapers can help here.
#9 Castration
When female dogs are neutered, the ovaries are surgically removed. Reproduction is no longer possible…