Your dog poops while walking – reasons and solutions

Pets Can Smile – 20 May 2024

Your dog poops while walking.

Oh dear.

So you want to know:

• Is it normal? 
• Is it dangerous for your dog?
• What can you do about it?

Here are the main reasons why your dog defecates while walking: 

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Weakness or pain
• Stuck poop
• Marking territory
• Anxiety
• Excitement

But there is more you need to know!

This is why this article will tell you everything you need to know about:

• All the possible reasons why your dog walks and poops
• How can you stop your dog walking while pooping?
• When you should contact your vet

Let’s do this. 

Let’s quickly see why your dog walks and defecates at the same time – and what you can do about this. 

Why your dog poops while walking – main reasons

Here are the most common reasons why your dog may be pooping and walking at the same time. 

Constipation

If your dog is pooping and walking at the same time, the poor thing may be constipated. 

So… how can walking help?    

Walking helps to get the bowels moving. 

That extra movement can also help eject the stubborn poop.   

Yes, movement creates movement. 

Walking can also reduce the feeling of bloat.

Is your dog prone to constipation?

No worries.

Here are the most common reasons your dog can become constipated:

• Diet: Dogs tend to eat things that are not food (hair, toys, kitty litter, etc.). These non-foods can cause blockages and abnormal fecal transit. Bones, bone meal, and other sources of dietary calcium can also contribute to constipation
• Age: Elderly dogs are more vulnerable to constipation
• Activity level: Not enough exercise often results in slower fecal transit
• Drugs: Opiates, antihistamines, diuretics, some antacids, some cancer drugs
• Metabolic diseases: Hypothyroidism, kidney issues, and more
• Stress and psychological problems: Can cause your dog to hold it for too long
• Surgery: Medical procedures and the associated drugs can cause constipation 
• Digestive tract tumors
• Tumors that narrow the dog’s pelvic region
• Anal glands problems
• Prostate enlargement
• Dehydration or electrolyte imbalances
• Spinal injuries and diseases
• Central nervous system issues
• Orthopedic disorders that make it difficult for the dog to squat

This is how to treat constipation in dogs:

• Pumpkin: Can work for both constipation and diarrhea. Pumpkin is high in both fiber and moisture. Also, many dogs like pumpkin 
• Canned dog food: The extra moisture content of canned food helps regulate the system
• Food and herbs: Wheat bran, ginger, powdered psyllium seeds, and olive oil
• Hydration: Ensure your dog has access to fresh water at all times
• Powdered fiber supplements
• Exercise
• Stool softeners

I hope some of the above will help your doggy solve its constipated issues. 

Weakness or pain

Older dogs often struggle to hold the squatting position long enough to finish pooping.

There is not enough strength in their muscles anymore. 

Yes, it takes a lot of strength to hold the proper squatted position! Try, I won’t judge. 

Muscles deteriorate as a dog gets older and is less active. 

In fact, muscle weakness and muscle atrophy (a loss of muscle mass) is quite common in senior dogs. 

This is why some senior dogs don’t even bother to squat anymore.  

And this is why pooping while walking is more common in older dogs than in younger ones. 

But what if your dog is young… and still experiences pain when trying to squat? 

Here are the most common reasons for pain when squatting: 

• Pulled muscle
• ACL injury
• Torn ligament
• Leg injury

And how do you know if your dog is in pain when squatting? 

Easy – just look for signs of pain such as: 

• Trembling in hind legs
• Lameness 
• Stiffness 
• Grimacing in pain

If your dog shows any of the above symptoms, contact your veterinarian. 

Your vet may recommend:

• Joint supplement
• Special diet
• Steroids (for some relief)
• A support sling to help your dog during toilet breaks

Stuck poop

Yes, sometimes poop can get stuck on its way out.

If there is a loose poop dangling from your dog’s butt, the walking may help dislodge it.

My dog recently rubbed its butt against grass to dislodge the poop. In the end, I had to help my dog a little. 

But what can make the poop to get stuck? 

Eating grass or hair can increase the risk of poop getting stuck. 

This is because grass and hair will pass through the digestive tract relatively unchanged, and the long undigested bits can easily get caught on the way out. 

Chewing sticks can have the same effect.  

Marking territory

Yes, dogs mark their territory with poop too.

But… how can you mark a long stretch of territory? 

Simple. 

Just walk while pooping. 

That’s right, walking when pooping is the best way to maximize coverage.

The act of walking also helps to release more territory-marking fluids from the anal glands.

Anxiety

My dog used to get anxious during walks, especially in new locations. 

My dog also used to walk and poop at the same time. 

So I took my dog to a veterinarian. 

It turned out that my dog was simply too anxious to stop walking when pooping. 

In my dog’s mind, stopping to squat was making it vulnerable to strangers, both humans and animals. 

