Each canine owner has a unique story about what their pets do. Sometimes there is a behavior that makes owners confused because their dog has never done this before. The dog suddenly waking up in the middle of the night to poop is one of them. Maybe it sounds like a usual thing, but it’s not. Something might have happened to your dog, and you don’t know why they did it.
Is your dog suddenly waking up in middle of night to poop? A dog might start pooping in the middle of the night because there are several possibilities. Your dog may experience things like a change in diet, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, or a poor feeding schedule.
Be sure you read this article to give your dog what he wants from the behavior you just learned this time. Not only discussing some of the possibilities but also tips for taking care of the problem.
Why Is My Dog Suddenly Waking Up In The Middle Of The Night?
Every canine needs sleep, just like us. But sometimes, dogs wake up in the middle of the night because of something. As long as they don’t make any loud noise, you want to be with them and give them whatever they need.
Is your dog suddenly waking up in middle of night to poop? A common thing your dog does in the middle of the night is foraging for food. Sometimes you forget to feed them enough in the afternoon. Or there are too many activities your dog does before they go to bed. No wonder they wake up hungry.
Another possibility is a dog suddenly waking up in the middle of the night to poop. Even if it seems like a usual thing, watch for the next few days to see if your dog does the same. Wakes up in the middle of the night because a bad stomach will bother them. Immediately consult a vet for your dog’s condition.
What To Do When Your Dog Wakes Up In The Middle Of The Night?
The same thing goes by when you wake up in the middle of the night. Some of the things you might do are looking for food in the kitchen, pee, or go to the bathroom to defecate.
See what behavior they show after waking up. When dogs are barking or whining, it may be because of anxiety. Open their crates, or get them to calm them down.
If the dog wakes up in the middle of the night to poop and looks uncomfortable, give them space or direct them to their litter box or go outside until they finish their business.
Give them a minute to be out of the house if they want. But be careful if the dog poops in the house after being outside, and you are not prepared to direct them to poop in the proper place.
Another possibility is something wrong with their diet. Maybe you are too slow to feed dogs, or the food you are giving is not suitable for them and causes gastrointestinal problems. Consult the vet for your canine’s diet.
Why Is My Dog Going To The Bathroom In The Middle Of The Night?
Pay attention to whether your dog is doing evening naps or you are giving them food or drink two hours before bedtime. If your dog has had enough sleep because there is time to rest in the afternoon, they will be well-rested and go potty around 3 AM.
Some owners will struggle with the sound of their dog when they wake up in the middle of the night, while they want to rest in peace and without distractions. Try to change your dog’s habit of not doing evening naps or eating near their bedtime.
My dog is pooping in the middle of the night after I feed him at least an hour before he sleeps. This keeps them full and will process food faster when they are resting. No wonder dog suddenly wake up in the middle of the night to poop.
Why Does My Dog Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night To Poop?
It is possible that your dog ate dinner too late, or that the food you gave them for dinner was not suitable for them. If dogs eat dinner too late and close to their bedtime, their digestive system will process it in the middle of the night. It’s better not to serve food later than 5 PM.
Older dogs wake up in the middle of the night to poop because they are already uncomfortable with their joints which become painful over time. They would wake up in the middle of the night and whine sometimes to relieve the pain.
Another possibility is that your dog has eaten food that elicits an allergic reaction or is toxic to them. Dogs wake up in the middle of the night with diarrhea, with stools that are not solid, and poops many times.
The dog suddenly waking up in the middle of the night to poop is not uncommon. See their behavior whether they poop with whining or pain. Take it to the vet if you see it happen multiple times.
Why Does My Dog Poop During The Night?
Check again how you feed your dogs before they go to sleep. Are you feeding them too much? Or do you feed them an hour or two before bedtime? The distance between eating and sleeping, or the portion of food they eat will determine whether they poop in the middle of the night or not.
Food heavy in protein can also cause poop at night. You should estimate the food you give before your dog goes to sleep. If you don’t give a proper meal of the proper size, the dog suddenly wakes up in the middle of the night to poop or get unhealthy weight.
Not only poop, sometimes dogs suddenly wake up in the middle of the night to pee and dirty some places in the house. Owners will wake up in the morning with a bad smell because their dog has been littering the floor at night.
Why Is My Dog Suddenly Pooping In The Middle Of The Night?
If your dog suddenly poops where they sleep at night, check their eating schedule or have a change in their diet. Some of the menus that you give may cause diarrhea or an upset stomach. For example, if you give all the food from processed dairy products, your dog can get diarrhea.
