16yr old doing toilet indoors

[Janie]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

We have had a lovable rescue for 15 years. He has been doing business indoors in the early evening, for about the past 6 months now. It's almost always directly after he's been let out into the garden (he has 2 walks a day & performs fine then!) but all he does is cock his leg and then comes back in. Most often, he does the other toilet almost as soon as he's back indoors. We are assuming it's because of his age & possibly a touch of dementia (his sight is very poor too) but wondered if there was anything we could do since we are getting anxious about it and so is he. My husband wondered if he was losing control completely but I don't think that can be the case when he will always do it on a walk. Please help!

 

[JoanneF]

Are you letting him out to the garden, or taking him out and staying with him? If you aren't staying with him, that's the first thing I'd try, as toileting can make dogs feel vulnerable so the added security of you bring there may help. I'd also re-introduce a reward, given immediately after toileting outside, to add the incentive to do it there.

Also, make sure to thoroughly clean indoors where he has gone, using an enzymatic cleaner, and leave it down for 10 minutes to get to work before wiping it up.

Another thing to try, is when you are with him, while he is actually performing the toilet, introduce a cue word like 'busy busy'. Repeat it, again and again, but only while he is doing his toilet, because until he learns to associate the sound with the act, it's just noise. After a few weeks, you can try saying it - just once - to tell him now is a good time. Don't repeat it now, just say it once because when you repeatedly say a word as a cue, dogs can learn they aren't expected to comply at the first ask.

 

[JudyN]

Something else you could try is once you come back in from the garden with him, you take him straight back out again and see if he'll then do the pee he would have done inside.

If you think he may have dementia, there are medications that can help. Lots of detail here: Canine cognitive dysfunction (dementia in dogs)

If all else fails, get a whole load of rugs, towels, etc. and cover as much of the floor as possible. Anxiety is a big part of dementia, and the less anxious you can be, the more it will help him.

 

[Flobo]

One other thing to try is maybe take him on a lead in the garden, as it may prompt the association of going for a walk and doing his business.
If there is a possibility of it being dementia, and you try these various things to help to no avail, then acceptance is the biggest key to not stressing about it...
My old boy had dementia and he used to do this, I think understanding they can't help it is important. Pooing happens when the urge happens and it's not always outside, sadly...

 

[Janie]

Are you letting him out to the garden, or taking him out and staying with him? If you aren't staying with him, that's the first thing I'd try, as toileting can make dogs feel vulnerable so the added security of you bring there may help. I'd also re-introduce a reward, given immediately after toileting outside, to add the incentive to do it there.

Also, make sure to thoroughly clean indoors where he has gone, using an enzymatic cleaner, and leave it down for 10 minutes to get to work before wiping it up.

Another thing to try, is when you are with him, while he is actually performing the toilet, introduce a cue word like 'busy busy'. Repeat it, again and again, but only while he is doing his toilet, because until he learns to associate the sound with the act, it's just noise. After a few weeks, you can try saying it - just once - to tell him now is a good time. Don't repeat it now, just say it once because when you repeatedly say a word as a cue, dogs can learn they aren't expected to comply at the first ask.

Thank you for your replies I really appreciate all your ideas We have done both letting him out on his own and staying with him as well as putting him on the lead but still he comes back indoors and does his major toilet there. We have tried a treat after he has done a poo outside but so far, that's not registering with him.
We do clean thoroughly afterwards.
As far as a cue, he can't hear very well at all so his usual association word for doing business doesn't work so we have tried clapping our hands loudly. He responds to this to actually get him to the door to go outside but that's all.
I think it's going to be a case of us trying to accept that this is the way things are going to be from now on. It's happening every evening now, we are totally okay during the day, he does it outside, it's the evenings, he gets very restless and goes in and out until he has been. This can go on until about 8pm & then he'll go fast asleep.
We love him so much, we want to do the right thing for him and right now, we are not sure quite what that is.
I didn't know there was medication for doggie dementia, I have a word with the vet.
One last thing on a different topic, do we still need to have him vaccinated every year? It's been done every year at least since he was a few months old. Thank you

 

[Flobo]

The evening restlessness can be another indicator of dementia... it is such a difficult time... for me doing the right thing was just going with the flow, take each day as it comes and enjoy every moment you have together. My boy used to wander in and out of the front room of an evening and after recognizing that trying to encourage him to settle was not an option, we embraced it. Every time he came back in we greeted him like we hadn't seen but 30 seconds ago! This made him happy and made us smile too...even if it happened 10 times in a row...
The vaccinations, my own opinion is at this age I would not continue them, my vet was happy to discontinue. It is mostly important if you are planning to board him, as it is a requirement, but I'm figuring at this stage of his life you're not considering that.

Btw, what is your old boy called? We all love pictures on here too!

 

[JoanneF]

I'm planning to stop vaccinating too. I reckon my senior is as immune as he ever will be.

 

[Janie]

The evening restlessness can be another indicator of dementia... it is such a difficult time... for me doing the right thing was just going with the flow, take each day as it comes and enjoy every moment you have together. My boy used to wander in and out of the front room of an evening and after recognizing that trying to encourage him to settle was not an option, we embraced it. Every time he came back in we greeted him like we hadn't seen but 30 seconds ago! This made him happy and made us smile too...even if it happened 10 times in a row...
The vaccinations, my own opinion is at this age I would not continue them, my vet was happy to discontinue. It is mostly important if you are planning to board him, as it is a requirement, but I'm figuring at this stage of his life you're not considering that.

Btw, what is your old boy called? We all love pictures on here too!

Hello, ha-ha, silly me, our old boy is called Bailey! That's interesting about the evening restlessness that you experienced with your boy. I am thinking more and more it might be dementia. We must adopt a whole new way of thinking to keep us all from getting upset by the sounds of it. We tend to get paranoid if he doesn't stay with us that he has wandered off to do a toilet somewhere although he has normally done it in the room we are in or in the hallway (we live in a bungalow) but we are constantly telling him he is a good boy and encouraging a wagging tail as much as we can.
Thank you for your opinion about vaccinations. We have never boarded him, he has always come away with us so we wouldn't need it done for that reason. Our vet has always sent reminders each year so we assumed it needed doing and as he used to meet other dogs on walks, we thought it was necessary. These days he's almost always lead walked due to his eyesight so he doesn't mix with dogs quite so much although we've lived by the sea for 4 years now so we occasionally risk it on the sand

 

[JoanneF]

He's gorgeous, I do love a scruffy dog like him (you'd perhaps guess that from my photos ...)

 

[JudyN]

What a sweet boy

 

[Flobo]

Aww, he is gorgeous! Lovely to meet Bailey, thankyou!

 

[RGC]

A lovely face. Such concentration. Would inspire Rodin.
.