My old
dog has always been housebroken, so why has he started
peeing in the house?
When your older dog develops a behavior problem,
especially a housebreaking problem, the first thing
you should do is take him to the veterinarian. A
physical problem is often the source of changes in
behavior that occur late in life. Urinary or digestive
issues, bone and joint problems, vision and hearing
problems and cognitive problems are the most common
causes of housebreaking problems in older dogs. Health
problems should be ruled out before taking any steps
to address the problem behaviorally.
Why
has my senior dog stopped using his dog door?
If your senior dog stops using his dog door, it's
most likely because he's having pain that makes going
through the dog door uncomfortable. Even a mild case
of arthritis can make it difficult for him to get
through the doggie door, especially if the door is
the wrong size or if it's at the wrong height and
he has to jump or duck to get through.
Your vet will be able to offer solutions to help
with any discomfort Fido may be experiencing. If
he's is still having trouble getting in and out once
he's under veterinary care, try installing a larger
dog door at a height that doesn't require him to
jump or crouch down to get through. If the dog door
is too high and installing a new one isn't an option,
it may be helpful to install ramps inside and outside
the door to make getting in and out easier.
If these solutions don't help, you may not be able
to rely on the old boy to take himself out to go
potty anymore. If you're unable to get him back into
the habit of using his dog door, be sure to take
him outside on a regular schedule so he has plenty
of chances to go potty in the right place.
Why
doesn't my senior dog want to go outside anymore?
Again, this is most likely due to the discomfort
that sometimes occurs as our dogs get older. Just
standing up from a nap can be a painful experience
for an older dog, and getting outside may just feel
like too much work, especially if it involves going
up and down stairs.
Be sure your dog gets the proper veterinary care
and talk to your vet about an appropriate exercise
schedule for your senior dog. When your dog slows
down, it's tempting to stop taking him for walks
if he no longer seems interested, but, in most cases,
eliminating exercise will worsen joint problems and
slow your dog down even more.
You might want to install a ramp if your dog is
having difficulty getting up and down steep stairs.
If he's having trouble keeping his footing on slippery
stairs, you may want to consider carpeting the stairs
or adding textured edging to the stairs so it's easier
for him to get up and down.
If you've been counting on your dog to take himself
out on his own for potty trips, it might be time
to start to accompany him outside, since he may now
need you to prompt him to go out, especially if he's
having vision, hearing or cognitive problems. Be
sure to praise him and fuss over him so he knows
what a good boy he is for making the trip outside.
I
have an old dog and he's started peeing on his bed
while he's asleep. Why is he doing that?
If Fido is peeing in his sleep, leaking urine or
peeing and not seeming to be aware he's doing it,
he's having incontinence problems. This is not a
training issue, it's a medical issue, so don't correct
him in any way for these accidents. He's not able
to control his urine like he used to, so this behavior
is involuntary and uncontrollable. This problem can't
be resolved using behavioral methods.
It isn't unusual for older dogs to experience a
decrease in bladder control. Talk to your vet to
find out the cause and to discuss possible medical
treatments for your dog's incontinence. If your dog
is on any kind of medication, be sure to ask your
vet if the involuntary urination might be a side
effect of the medicine, since a medication or dosage
change may resolve the problem if that's the case.
If your vet isn't able to resolve your dog's urinary
incontinence problems, there are many products that
can make life with an incontinent dog easier. Washable
dog beds, potty pads, doggie diapers and belly bands
can help make life with a leaky dog easier.
Be sure to give Fido more frequent trips outside
so he has plenty of chances to empty out. The less
urine he has in his bladder, the fewer incidents
of leakage you'll have.
I
just adopted an older dog. Is to too late for him
to be housebroken?
The good news is that he may already be housebroken.
Just be extra vigilant about supervising him and
keeping him on a good schedule the first few weeks
that he's in his new home. With older dogs in new
homes, housebreaking problems are often simply the
result of confusion due to the change in environment.
Fido needs a chance to learn the layout of your house,
where his potty area is and what his new schedule
is going to be, so be patient and help him to do
the right thing while he's settling in.
If he doesn't appear to be housebroken, don't worry.
Dogs can be housebroken at any age. Just follow the
Housebreaking Bible training instructions as you
would with any other dog. As with any housebreaking
program, you should be sure that your new dog has
a clean bill of health, so take him to the vet for
a full check up before you begin. |