This is different from a puppy waking us up in the middle of the night to poop because they can go to their litter box, or go outside. They can control themselves to pop the poop in a safe place.
Consult a vet for foods that make them diarrhea, or diets that wake dogs up in the middle of the night.
How Do You Stop A Dog From Pooping At Night?
Every owner would be overwhelmed if they had to handle their dog in the middle of the night, especially if they had to poop and litter the room. The table below is a few ways to stop the dog suddenly waking up in the middle of the night to poop.
How to stop | Explanation |
Check for medical issues | See if your dog is unwell or uncomfortable wherever they are. Check body temperature and immediately take him to the vet. |
Change feeding time | Adjust your dog’s eating schedule with 3 hours before bedtime at maximum. Don’t let them eat late. |
Clean the food | After 20 minutes you give food in the dog feed, immediately clean it so that your dog does not eat outside the specified hours. |
Walk after dinner | A good walk will allow your dog to process food quickly and poop before bed. |
Be consistent | Changing habits will be hard at first, but if your dog is used to it, you won’t see your dog wake up in the middle of the night to poop. |
As long as you see your dog pooping normally and there’s nothing wrong with the color or shape of the stool, it’s a sign that your dog wants to poop after a late dinner. But if the dog is pooping multiple times at night, there’s a good chance they have diarrhea or an upset stomach.
Why Does My Dog Wake Up At 3 AM Every Night?
Your dog is waking up early at 3 AM because they are hungry. If you give them too little dinner, dogs may wake up early because they are too hungry. If you want to give your dog more food for dinner, take them for a walk around the house to speed up the digestion process.
A dog waking up hungry is different from a dog waking up early to poop. My dog poops at 3 AM because I’m used to feeding them two hours before bed. My dog has gotten used to the pattern, but I have to be prepared for those that are well-rested and will make loud noises even when I’m asleep.
Always check when a dog suddenly wakes up in the middle of the night to poop. Check the color and structure. If it looks like the poop is not solid and smells bad, immediately take it to the vet to check their condition.
Is It Normal To Wake Up At Night To Poop?
Is your dog suddenly waking up in middle of night to poop? Dogs have a different pattern from humans. If dogs eat close to their bedtime, you will witness the dog pooping in the middle of the night. You can overcome this by reducing the portion of food or taking them for a walk in the afternoon.
Sometimes we are not aware of the food we give to dogs. For example, dairy products will cause gastrointestinal problems and dog pooping every two hours at night. If you have seen this condition, please consult your vet.
How To Stop Dog Pooping At Night?
If you see a dog has to poop in the middle of the night, every night, then what is wrong is their eating pattern and has become a habit in their life. You have to change the time you eat or the portion you give. It takes time to change their habit, and wait for them to get used to it.
Give your dog enough activity after dinner so they can digest food faster. Make sure your dog poops before they go to sleep. The dog suddenly waking up in the middle of the night to poop will not happen again, because the food is well digested.
Do Puppies Need To Poop At Night?
Puppies will digest their food between 6-8 hours. You can estimate the last time they ate by their poop time. If you expect puppies to poop before bed, you don’t have to bother taking care of them in the middle of the night.
Puppies start to poop in the middle of the night if they get to eat in the evening. My 10-month-old puppy needs to go out in the middle of the night because I am used to feeding them together with our family for dinner.
Senior Dog Suddenly Waking Up In Middle Of Night To Poop
The strength of the dog’s muscles and bones will weaken over time. Senior dogs will experience pain in the joints, and senior dog suddenly waking up in middle of night to poop is the next thing to happen.
There is another possibility that the older your dog, the more susceptible it is to disease. Check with the vet if they have diabetes, kidney disease, or gastrointestinal upset.
Sometimes dogs need to go out in the middle of the night. They are well-rested because they have rested during the day. But if you notice they are uncomfortable and pee or poop a few times, take them to the vet for a medical examination.
Final Verdict – Dog Suddenly Waking Up In Middle Of Night To Poop
Is your dog suddenly waking up in middle of night to poop? Dogs need time to digest food properly and poop at the right time. If you are late to feed your dog at night, you will see the dog suddenly waking up in middle of night to poop.
Sometimes this becomes a concern for owners because they can give the wrong diet, feed too much, or eat the wrong time. If you can change their diet at night, dogs won’t wake up in the middle of the night to poop.
Check the condition of their poop whether the structure and color are normal. If your dog wakes up in the middle of the night and pees or poops several times, there is a good chance that your dog has diarrhea or urinary tract infections.
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Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️
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