We have a 6 yr old black lab cross, and a 10yr old black lab.  We have recently been on holiday for two weeks when our 18 yr old daughter and her fiance looked after the dogs for us in our house.  (They live there too so not too much of a change of routine)  On the last day of our holiday they advised us that there has been one occurence of one of the dogs soiling in the kitchen overnight....we put this down to a one off.   We usually go bed between 10.30-1am, up 6-7am and walk the dogs at 7.30am and 8.30pm daily and allow them out several times during the day and night).  We thought once back into their normal routine this would stop, well it hasn't.  Last night they were walked at 8.30pm, let out at 10.30pm.  I got up at 1am and there was soiling (both kinds) in the kitchen.  I said nothing, let them out, cleaned it up.  When we came back down at 7am, there was another load (again both urine and faceas).  I have today cleaned the floor with biological washing powder in the hope this will deter them.  We are not sure if it's one of the dogs, or both of the dogs.  We are not sure due to the age of the older dog if he has suddently become incontinent, but we think it maybe the younger of the two dogs as he looks very sheepish when we come down, but he is a rescue dog and is very timid generally anyway.  We tried feeding the older dog sweetcorn to try to illminate one of them but that night there was 3 poo's, 2 with sweetcorn in, and 1 without!  This has been going on for 3 weeks now.  Obviously our next course of action would be the vets, unless someone can identify this as maybe some kind of protest of them being left, or something else ??  Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

If one of my dogs has an acccident during the night it is usually because of a water infection so I would nip to the vet with a specimen just to be sure then if it comes back clear  and given a clean bill of health ,I would look at changes in routine ie: you being away it could be an anxiety.

R~

Agree with Starryeyes on the vet check, best to rule out anything first.

It's a strange one as you have been back for 3 weeks now, behavioural pattens should be back to normal, are they well in themselves otherwise, no diarrhoa, eating, drinking, fine out on walks, no lethargy? Are they toileting on their walks?  Or keeping it all in for when you are in bed? After the vet check, which perhaps will show up a problem, we need to get to the route of what has happened.

They were in their own home whilst you were away, so what was the difference in routine that your daughter and her boyfriend gave the dogs?  Were they toileting as per normal apart from the last day in their care? Can you also find out if the dogs were disciplined when an accident happened, pups often will poo and wee when their owners are in bed as they have been told off and think they need to do it in secret, it should not be the case here at all, I'm sure it isn't, the dogs are both adults and used to your routines. But can you check on all of these things so that we can rule them out.

It also is not unusual if one dog defecates, that another will follow. So if one is ill the other may well urinate especially where another has been.

It may also be a factor that your daughters boyfriend has brought out some kind of territorial scenting in one of your dogs, not unknown to sometimes happen.

In the meatime the Bio washing is good, can you seperate the dogs for a night to see if that makes a difference too, perhaps pop down at intervals during the night (tiring I know) to let them out and do the whole puppy thing of praise and reward if they go in the garden.

You need to rule out a medical problem, it is very, very, possible, so get to the vet and if all is well, if you can have a very detailed account of anything no matter how small that changed the routines of these two dogs for us to work on would be very helpful. :-)

Hi Thanks to Starryeyes & Carrington for your replies.  In answer to some of the questions.  Both dogs seem well in themselves, their poo's have mostly been 'normal' - (both on nature diet), there has been an odd un-normal poo but not quite diarrhoa!  Following my post we separated them, and the 6 yr old lab x I came down 3 times in the night, first at midnight, then at 2am, then when I came down at 5am, he'd pooed twice and weed once, again I said nothing.  Then on the friday night around 9pm the older dog pooed in the kitchen whilst we were up, again not diarrhoa but not quite 'normal'.  We decided to starve them both for 24 hours, and then give them weetabix and a slice of wholemeal bread with warm water, morning and night, then introduced boiled chicken and brown rice.  They are back on their normal diets now and their poo's seem normal (for the moment).  Finger's crossed things are back to 'normal', if not I'll be back after a visit to the vets!  Seriously considering a dog flap!

clean the floor with biological soap , they may be able to smell the area they are defacating in even if you cant! or put new flooring down if its vinyl.

but really to be honest if its the 10yr old with the problem maybe the 6yr old is copying because of the smell.

at 10yrs some dogs can develop a problem which you may need to seek advice from a vet.. old age and all that !! may just have brought it sooner with you going away for a while.

Sorry

Roni

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