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How to stop my puppy from moving potty pads and pooping on the carpet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 3 months and 13 days old | 14.4 lbs

My puppy poops on the pad and then moves it to my carpet. Ever since he’s started doing that, he’s beginning to poop on the carpet. Every time he does I tell him a stern “no” once he’s done. I clean my carpet thoroughly every time but he still keeps pooping there. How can I help him go back on the pad?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenny, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 26th, 2018

You can start with the pad on the carpet where he goes. Each time he doe sit correctly give him a treat. Then you gradually start moving it back to where you want it and still reward him each time. The other option is start taping the edges down so he can't move the pad anymore and limit his roam of the house. Keep him confined to a smaller area until he gets better. At his age, it is very early for him to be house trained, so keep trying, he will get there over the next month

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 15th, 2017

    It sounds like your puppy is trained to use the pee pee pad, and doesn't realize that he should be going outside as well. I start slowly moving the pee pee pad closer to the door to the outside. Make sure he sees you moving the pads so he knows they are in a new space. Every day, move it a little bit closer until it's right at the door, and then move them outside right by the door. Each day, move the pad closer and closer to a designated potty area. Once in the potty area, make the training pads smaller and smaller until you can stop using it completely.

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    Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 17th, 2017

    I'm glad you are taking Bojay! It can be difficult to retrain an older dog but the good news is you are half way there because he uses pads. If you put his pads by the door and let him use them a few times, then gradually move the pads outside. Eventually he should look to go outside and you can stop using the pads. Just be persistent, good luck.

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Related Questions

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I have a half chihuahua and shih tzu he’s 12 weeks old and he keeps on peeing off the pad and pooping he goes on the pad when he wants too but why does he poop right next to the pad but not on it?!!
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How can i stop the puppy from peeing and pooping in the house?
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Updated on September 24th, 2025
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We're working on moving the area for potty training closer to the back door to the backyard. Aside from moving the pee pee pads there, any other suggestions? Since we've moved them, he's peeing in more places areound the house that he hadn't in the
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I have trained my puppy to poop outside but whenever he sees my kitchen door open and no one is around , he sneaks in and poops there which is sometimes really annoying as I go out and come back with the house smelling like dog shit . I have tried gi
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Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Hi Eli is 3 and half month She learned her urine on pad but she does Her feces Everywhere . How Can I Teach Her ?
Hi there and thanks for posting. Positive reinforcement can help teach her to defecate in appropriate places like outside. If you want to encourage her to defecates outside, reward her with a tasty treat whenever she defecates outside when you take her out. Say good-girl in a high pitched happy tone and reward with treat after she defecates. If you want her to defecate on the potty pad, then whenever she looks like she needs to go, lead her on a leash to the potty pad and say "potty" or ''go poop" and reward her with treat and praises when she does. I hope this helps and thanks for posting on Boop by Petco!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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It sounds like your puppy is trained to use the pee pee pad, and doesn't realize that he should be going outside as well. I start slowly moving the pee pee pad closer to the door to the outside. Make sure he sees you moving the pads so he knows they are in a new space. Every day, move it a little bit closer until it's right at the door, and then move them outside right by the door. Each day, move the pad closer and closer to a designated potty area. Once in the potty area, make the training pads smaller and smaller until you can stop using it completely.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I walk my 4 month old puppy after she eats so breakfast and dinner when I’m off from work but she doesn’t pee or poop when i walk her when she comes back home she does it on the pads how can i can get her to do her business outside now she sleep upst
Unfortunately, sometimes it can be challenging to move a dog from going on pee pads in the house to going outside if they have learned that they are supposed to go on the pee pads. I have a few suggestions for you. Since you know she tends to go after your morning walks, I would bring her inside after her walk, then immediately take her outside and place a pee pad down outside. Try to train her to a verbal command of "go potty" or such and be sure to reward her (with verbal praise or treats) each time she goes outside. This will take patience because you are teaching her a new habit. The goal is to give her such positive reinforcement that she likes to go outside. While you are training her to go outside, I would leave her pee pads in the house where she likes to go to prevent any accidents. As she gets used to going outside, you will not need to use pee pads outside anymore, but be sure not to remove them too quickly since that is what she is trained to go on and may not like g
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have done everything to potty train my puppy Austin on the pee pad he was torn up the pads I have now taped them down do he cannot nut now he is peeing on the floor and poops on the pad what more can I do i go through this everyday
Hello, sorry about Austin. House training puppies can be very stressful and difficult. Here are a few tips that may help you make the training easier for you. Basic Principles of Canine Elimination Behavior: • Puppies and dogs are taught by their mothers not to soil their “dens”, and have an innate aversion to doing so. • A puppy lacks development of the bladder muscles necessary to hold their urine and feces for long periods of time as adult dogs can. • Breeds of dogs may vary in their responsiveness to housetraining. Even though there may be differences in breeds, the same principles of housetraining apply. What To Do: When you’re away from home... • DO keep puppy in a small, confined area (e.g. dog crate, bathroom, puppy pen) and make it appealing by providing toys, food, bedding, etc. Your puppy will come to see this as his “den,” which he will prefer not to soil. If you are gone for long periods of time in which your puppy physically cannot hold its bladder, make sure that the a
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have a Jack Russell still a baby. Born early March 2018. I just can't get her to poo and pee on the newspaper. She love too poo on carpets or any soft surface. Please give me some advice. Thank you
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! She is quite adorable, that is for sure. I recommend that you pick up the feces and put it in the pads that can be used inside of the house for her to do it and have her smell it so that she knows that that is where she needs to go. Also, when she actually defecates in the pads, praise her and give her treats to help her understand that that was the desirable behavior. With consistency and time, this will likely work well for you. Best of luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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