Problems with Elderly Border Terrier

[IDismyname]

He's nearly 14, bless him, but is driving me to distraction.

The problems are that he has now taken to poo-ing inside two or three times a week, despite going out in the garden regularly, and being walked most days. (I have another dog that gets walked every day, but my Border really isn't keen to go out if it's raining!) I can let him out first thing, let him back inside, and 20 minutes later, there's a poo on the floor. It's not due to an upset stomach, either.

He is also barking at everything. It's definitely worse in the mornings, and begins about 6 am. He stops if I go down to the kitchen, but starts as soon as I leave. He then sets off my other dog (who by nature is not a 'barker'). If I go out, he barks. If I go upstairs for any length of time, he barks.

Luckily we don't have very close neighbours, but it's really doing my head in. I love my Border to bits, but could really do with some solutions if anyone has any ideas.

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Oh gosh, no advice but sympathy. Our border lived to 17 and she was like this from 14. She would sit in corners and cry at the wall. Still loved walks though. I wasn't living at home by then, so don't really know how they coped with her.

Hope someone has suggestions.

[IDismyname]

Thank you for your kind words, Parrot - however, I'm not terribly heartened by the fact that your BT lived until 17!
Trouble is, mine is in pretty good physical health - he's still slim, and pretty active (when he puts his mind to it) - its just the mental faculties that are going...

[Mumteedum]

11 year old border here also v demanding and barking at all sorts. I've got him on some supplements from vet to help brain function. Can't say been massive improvement but might be too early to say.

[Floralnomad]

Ive no advice either but my mum has brother and sister border X JRT that are 14 , and I've just had a conversation with my sister as she thinks that he has dementia and he is also not clean indoors anymore - they use puppy pads which is quite successful ( hopefully the dementia wont affect that ! )

[daisychicken]

I take it you've had his health checked recently? I know my dog (a 15 yr old border collie) got more 'lost' and barking more when his arthritis started to cause more pain. Once we got his medications adjusted (and in the end swopped to a different type) he brightened up and stopped the constant barking. Might be a worth doing if you haven't already?

We've had the poo/wee accidents in same situations. I've taken to being quite pedantic with regular 'outside' breaks whether he asks or not. The random barking I've not figured out 🙁

[daisychicken]

Forgot to add, ddog is on medication for incontinence which kind of helps with the dribbles but not with the big puddles...

[TrionicLettuce]

Have you taken him to the vet about it all?

It does sound like it could be canine cognitive dysfunction ("dog dementia") and whilst there's no cure there are medications that can help, especially early on.

[IDismyname]

Thank you for all your replies.

He was put on Vitofyllin (sp?) to see if his dementia improved, but it didn't! Ditto anti inflammatories. We did both separately to start with, to see if there was any improvement... There wasn't, really, but I kept them both up for 6 months. It was costing a fortune!

He then got doggy D&V, so vet said to take him off all medication. And I haven't put him back on them again. That was about 6 weeks ago.

The barking has stayed the same throughout the whole period with and without meds. The soiling has probably increased over the last 2 or 3. Maybe I should ask vet about the soiling. However, It's the incessant barking from about 5.30 every morning until he tires about 10 am that gets to me.

Wondering about a plug in pheromone thing?

[greatscott81]

A past, and much loved, terrier came to this point when she was about 16. Started going to the loo inside (in a frankly sick-inducing manner), barking at everything (she was also blind and deaf). She had always been a very clean dog and it was obvious she was quite embarrassed about the mess (tail between her legs etc). Sometimes she barked because she was in pain. Sometimes because she was confused. It was horrible. Have you tried having him closer to you to stop the barking? Maybe he needs to have company to make him feel more secure?

[IDismyname]

Yes, he's much better when I'm around. Trouble is, because of his inability to 'go' outside, I'm reluctant to allow him to leave our (largish) kitchen. I go through rolls and rolls of kitchen roll and bottles of Simple Solution as it is!

[alrxabarbon]

i have lost my a border terrier and am looking fo a old terrier. live in the lake district.

[alrxabarbon]

i have lost my border terrier an dam now looking for an old terrier.
too old to have a puppy.

[alrxabarbon]

old terrier wanted lake district not looking for a puppy.

[SueDounim]

Spare a thought for the poor neighbours who are woken up at all hours by the little whose lives are made a misery.

[Peppallama]

My dog is like this, 15 and although hasn't started barking, does stand and stare randomly and poos in the house quite a bit. I've found the only solution is to take her into the garden immediately on wake up (even before I've had a wee!) And stand out there until she's had a poo and then walk her very early on as it tnds to happen in the mornings.

Wee isn't a problem as she's on incurin tablets which seem to have sorted that out.

If it wasn't for the fact she loves walks id put her down as she just sleeps all day but she's like a puppy again when she's let off lead.

[User24689]

Hmmm. My border is 13 and is showing signs of this, im a bit concerned now.

His new thing is grunting at us when we are eating. We have taken to feeding him before we eat (used to do it after) but he still sits and wiggles his bottom and makes a dreadful noise whenever we are eating our tea. Sometimes late in the evening too, after we have eaten he will walk between us and his food bowl grunting, as if he has forgotten he has been fed!

[Hoppinggreen]

Zombie thread resurrected by someone looking for a dog