Hi,

We rescued our 4th GSD 4 weeks ago today. He is approx 2yrs old. Has had several homes before us. We are failing to see what the issue is with him as compared to all others we have had he has been the easiest so far in every way. Very loving and at home.

One little thing though is, 3 or 4 nights over the last couple of weeks in the middle of the night, I have woken to an awful smell and found he has pood on the living room carpet.

The first week, he came to us in the night and we let him out. Sometimes he did the toilet sometimes nit. But he did come to us.
Then he slept right through and now we are experiencing this.
He is walked at night by 8pm latest and we refrain from treats after dinner.

He does not do the toilet when on a walk though. So we let him.out our back and he does it there. 

I am a very light sleeper and have always heard my dogs come in to us. What could be the issue here??

He is eating well. Perfectly happy and healthy though we haven't been able to register him at the vets as they are only taking emergencies just now.

I would suggest its actually the stress of more change. Sounds like he has had a lot to cope with and although you know he is now safe and he appears content it will take long while before he really settles. I doubt he really believes this is going to be his home and sometimes early days a dog seems fine and then once their paws are under the table so to speak behaviours can emerge that have to be gently worked through

I would give him a secure regular  routine for everything, take him out before bed and during the night for now.  Perhaps feed his last meal a bit earlier n the evening might help too. But i think time and routine is going to be the biggest help

Tbh if there is nothing  obvious that needs a vet I would be reluctant anyway to add  that stress to his life just now. A good calm home is what he probably needs and clearly you have the experience to offer this

Just to add I have one who in her 10 years has never woken us up if she wants to go out just goes down stairs on those rare occasions and does whatever in the hall . some just dont

> I would suggest its actually the stress of more change.

I absolutely agree with this, my nieces rescue lurcher used to go to the toilet in the livingroom if left alone, even if we were just upstairs and even though she knows how to use the dog door. I think it will get less and less and eventually stop as he settles more, it did for the loopy lurcher here.

With rescue dogs it can take a month before some problems or behaviours surface. Without knowing 100% of his history, you don't know if he has been doing this before, or if he has been kennelled or confined in a way that he has had to toilet inside.

I advise people with rescue dogs to treat them like puppies & teach them a routine with lots of rewards when they get it right.

Hi, thanks. Yes the rescue said he was in kennels for the last 4 months rather than allowing him to be returned to the breeder, again. He is terribly skinny too. Eating well. Very playful ad relaxed. Through the day he indicates he wants out by running back and forth or putting his two paws on you while we are  sitting.

Just these random episodes overnight. Yes, hoping it settles...

Shame isn't it x

You could teach him to ask you go out by ringing a bell offering a behaviour like sitting & offering a paw or coming to you & then going to the door.

He could of course have been scolded for disturbing previous owners at night, so is reluctant to ask you to let him out.

I have always taken my dogs out for last toilet 11pm, but nowadays 10pm.

> Yes, hoping it settles...

It is you who needs to settle it.  Set your alarm to get up twice during  the night.  Take the dog outside without making a fuss.  Stay with him until he goes. 
Once you establish what time he is going, you can get up for that.  Once he is used to waiting for you to let him out, you can gradually increase the time until he is going at a time to suit you.  Poor love, being kennelled for all that time.

When I got a rescue dog I was told the "Rule of 3".  Three days to decompress, 3 weeks to learn the new routine, and 3 months to believe that this really is his/her permanent home.  My rescue took well over a week to decompress, and at least a month to accept our routine as part of her new life.

Many thanks for your help. Good to gauge thoughts from everyone

Many thanks

Hi, it may be that your dog is feeling vulnerable. I have had a few rescues with this issue. A dog doing a poop can feel at their most vulnerable. My best advice is to clean up the 'deposit' rigorously using something like a odour remover spray, not easy on carpet but the one I use is Pet Health Care Odour Eliminator. Don't be cross with your dog but just clean it up, with no eye contact, any contact at all with your dog. Keep doing that every time and your dog will get the message - 'Don't mess in the house'. No need for correction, or a telling off. A later time out at the end of the day would help too.

> It is you who needs to settle it.  Set your alarm to get up twice during  the night.  Take the dog outside without making a fuss.  Stay with him until he goes.
> Once you establish what time he is going, you can get up for that.  Once he is used to waiting for you to let him out, you can gradually increase the time until he is going at a time to suit you.  Poor love, being kennelled for all that time.

Excellent advice, and exactly what I recommend to clients for addressing this issue.  I've had to do it a few times myself, too.

I'd also restrict his access to the place he's been going if you can, to speed things up.  If he can't access his preferred surface, he's less likely to go indoors.

Hello he sounds lovely,

I have a now 6 year old rescue SBT bitch I am not a light sleeper however I have been trained in the art of dog letting out in the night if required as she whines the slightest little bit just one warning, then lies on the floor by my bed we had two false starts  so now I am  fully trained in getting up when required albeit not awake as I do so. I would try shutting the door to limit access t the room he may just like that flooring under his feet.

Seriously the setting the alarm sounds good  I also kind of know how long it takes for food to go through her and have tempered her meals with that information.

He may be an almost silent alarm like mine .What's his name?