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Old Dog Pooing at Night
11 Answers
Our old 11 year old Lab has started to poo while we are asleep. Now this wouldn't be so bad but he has always slept in my daughter's bedroom and so it's not the sort of thing you want to be cleaning up at 4 o'clock in the morning.
Does anyone know why this sudenly started? There has been no unusual things he has eaten and he's walked for 2 good long walks per day and allowed out for a quickie in the garden before we turn in.
Does anyone know why this sudenly started? There has been no unusual things he has eaten and he's walked for 2 good long walks per day and allowed out for a quickie in the garden before we turn in.
Answers
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No best answer has yet been selected by chrissa1. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Well as you say he is an old dog and like a lot of old animals and people he may not have as good a control over his bowels as he once did. I would take him to the vets to rule out any illness which could be causing it, but you could find it's just one of those things that comes with old age, and you may need to find him somewhere easier to clean to sleep.
It probably is just his age.
Wheras years ago, the need to evacuate would wake him up, and he would ask to go out, in his old age, those signals just stop working, and his bowels will operate themselves while he sleeps.
If he has a bed, then you should look at getting some old comfy sheets or blankets that you can wash easily - there really is unlikely to be a solution that will stop him doing this.
You should make sure that your daughter is aware that these are the signs that your dog is getting old, and he's not going to live for ever. A little gentle preparation will hopefully prepare her for that morning when he has slipped away in the night.
Wheras years ago, the need to evacuate would wake him up, and he would ask to go out, in his old age, those signals just stop working, and his bowels will operate themselves while he sleeps.
If he has a bed, then you should look at getting some old comfy sheets or blankets that you can wash easily - there really is unlikely to be a solution that will stop him doing this.
You should make sure that your daughter is aware that these are the signs that your dog is getting old, and he's not going to live for ever. A little gentle preparation will hopefully prepare her for that morning when he has slipped away in the night.
Thanks all. I've just got back from his first walk and he did 2 massive ones and will do another on the 2nd walk.
We'll try taking him up the street (+ poop bag) before bedtime and see what happens. He is not loose at all so I think it maybe old age but will get him checked him at the vets too.
Andy-hughes, my daughter is 26 so there's no problem there.
We'll try taking him up the street (+ poop bag) before bedtime and see what happens. He is not loose at all so I think it maybe old age but will get him checked him at the vets too.
Andy-hughes, my daughter is 26 so there's no problem there.
Chrissa,I just wondered if you are still feeding him the same quantities of food that you did when he was younger. I would imagine now he may be doing less exercise (or certainly less running) It might be an idea to reduce his food a little. We did this on our vet's recommendation with our old Border Collie. Hope all goes well with his check up and it's nothing more than his 'golden years' xx