Dog pissing and shitting over everything. AIBU to PTS?

[ImportSave]

I've just caught my dog pissing all over a fairly new side table. He stood and did it right in front of me, despite being less than two feet from access to the garden. I chased him out into the garden and cleaned it up,only to find he'd crapped in the kitchen without me knowing about it. I've shut him in the (tiled) kitchen, where he's howling and barking to be let out. He's ruined an expensive carpet through this.

Not to drip feed, he's about 17, a small crossbred who has free access to the outside and is walked daily. The vet has checked him several times and can find no physical reason this. I've also cleaned the carpet/furniture with enzyme cleaner, bio soap power and have had it professionally cleaned. My house stinks. I have a niece who will soon be crawling and I can't have her over if she's going to be crawling in dog urine (or worse, poo.)

I'm honestly thinking about having him PTS. I've owned him since he was a tiny pup and it would probably break my heart to do it, but I can't take much more of this mess either. I'm sitting here trying to get some very important work done and all I can smell is piss. All I can hear is him howling because he's been shut in the one room with a floor he can't ruin.

AIBU?

[FayKorgasm]

Bring him to another vet for a second opinion. Trained dogs don't suddenly start toileting inside for no reason.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

Are you saying he's incontinent rather than deliberately behaving in an unusual way? How's his health otherwise? Any changes in the household that could have stressed him out?

[kilmuir]

You are mean to have shut him away. I would laugh if he starts to destroy stuff in there.
Get him to a vet and decide from there

[19lottie82]

You need to get a second opinion re this....... if the vet says he can't find any medical issues (i.e. Not incontinence) then is it a behavioural one?

I don't think it would be fair to put the dog to sleep just because of this, no. You took the dog on so it's not right to PTS if he still has quality of life, just because he inconveniences you.

[JellyBelli]

Have you actually house trained him? Does he know where he is supposed to do it?
Do you have a cat that comes in and pees on your stuff, and is he covering the scent of that?
If you dont want him any more then have him PTS yourself, he stands no chance at a shelter. You dont need permission to do that.

[SissySpacekAteMyHamster]

I'd agree with getting a second opinion. He is very old and it could be that he's starting to fail.

I don't think you're mean to have put him in the kitchen at all and childish comments wishing for the OP's property to be damaged really aren't helpful.

Have to admit it isn't something I'd like to be dealing with. Keeping him in a room where he can't damage anything is probably your best option at the moment.

[TheWitTank]

Definitely return to the vet. That isn't normal behaviour from a previously house trained dog, and he is elderly.
Can you put on dog nappies while you wait? They are used more frequently these days and are available at pet shops and online. Would save your carpets!

[Mrsemcgregor]

Try nappies, I don't think a vet would pts an otherwise healthy dog with good quality of life?

[LittleDittyAbout]

Lol at "have you house trained him?". Well OP? Has that never crossed your mind in 17 years??

Don't know the solution but at that age I would be leaning towards being PTS. They know they're not meant to, but can't help it.

[LittleDittyAbout]

Dog nappies? Dear God I'd rather they pooed on the carpet.

[ImportSave]

He's been seen by both vets at my practice who have done full bloods, a urine dip and a through physical exam. They can't find anything.

I could take him back but they've both basically said there's nothing wrong with him.

No other animals in the house and yes, he was properly housetrained though has never been fantastic at letting me know when he wants to go out. I had a doggie door built in so he has constant access outside when he wants it and he is still pissing in the house.

I haven't shut him in the kitchen to be unkind. I just want a house that is safe for the baby, and doesn't stink. I don't even want to invite friends round because I know that as soon as you step inside, it smells like a dirty loo, despite me cleaning the carpets and furniture weekly with enzyme cleaner and airing the house as much as I can. The carpet in the living room is less than a year old and is ruined. It has stains on it that I can't get out and just constantly stinks. The skirting board in the hall rotted where he was pissing on it overnight.

I don't know what else to do. :(

[insan1tyscartching]

It sounds like this is a longterm thing rather than old age from what you post if he never mastered letting you know when he needed out to toilet and the dog flap won't have helped with that. Can you get a behaviourist in and let them help you address things? It seems awful to pts a fit and healthy dog without at least giving him every possible chance to put things right.

[trulybadlydeeply]

At his age dogs can get dementia, and this (just like in humans) can be a symptom. I think you need to see a different vet (another practice?) who can appreciate the severity of the symptoms and the distress it is causing you, and no doubt your dog too.

[Foxyspook]

Do you think it could be the cold weather now and just feeling generally old and more pathetic about venturing out.

You could keep him in the kitchen and try newspaper by the dog in that case.

I think it would be reasonable to put a dog down for this at the age he is. But then I am probably in a minority on here.

[TheWitTank]

I think you are going to have to restrict the rooms dog is allowed in for now. My two are not allowed upstairs at all -they have their own sofa (!) in the kitchen and all their home comforts, and the floor is tiled so any accidents are easily cleaned (although luckily they don't have any). I would take up the carpet. It's ruined -you will not get the smell out however much spray etc you use. You will probably find if you lift it, the pee will have soaked through to the underlay and therefore the smell lingers. Can you claim on your house insurance? Check your policy. Skirting will obviously need replacement too. Do you use child stair gates to block off access? Can be less stressful than being shut away. Cover floor with newspaper and puppy pads too. At 17, I sadly wouldn't imagine this situation is going to improve. Speak wity your vet again about options.

[countrybump]

Forgetting house training is one of the symptoms of dog dementia. There are many other symptoms as well - does he have any of those?

[Wileycoyote]

Personally I'd have him PTS.

[Olympiathequeen]

Sounds crazy but I actually put a nappy on my old Yorkshire terrier. Obviously took it off regularly and put him in the garden to pee etc.

All your carpets need gone I'm afraid.

[ToastDemon]

If his toilet training was previously fine, and it looks like a behavioural change rather than an accident/him not making it outdoors in time, then I would also think dementia given his age.

[SleepFreeZone]

I couldn't put up with that but then I lived in a house that stank of dog piss while growing up and I have no tolerance for it. I would probably PTS and get no more pets afterwards.

[PaulDacresConscience]

It's really difficult and unless you've been in that situation then you have no idea how bad it is. My old dog got like this in his last few months - he was like a bloody hosepipe, there were lagoons of piss everywhere.

If he's elderly, there's nothing medically wrong and he just is unable to hold it any longer due to age, then I would have a think about PTS. It's not fair to keep him shut away - and you have said you don't want to do this anyway. You need to think about his quality of life.