How to Make a Dog Poop with a Match (Does It Work And Is It Safe?)

Getting your doggie to defecate when you want them to is easier said than done.

You are lucky if yours already knows to do the deed during walks. It saves you the trouble of worrying about when and where the pet will eliminate.

Sadly, even a perfectly trained dog sometimes runs into trouble. If she’s constipated and her system is out of whack, she will need help and motivation to eliminate.

What should you do to get her going if she is yet to learn to poop on command?

People have come up with different strategies. These include rubbing the dog’s anus with wet wipes, squirting cold water over it, or placing ice on it among others.

Recently, we’ve learned about the matchstick trick to make a dog go to the bathroom.

But is it safe? Does it work?

Well, if you are desperate for a technique to use to make your pup eliminate, here is a quick overview of what you need to know about the elimination technique.

The Idea Behind The Matchstick Strategy

As the name suggests, this strategy is about using a matchstick. Dog handlers make use of this little trick to make sure their dogs eliminate before going into the ring.

What you do is insert a matchstick or a few of them inside your dog’s butt. The idea is to cause enough irritation and discomfort to cause the dog to forcefully remove the matchstick by pooping.

Naturally, when a foreign substance is on your pooch’s backside, she will not rest until it leaves her body. What better way than to remove it the same way it got in?

After a few minutes of inserting the matchsticks, the dog will squat and remove them along with the contents of her large intestine. Voila!

Another principle is that the sulfur contained in the matchstick will give the pet an urge to poop. There’s no scientific backing for this but it could be true.

The matchstick method makes use of a matchstick because it has the right texture. It is soft enough to protect your dog from skin irritations. It is also the perfect size for the job.

If used correctly, it can get your doggie eliminating in no time. There’s no fire here, so no need to panic about that.

How Does It Work

To utilize the strategy, arm yourself with a book of matches. Nothing fancy—just your standard matches. Just choose the soft kind so they don’t hurt your doggie.

Remove two matches from the book.

Next, position your dog with her backside facing you and insert the matches in her anus.

Either the sulfur or non-sulfur side goes in about halfway through.

If you insert the sulfur side, you want to wet it by running the stick in your mouth for a few seconds.

To state the obvious, do not attempt to light the match if the sulfur side sticks out.

Additionally, you want to make sure the dog doesn’t pass through a place with open fire. You are after getting her to poo not having her rear end burnt.

Now comes the waiting period. Don’t worry—it won’t be long before your fur baby will be squatting and doing all she can to get the matchsticks out of her body.

Almost all dogs will eliminate when matchsticks are sticking out from their butts. The feeling drives them nuts.

However, there are a few stubborn doggies that need more motivation to poop. In such a case, more matchsticks can help. If your pooch is constipated, one or two may not suffice.

 If nothing happens after a few trials, leave it alone and call the vet instead. Perhaps your dog needs medical help to make her eliminate.

What’s The Trick For?

Using matchsticks to encourage your dog to pass out stool should be the last resort. You should try other strategies such as giving belly rubs, more water, offering fiber-rich foods, just to mention a few. If nothing else fails, you can give it a go.

Essentially the trick is great for a doggie that is being house trained. You can use it temporarily to create a schedule and make sure your pup eliminates when you want her to.

It is also great for dogs that are used to eliminating at the backyard rather than in the preferred spots. You can use the method to change the association and teach your dog that she can relieve herself in other spots.

If your dog is constipated, you can try this trick before you think of calling the vet.

Finally, dogs that participate in the showring can also benefit from eliminating when you want them to.

Is It Safe?

When done correctly, the matchstick trick should be safe for any dog. Matches are soft and small in size.

Besides the normal discomfort that your doggie will feel when the object is inside her butt, no injury or irritationis present to cause pain.

With that said, the technique can go south if done incorrectly. For one, if the matchstick is inserted way too deep, it can find its way to the dog’s anus. That can hurt your poor doggie or cause even more discomfort, especially if they don’t poop.

Additionally, if the dog runs around with the sulfur sides of the matches sticking out of her butt, she can encounter open fire. If the matches are lit by the fire, they will burn her rear if you don’t get to her in good time.

To avoid this from happening, make sure there are no open flames before using the trick. As much as possible, ensure the dog is in an enclosed area in case she runs off with the matchsticks in her butt.

Closing Thoughts

There are situations where you want your doggie to poop when you want them to. When that time comes, consider using the matchstick strategy.

As long as you exercise caution by inserting the match only halfway in and keeping the dog away from open fire, you should be okay.

If it doesn’t work, you want to have your dog checked by the vet. Something could be wrong with her digestive system.