Yes, squatting to poop puts your dog in a vulnerable position. 

It’s worth mentioning that my dog never walks while pooping in my yard. This is because my dog is relaxed in the yard. 

Excitement

Have you ever seen your dog peeing out of excitement? 

I bet you did. 

But a dog can also poop when excited. 

This is why pooping while walking is so often seen in puppies. This is because puppies are not good at controlling their emotions. 

But this can also happen to an older dog.  

Yes, emotions can take over. And before you know it, your dog is galloping across the yard and pooping… and wagging its tail like crazy, which doesn’t help. 

Bad habit

Your dog may have picked up a bad habit of pooping while walking as a puppy.

This is exactly what happened to my dog when he was a puppy. 

When my puppy was toilet training, it was often going to the potty spot slightly too late. 

How late?

The puppy was already pooping… but still was trying to get to the potty spot. What a hero!

Unfortunately, this trained my puppy to always poop while walking. 

Luckily, I managed to correct this behavior with some training (my vet is a dog trainer). 

Poor diet

A poor diet can cause constipation or diarrhea in your dog. 

And yes, both constipation and diarrhea can lead to the poop and walk behavior.   

As this article already discussed constipation earlier, let’s quickly turn our attention to diarrhea. 

Here are the main causes of diarrhea in dogs: 

• Poor diet: Eating food containing cheap fillers, artificial preservatives, and difficult-to-digest carbohydrates 
• Eating habits: Eating too much, eating spoiled food, or eating garbage
• Eating non-food: Consuming indigestible items such as toys or socks
• Change in diet: It usually takes several days for a dog’s digestive system to adapt to digesting new proteins (ensure gradual switching to new food)
• Food intolerance
• Allergies
• Emotional upset or stress
• Parasites: Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, coccidia, giardia
• Poisonous plants or substances
• Virus infections: Canine coronavirus, parvovirus, distemper
• Bacterial infections: Salmonella and others
• Illnesses: Kidney and liver disease, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer
• Medications: Antibiotics and other medications

Here are the best methods to help a dog with diarrhea: 

• Rice: Plain, cooked white rice
• Pumpkin: Canned 100% pumpkin puree or a pet-specific canned pumpkin for dogs. Avoid pumpkin pie filling
• Rice water: Just boil white rice in a lot of water. Then strain out the grains. Give your dog the cooled-off creamy white, starchy broth that’s left after straining
• Probiotics: To promote live bacteria that support digestion
• Plain yogurt with active cultures (only if your dog tolerates milk and milk products)
• Boiled potatoes (but without skin)
• Plain protein sources: Eggs (cooked with no butter or oil) or chicken (without skin)
• Cottage cheese: Plain, low-sodium, and low-fat 
• Herbs: Fennel (it has gut-soothing properties)
• Specially-crafted dog food: Some dog food brands offer dog foods for sensitive stomachs 
• Diarrhea medications: May require a prescription and should always be given under your vet’s supervision

Lack of bowel control

Your dog may start pooping while walking if it can’t control bowel movements. 

Here are the most common reasons for losing control of bowel movements.

• Parasites
• Health issues
• Injury 
• Atrophy of the bowel muscles
• Poor diet

Movement helps move the bowels

Your dog may sometimes need some extra help to move the bowels and poop. 

Walking can make the poop slide out, especially if your dog is constipated. 

Alerting to danger

If your dog is walking and pooping, your brave pup may be alerting other dogs to danger. 

That danger can be a nearby predator (or an angry neighbor).  

As mentioned earlier, your dog may use pooping to release the special scent from the anal glands, which contains information for other dogs.  

It’s just how your dog rolls

Sometimes, there are just no good reasons for your dog pooping while walking.

It could be just how your dog rolls. 

Long and droopy stool

Sometimes, the poop is simply too long.

That’s life. 

How to stop your dog walking while pooping

Stopping your dog from walking and pooping will depend on the reason for this behavior.

Here are the best methods of stopping your dog walking when pooping, based on the specific reason for this behavior.

Constipation

• Pumpkin
• Canned dog food
• Powdered fiber supplements
• Food and herbs
• Hydration
• Exercise
• Stool softeners

Diarrhea

• White rice
• Pumpkin
• Rice water
• Probiotics
• Plain yogurt with active cultures
• Boiled potatoes (no skin)
• Eggs (cooked with no butter or oil)
• Chicken (no skin)
• Cottage cheese
• Herbs (e.g. fennel)
• Special dog food
• Diarrhea medications

Weakness or pain

• Joint supplements
• Special diets
• Steroids to provide relief
• Support sling
• Contact your vet if you suspect injury

Stuck poop

Make sure your dog doesn’t eat or chew:

• Grass
• Hair
• Sticks

Also, trim long hair around the anus.

Marking territory

Nothing to fix here – your dog is behaving like… a dog.

