Dog pooing on my floor. ARGH

[girlsyearapart]

8 1/2 year old male Staffie.

Over last 6 months maybe has taken to pooing on the living room floor at night. Always in same place.

He does it maybe 1-3 times a week then not at all then just when I think vet time he stops then starts again.

He has not got tummy upset or worms.

Home situation or food hasn't changed in that time.

I go to bed about 10pm letting him out in garden first. DH works most nights and lets him out when he gets in between 1-3 am and someone is up by 6am nearly every day with the dds so he doesn't have to hold on for long.

Any ideas or is this the beginning of incontinet old mutt??

I would have him checked over by vet just to rule out anything medical. How late do you feed him at night? Does he get one big meal late in the day - splitting it and bringing the last meal forward could help.

thanks.think will take him in on monday.
Just so expensive. He's insured but not for price of check ups and routine stuff.

He has 3 cups a day of dry food, barely anything else. Split into 3 meals last one prob 7ish.

He can be bit portly so that's why he's fed in 3 goes on vets advice..

The other aspect to look at (if everything else is fine) is the behavioural side.

Make sure you get all the smell of his poo out of the floor (use a special spray from vet/pet shop) and that you don't scold him when you find the poo.

I haven't got a dog, but my experience of other's older dogs is that they don't like to be left alone for long periods of time, and they may get caught short! They sometimes have a dirty protest for being left alone, but sometimes if they wake in the night needing the loo, they don't have time to warn you before it's too late. They get stiff joints as well, which makes getting up slow.

Could you stop him having access to the lounge, and keep him in an area that is easily cleaned overnight? Pets at Home do some disposable floor pads for adult dogs which you could train him to use overnight. They also have a range of cleaning products for use on a variety of surfaces. I use the Simple Solutions one for cats, but I'm sure they do a dog one. They contain enzymes which digest the organic matter left after you have removed the accident, rather like biological washing detergent, and leave no odour which will encourage the animal to return to the same spot. Don't use cleaning products that contain ammonia for this reason. The best thing about the Simple Solutions is that it works outside too: some disgusting cat left a messy poo on our patio the other day, I scraped up as much as poss with newspaper, but sprayed the Simple Solutions on the rest, and it just dissolved away leaving no stain!

Thanks everyone.

We have open plan living/dining/kitchen all have wooden or tiled floor so easy to clean.

Use antibac spray then mop with Flash.

Think he's only doing it where he is as it's as far from his bed as poss..

Will probs take him to vet. DHs cousin is vet nurse and said his anal glands may need dealing with (UUUUURRRRGGGHHHH can barely even type the words) so it could be that.

Don't use the antibac spray and flash. Get a proper pet cleaner. (you can get them from most pet shops) The anti bac spray makes the smell stronger for the dog so he is more likely to poo indoors or near the same spot again. Worth a try anyway

Really??
oh, thought I was doing the right thing.

Hopefully they sell something like that at vets when I take him in for a once over.