9 Month Old Still Having Occasional Accidents

[CuddyMum]

I was arranging my home from home dog boarding arrangements yesterday with the coordinator and I mentioned that my youngest male dog still has occasional accidents, mainly overnight and generally about once every two weeks (only poo) :(. He sounded horrified and asked why that would be and said that the host family wouldn't like that. I said, I had no idea why and that he was still only young but I felt it was fair for them to know. I have mentioned it to my vet nurse who said he would grow out of it. I'm sure it's not a behavioural thing and that sometimes he just couldn't hold on. He knows it is wrong and I don't make a massive issue over it. Right now, I am feeling like a bad mummy. Is there anything I can do? He's not fed after 5.00 pm and has two small meals per day. In addition to daily walks I generally try to walk him late evening and always take him out in the garden just before bed.

Is it a normal poo? How long between bedtime wee and being let out in the morning?

I would expect a nine month old to be able to hold all night.

Yes, a normal poo and time between last toilet and getting up is about 7½ hours. Like I say, it's not every day.

If it's normal poo and the night time hold is less than 8 hours I'm afraid I would say it is likely to be behavioural and his toilet training is incomplete.

I would be getting up in the night for a toilet break then gradually making it later by 15-30 mind until he fully learns that he should be holding all night.

If it was behavioural, would he not do this each night or on the three days that I go to work? He wouldn't know to just do this every few weeks or so (or would he?). I am reluctant at the moment to disturb the current morning routine as I have an older dog too and it might be confusing if I am not feeding them when I get up (which they are used to).

Crate him for a while. As a teenager my folks bought me a setter who was supposedly 'toilet trained' at nine months - he kept having accidents at night. My DM was really fed up and we made him a space to sleep in, size of a kennel - instantly clean at night! Moved him back into kitchen a couple of weeks later and never had a problem.
Work colleague's gf moved in recently with terrier recently - accidents most nights, really got him down. Suggested crating and again instantly clean all night. My theory is that don't mess their own space and can manage, with a good routine, all night. Good luck.