Old dog peeing in house

[Barklessdog]

Our male dog tri who is nine has started to pee / mark things in the house. At first it was our beds. If we caught him in the act we scolded him. We ended up not letting him up stairs anymore. He has always been great about potty training until now.

Now he has started peeing in the dinning room. We had him check at the vet and he is physically fine. He peed inside when the back door was open, it was nice out!

He seems to only do it when only my wife is around. I walk him when I get home, so he is empty. My wife does not have the time to walk him, but lets them out (work & kids).

It seems to be a marking / attention issue, not bladder control.

Not sure what to do, I tried walking him around the house hoping to catch him, but he just looks at me , like "what are you doing?"

[nobarkus]

The vet had a lab urinalysis done to check for bladder infection?

[MacPack]

Will he wear a belly band?

[Barklessdog]

We had his urine checked and they did not find any problems.

What is a belly belt?

I'm kind of afraid to find out.

[sharronhurlbut]

Sometimes older dogs with vision problems don't like to go outside by themselves.
Any way you can treat him like a puppy and take him out several times a day?

[Barklessdog]

His eye sight is fine, its back to puppy training. My wife goes outside with him. We rarely leave him outside alone, never locked out (fenced in yard). He does not like going out alone anyway, unless a animal is in the yard, or he wants to layon the deck in the sun. We pretty much have the door open when we are home all day.

[Buddys Pal]

@Barklessdog:

We had his urine checked and they did not find any problems.

What is a belly belt?

I'm kind of afraid to find out.

HI, a belly band is just a sewn piece of material approximately 3-4 inches in width ( depending on size of dog to cover the penis and wrap around the torso), a long rectangular strip if you will. It usually is held together via velcro and it meant to keep a male dog from 'marking'. Sometimes one is made so that a 'mini-pad' can be put inside to absorb the urine. Some dogs take to it, some adapt, but usually they get use to it. You can make one yourself, or can buy at any pet store, online, and I've seen them on ebay.

[Barklessdog]

I doubt it would last two seconds on him. He does not like sweaters, doggy boots or anything other than a collar or bandana on his neck. With anything on him he goes into, gotta get this off me mode.

[Patty]

I'm afraid its a matter of going back to basics with house training (after having him checked that there is no physical problem).

Also make sure that there is no trace of the smell where he's peed in the house. White vinegar sprayed on the area is a cheap way of masking the smell.

[nobarkus]

I have completely gotten rid of pee smell on carpet using Natures Miracle but the natural enzymes that consume the urine take some weeks to work.

[Barklessdog]

We went away for a week in a cabin in upper Michigan with dogs. I was worried our dog would mark the cabin, but surprise, not one accident or marking. Of coarse we took him out at every opportunity and they were crated when gone. He was very well behaved over all.

We have come to the conclusion it's our fault (surprise!) and now must be more vigilant about making him go potty at every chance, at home, rather than letting him decide.

[Buddys Pal]

Hello, about peeing in the new surroundings. The next time you go on vacation somewhere, try this: take some of his 'stuff' and put it around the room. Especially in older dogs, if he smells 'him' in the new place, he will less likely 'mark' to make himself at home. If indeed his bladder was full, then, yes, we humans must be more diligent about outside breaks. I am no exception to any rule. I've learned by past mistakes….............Buddy's Pal

[tanza]

Barklessdog…. well done!... and I have had my share of older dogs and can completely agree that while we humans think "well" they have a doggy door, why are the peeing on the floor/rug. I had found after my 5 elders and especially the males, when old age hits they revert back to a puppy. They totally forget that they have to go ... and by the time they remember... too late. My old OJ would just stand there and pee... and then look around like, where did that come from?... but if we made sure to "shoo" him outside a number of times, very rarely did we have accidents. Now, my girls were different, not to often did they have accidents in the house during their Golden Years except in bed at night. Many times they would sleep right though it... again, just like puppies (big difference was the amount of pee!). But even then, we made sure to get up a few times during the night and carry them outside to pee. Pretty much a non existent sleep pattern for the human... but kept the bed and Basenjis dry.

[Barklessdog]

Thanks.

Our dogs have a lot of ideas, but unfortunately, none of them are very good.

Best to think for them rather than having them decide.

[nobarkus]

@Barklessdog:

Thanks.

Our dogs have a lot of ideas, but unfortunately, none of them are very good.

Best to think for them rather than having them decide.

Also as they age the bladder sphincter muscle gets weak causing incontinence. Do you see little drops on the floor at all? Any wet spots were he sleeps?

[Barklessdog]

Not really, but I have not really looked close. Will look. My eyes are horrible now.

[nobarkus]

@Barklessdog:

Not really, but I have not really looked close. Will look. My eyes are horrible now.

In the elders I had in the past I could see little spots on the kitchen floor. Lay a white towel down where he sleeps and then check it in the morning.

[YodelDogs]

Has his prostate been checked recently?

[JayCee]

Just to add there is no point in scolding a dog when they've pee'd in the house - all they do is associate the scolding with you - and make sure when they pee in the house they won't do it front of you. They'll go behind furniture, go to a room you are not in - its that they 'know' they shouldn't pee in the house, they know they shouldn't pee in front of you… which then makes (re)potty training all the harder as they then can be reluctant to pee in front of you outside too.

Be it old or young dog, vigilance is the best tool and everytime you see a behaviour you think might lead to a pee in the house whisk them outside.

JC

[Barklessdog]

No accidents. I have been taking him for a walk every morning. He's empty for the day.

However, he is starting to walk with a very slight limp.

He turned 9 last December and we definately notice that he has is acting old- slower, calmer, sleeps more, has a lot of grey hairs on his black coat & muzzle.
He also has become a fussy eater. Waits till we start eating before he does (put in crate for our dinner with his). Our other dog is a vacuum cleaner and does not chew food. We should remane her Hoover or Dyson.

I guess this is typical for his age?