Puppy training pads for senior dog?

[SleepIsForTheWeek]

My gorgeous boy is getting old. His fur is going grey and he is slowing down.
He's started messing indoors. He does have digestive problems and is on a prescription diet. The problems started when my vets had trouble getting his usual brand and I tried a substitute. But now he is back on his usual brand and he still keeps going indoors. It's like his routine has gone to pot and whereas he used to go on walks now he doesn't so much and I come home from work (he has a dog walker during the day) or get up in the morning and he's been in the kitchen.
I've been thinking about getting puppy training pads and putting them down but am wondering if that will actually encourage him to go indoors. Does anyone have any experience of this and can give any advice?

[Wolfiefan]

So he's left all day? That's why he's messing indoors.
Has he had a recent vet check?

[SleepIsForTheWeek]

No, he's not left all day! He has a dog walker during the day that takes him out for a long walk. And at weekends I take him out for a long walk during the day. He also gets a walk in the evenings every day. He used to go regularly during the walks but now he's not going so much because he doesn't need to because he's been indoors. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
His has digestive issues which came out because he was messing indoors and once he was put on a prescription diet he was fine again. But when we could get his usual brand and he was put on something else he started messing again. Now he's back on his usual brand but is still messing indoors. It's like he doesn't want to go during the day because he's got used to going overnight. Hope that makes more sense.

[SleepIsForTheWeek]

• couldn't get his usual brand

[Coolaschmoola]

When my old girl got bladder cancer weeing in the house distressed her. Putting a puppy pad by the door relieved that stress for her. That was all that matteted to me.

[SpanielsAreNuts]

Any idea when he is going overnight? Moving feeding times earlier or later may possibly help.

Do you think he could have got to the point where he just can't hold it in for any length of time? And it was just coincidence with the prescription food issue happening at the same time? In which case definitely put pads down so he can at least have a set spot he can rush to when he needs to go and you're asleep/out.

[Wolfiefan]

But if he can't do a long walk what is the dog walker doing?
And a vet check?

[mustbemad17]

My old girl was going in the house, she had bladdee issues. She always looked really sorry for herself. I started getting puppy sheets & she took to using them & only them, looking a lot less anxious about it too. Can't hurt to give it a go, but you might need to increase the amount of times he is offered a wee stop. We had to drastically reduce the time between toilet breaks for her because she really struggled

[SpanielsAreNuts]

Wolfie he does go for a long walk, he just doesn't poo during the walk anymore because he will have already poo'd in house.

[Wolfiefan]

So the dog walker needs to come sooner?
An elderly dog left all day except for a dog walker may struggle.
And you haven't answered about vet visit. No chance of dementia or similar?

[SleepIsForTheWeek]

I'm not sure what your point is Wolfie. He goes for two walks a day where he usually relieves himself. He can go for a long walk it's just that he walks slower. Now he doesn't really go so much when he is on a walk because he has been indoors. He has had a vet check which is why he is on a prescription diet. Again, sorry if I missed a point out which I should have said earlier - he is on a prescription diet because he started going in the house which indicated he had dietary issues. Since he has been on his prescription diet he has been fine until I couldn't get his usual brand recently. I have spoken to the vet about this and they agree that his behavioural changes are because of the change in his diet.
So, nothing else has changed other than the diet. It was upsetting his stomach so he was going when he needed to rather than being able to hold it to go during walks. But now, I think he has got into a pattern of going at different times and therefore is not going during walks. I hope I have explained myself now! But thank you everyone else for your comments that pads might help. He sleeps on my bed and I know if he has gone in the night because he is on his dog bed in the bedroom when I get up and when I come home from work I can tell by the look on his face. I have no issue with cleaning up after him I was just wondering as it seems there is something in puppy pads that "encourages" them to use them whether it would encourage him to go indoors. That's all.

[SleepIsForTheWeek]

Thank you Spaniels for understanding what I am trying to say!

[SpanielsAreNuts]

I think the encouragement part of puppy pads doesn't really encourage them to go, just if they are desperate, it's got a slight fragrance to say "this is an ok place to toilet if you really need to".

I used puppy pads as back door mats in the worst of the wet winter weather and neither of my dogs toileted inside the house. They just waited on them for me to let them go outside.

[SleepIsForTheWeek]

Thanks Spaniels. Another poo and puddle this morning. I guess it can't hurt to try.