Hi All,

Wanted some advice on something. I have a 16yr old mongrel who recently has been getting into bad habits. She goes out in the morning (8:30) and when I return from work (5pm), my neighbour lets her out in the garden at lunch and before this would have been enough. Almost daily I'm coming home to find "accidents" on the floor. She used to be brilliant. If she needed to go out in the night, she'd wake me up and if I'm in the house, she'd come and find me and show me the back door, indicating that she wanted to go out. Now, even if I'm in the house she doesn't ask, she sneaks off and does it somewhere away from me. Usually the first thing I'm aware of is the smell.

I live with other people and I can't have her doing this as it's not fair on them. She's very old I know but this is frustrating as she used to be brilliant. Is seems to me like it's a behavioural thing, rather than a physical one as she would at least try to reach the door or ask me if it was incontinence. She wouldn't be able to hold it long enough to sneak off and find somewhere to go. In which case, I'm thinking dementia/confusion related to her age? There's nothing else wrong with her, so I'm very unwilling to put her through the stress of going to the vets (she absolutely hates it and shakes like a leaf and refuses as much as she can but like the soft brilliant little girl she is, she is compliant) and if all they're going to tell me is "there's not much we can do" seems rather pointless really. I'm so lucky to have had her for so long (since she was a pup) and she's rarely had health problems, so I want to give her the best golden years I can and minimise stress and pain.

Any ideas?

Can you not ask your vet to visit you?

Wanted some advice on something. I have a 16yr old mongrel who recently has been getting into bad habits. :-D Poor soul. I don't think it is bad habits. It is great an old dear like this is able to be left alone for so long on her on. ( great maybe isn't the word but I mean amazing)

incontinence. To me that is what is sounds like.  When you are incontinent it is just that you don't know you are leaking or weeing and can't hold for any length of time.

I was going to suggest the training pads lying around but she probably still wont know.

When you say you live with others and it isn't fair on them what do you mean? is she running the whole house free.. 

I think at 16 years old , it is too long for her being left on her own so long, not the answer but she will go down hill at some point.

It's not 'bad habits'. That implies a conscious decision. She's an old lady. Bodies start to fail in old age - hers is now, yours will too, in time. To stop her 'sneaking off' to relieve herself, watch her more, just as you would a puppy.

I agree, it's far to long for the old girl.

Sometimes like people old dogs become incontinent.  My friends dobe bitch would defecate without realising, and look very confused wondering where it came from.  Luckily enough her doings were very firm and it was easy to simply pick it up with tissue and pop it in the downstairs loo.

They will also become forgetful and simply forget to ask to go out and will not have the control they once did. 

You will need to treat her with tact as they can become very upset if you inadvertently show displeasure.

I would treat her like I would a pup that needed constant supervision ans opportunities to go outside frequently, and would keep her confined to an area with an easily cleaned floor when not being watched.

Make it really cosy for her, with the radio on, and perhaps paper down near the door in case she is caught short, and she cannot be let out more frequently.

Sorry, bad habits was the wrong way of putting it...

I know she's on her own for too long but I don't really know what I can do about it. I can't quit my job, and giving her to someone else everyday would disrupt her and upset her even more. I know it's amazing she can be left alone for so long, I was wondering how long our luck on this would last, she's been a brilliant dog, no problems whatsoever and she's as gentle as a lamb, even when my 18month old neice pulls on her a bit hard before I manage to catch her, she doesn't snap or nip. Doesn't even curl a lip. I was considering putting a baby gate or something over the stairs and confining her to downstairs while I'm out which is all wood flooring or lino. I might have to do that now I think. Failing that a doggy door in the back door, so she can come and go as she needs. However, it's not my house and as mercenary and heartless as this sounds, I won't be getting another dog when she's gone and I don't have that long left with her, I know. So is there really any point? My only other option would be to give her back to my ex, who is at home more than I am but that means disrupting her all over again. I might have to talk to him though, he does love her and she loves him. At the end of the day however much I will miss her (she was my childhood best friend), I owe her comfort and love in her last months.