Anxiety

• Avoid busy or new walking locations
• Ensure stress-free environment

Excitement

Take your excitable doggy outside for a quick potty break just before an exciting event, such as visitors or going for a walk.

Bad habit

Train your dog to hold it for as long as is needed to get to the potty spot.

Poor diet

• Provide your dog with a high-quality diet
• Avoid cheap fillers, artificial preservatives, and difficult-to-digest carbohydrates

Lack of bowel control

Contact your vet (your dog may have some underlying health issues).

Yes, your dog walking and pooping at the same time can be quite annoying on walks. 

But if there are no health problems, you may decide to just leave it. 

I spoke to many dog owners (and several vets) and they all told me that it isn’t always possible to change this behavior. 

Also, by interfering with your dog’s toilet business, you may confuse your dog and cause more issues. 

So yes, in most cases, you shouldn’t worry about your dog walking when pooping.

Let your doggy poop like it wasn’t your business.  

In other words, let your dog enjoy a poop on the move.

Healthy vs unhealthy poop

The proof is in the poop – as my vet likes to say. 

Yes, poop is a great indicator of your dog’s health. 

You just need to know what to look for. 

Here are the main differences between healthy and unhealthy poop. 

Healthy poop:

• Color: chocolate brown
• Shape: like logs (should maintain their form)
• Consistency: compact, moist, and easy to pick up
• Size: should correspond to the amount of eaten food (size can increase if on a high-fiber diet)
• Content: too much grass in the poop suggests stress or an upset stomach

Unhealthy poop:

• Watery poop: intestinal problems
• Small pellet-like poop: dehydration
• Mucus: inflamed colon
• White bits: tapeworm
• Black, coffee-like stool: possible internal bleeding
• Blood in the poop: potentially serious health issues

Important: if you notice any of the above signs (especially the last 4), contact your veterinarian immediately!

When to contact your vet

Contact your veterinarian if you suspect underlying health issues as a reason for your dog pooping while walking. 

Here are the main symptoms that may indicate underlying health issues.  

• Blood in the poop
• Unhealthy-looking poop 
• Constipation
• Diarrhea  
• Weakness  
• Pain 
• Lethargy 
• Changes in appetite

Frequently asked questions

Why is my dog pooping in my house minutes after coming back from a walk? 

Maybe your dog didn’t poop during the walk.  

Also, your dog may be struggling to control bowel movements due to dietary changes, underlying health conditions, or just getting old. 

Some dogs can also get anxious or over-excited after coming back from a walk. This may lead to pooping again.  

Why does my dog walk around in circles when pooping?

There can be several reasons for this:

• Maybe your dog is simply creating a comfortable space in which to poop 
• Also, some dogs can be uncomfortable doing their business out in the open
• Your dog may also be trying to cover up its feces with dirt or grass
• Dogs with parasitic worms may also walk in circles to get rid of worms 

And lastly, your dog may be suffering from: 

• Gastrointestinal issues (inflammation or blockages)
• Anxiety or excitement (caused by being outdoors)
• Pain (from an injury or some medical condition)

Why is my dog pooping standing up?

Maybe your dog simply feels safer pooping while standing up. In this position, your dog can keep a better eye on its surroundings. 

There is also a chance that your dog can’t squat properly because of: 

• Pain
• Weakness
• Injury
• Age

Why won’t my dog poop all at once? 

Your dog may be constipated (feces are dry and hard, making them difficult to pass). 

Also, your dog’s intestines may be full of gas (this can also make it difficult to poop).

Why is my dog walking while peeing?

This is very similar to walking during pooping. 

Maybe this is a habit your dog formed in the past (this habit may be difficult to break). 

Also, your dog may be simply spreading urine to mark territory. 

Walking while peeing also allows your dog to better keep an eye on its surroundings. 

Why did my dog poop on my bed while I was sleeping?

Oh, sorry to hear that. 

Still, your dog may be trying to get your attention. 

For example, your dog may be trying to tell you that it needs to go outside to pee or poop. 

That’s right, your doggy pooped a bit on your bed to tell you that it needs to go outside to poop. Not ideal, but effective, right? 

Your dog may also feel anxious or stressed. Pooping on your bed may seem to your dog the only way to let you know about this. Don’t be too hard on your poor pup for this. 

Final word

So your dog poops while walking.

So you of course want to know:

• Is it normal? 
• Is it dangerous for your dog?
• What can you do about it?

In this article, I answered all your questions. 

In short, here are the main reasons why your dog walks and poops at the same time:  

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Weakness or pain
• Stuck poop
• Marking territory
• Anxiety
• Excitement

But there is more you need to know!

This is why this article also told you all about: 

• All the main reasons why your dog defecates while walking
• How can you stop your dog walking while pooping?
• When to contact your vet

Our team wishes your dog healthy and enjoyable pooping sessions!