Nikki Wardle of Intermountain Pet Hospital doesn’t think your dog is revenge pooping either. But notes it could indicate: You’re strolling along, enjoying a wonderful walk outdoors, when the inevitable happens, and you step in a pile of dog poo. As you lift your foot from the ground and the smell of pet waste rises to your nose, you begin to wonder how you’ll possibly get the disgusting mess off your shoes. Before you toss them in the trash, find out how to get dog poop out of shoes with ease.

If it’s a one time thing, come up with a plan to prevent it happening again—e.g., put shoes away in a closed closet, or keep the dog out of the bedroom when he’s not supervised,” Bloom says.”Also, review your housetraining routine.” First, remember dogs view poop differently. “Poop would be the last thing that came to [a dog’s] mind as an item of revenge,” writes faculty and enrollment coordinator at the Victoria Stilwell Academy, Christina Waggoner. “If they had opposable thumbs and theory of mind, they would be more likely place a nice poop specimen in a box, tie the box with a bow, wrap it in gold foil and present it to you as a gift. Happy Birthday!” If, however, this is happening as part of a pattern, make an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out other issues. HOW TO GET HELP: Questions to ask veterinary and behavior professionals One of the most common causes for cats peeing outside their litter box is feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). This is the term given to a group of diseases that cause urinary problems in cats. The most common one is feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), which can cause pain while urinating and increased frequency of urination, often in places other than the litter box (for example shoes). It can be exacerbated by stress, amongst other reasons.Pain from arthritis can mean that your cat is more reluctant to use the litter box and more likely to look elsewhere for a place to pee and poop. Litter boxes with deep sides can mean your cat has difficulty getting in and out so try swapping the box for one with shallower sides to see if this helps. Diseases That Cause Increased Urination Anxiety, specifically separation anxiety is common. The AVMA says separation anxiety shows up in approximately 20% of dogs. Never use verbal or physical punishment on your cat. Your cat will not understand what it is they have done wrong and will only become frightened of you. It could even make the problem worse, especially if the root cause is stress. Try and determine why your cat is toileting in your shoes. It might not be easy but usually, you can uncover a reason for your cat’s bad habit.

The next time you come home to a mess in your shoe (or on the carpet, your bed etc.), Bloom suggests you remain calm. “Getting angry at best confuses the dog, and at worst teaches the dog that people are scary.” Finally, I let my shoes air dry. If there’s any lingering odor, I simply sprinkle baking soda over the previously soiled areas and inside the shoes and leave them overnight. The next morning, I shake out the baking soda, and just like that, my shoes are fresh, clean, and ready to go. Any sudden alteration in behavior in a dog suggests that something has changed either in the dog’s body or in his environment,” Bloom told us. If the answer is no to the above, an underlying medical issue could be at the root of the behavior. Yup, it’s time for a trip to the vet. Wash or spray your shoes with an enzymatic cleaner. Normal detergent won’t cut it—cats have such sensitive noses that they can still smell traces of urine scent on your shoes, even after washing. Enzymatic cleaners break down odors so that no trace is left behind. This can happen due to changes in weather (too hot, too cold, too wet, too windy, etc.),” says Irith. “It can also happen if something scary (to the dog) happens while the dog is outside.I dip a soft brush into the soapy solution and carefully scrub the affected area of my shoes. I rinse the brush as needed to avoid reapplying poop onto the shoe. Once I feel the poop is removed, I wipe down the entire shoe with a damp cloth to make sure no residue is left.