I don't think the vet does home visits. They might take a look at her in the car in the car park of the surgery, but I doubt they would visit the house.  

Thanks for all your replies on this one.

Got a similar thing with a 12 1/2 year Rott who was going towards the door, stop -distracted by something/anything- forget she was still in not out and piddle where she was, talked to the vet and she is now on 'AKTIVAIT' anti senility capsules, you can get them from vetmedic and some of the other online places. touch wood they are working so far.
We used to have quite a few 'lights on but no-one home' episodes with her but she seems a bit more with it most of the time now.
Chris

Borrow a baby gate,or at least make a safe barracade, put lots of paper down in a small area but most importantly... no matter how annoyed you probably feel at the time..dont be mean to her about it. It breaks my heart to think of the old ladies dignity going and then the one she loves most, being cross with her.

hey my mam and dad has a mongral of 14 and exactly the same problem. and i am really sorry to tell you this but there is nothing you can do. the vets told us there was nothing they could do and that the dog did not mean to do the accident but then when she did she would have been embarrassed about doing this, they told us that my parents should consider having her put to sleep because it would be causing stress to the dog having this problem. however i am not saying you should think about this, my parents did not as she seems happy in every other way and i no i could not do it.p.s my mam is in the house nearly all day and the dog is still having the accident,

Yes, I agree with everyone else, just like our elderly this happens a lot, many dogs become incontinant and puppylike again, senile even perhaps. :-(

Just do as already suggested and keep her contained where it can be easily cleaned up and put newspaper down to help with cleaning it up.

Above all else don't get upset with her, who knows what you will be like at her age. ;-)

they told us that my parents should consider having her put to sleep because it would be causing stress to the dog having this problem. :-D

I think for the best part the stress when a dog gets to this stage is more on the owner, some dogs may perhaps get upset but in general that is because the owners get stressed out and annoyed at having to constantly clean up pee and poop. (usually the runny kind when they get to this stage too.)

I guess it is one of those times when it is completely up to the individual, my first dog, (my angel) didn't suffer from anything like this, but I've seen other dogs that have and to be honest, me being Mrs House Proud :-P  I don't know if I could live with a dog or any animal doing this constantly. :-(

Has this only started since you moved out? You say you live with other people, are they out all day, and what is their reaction to her when she does this, or they find it if they are home before you? If she is now finding herself with strangers who may not be as kind and thoughtful with her as you are, this may be why she is hiding to do it. I'm sure it is an age thing, but matters may be made worse if someone else is harsh with her, or it causes stress between you all. Dogs do pick up on things, especially older ones. She may well be missing your ex, and the life the 3 of you had. Splits are hard on dogs too, especially when they are old.

You could ask the vet if they would be prepared to do a home visit, many will when old dogs that are nervous need a checkup.

Maybe your ex would give her a home for the time she has left if this would work, and only you know that. Failing this, if she (and you) are being put under stress about all this, for her sake I think I would consider if her quality of life is as good as it was, and maybe the alternative (pts) may be the best option. Harsh I know, and I couldn't do it but then I am lucky in that it wouldn't be a problem, tiled floors etc. In fact, my old girl although always very clean, will now have a 'can't hold it' puddle, and sometimes will sneak upstairs and do a poo there, but thats how she is now and as a family it causes no problems for us. Your circumstamces are different, and i really feel for the both of you. You need to think if you can cope with this, because I doubt she will stop now, you will just need to manage it.

I would discuss it with the ex, does your dog visit him at all? I think if he is at home more than you, this may be the best option for how long the poor old girl has left. Does she still like to go for walks, is she still enjoying her food? My GSD became incontinent, but we managed her until she no longer wanted to go for a walk & lost interest in eating. I knew when the time was right & did my very best for her in the end.

cant you pay somone to come in and look after him a few times during the day , a gate downstairs sound a good idea. We had an old boy lost him at 15 and half he started dribbling frenquently in the house eventually we had him PTS as his legs were going and he wasnt happy eventually its down to thier quality of life, luckily for me I was home all day so he wasnt alone.
whatever you decide to do should be in his best interests.

R~