Advice needed on dogs change of behaviour

[TastingTheRainbow]

We have a gorgeous Rottie boy as part of our family. We adopted him at 6 months old and he is now coming up to 8 years old. Never had any problems with him in this time, other than the usual episodes of emptying the bins for us, and he has always been 100% reliably housetrained before he even came to us.

During the recent fireworks he soiled and wet in the house once or twice which we put down to fear as he's never been a fan and they were really loud this year. Plus we had to leave him at times so expected it.

However since then he has taken to soiling in the house every time he is left alone. Additionally he cries / barks to be let out for the toilet several times a night (sometimes 4 or 5 times) when he has always held on until the morning previously.

I'm not sure if this is related to the fireworks or a coincidence but can anyone advise on how to deal with this. My first thoughts were to go back to toilet training like you would a puppy but that's not helping the fact he is needing to toilet so much during the night.

I'd be at the vet first before I'd look at it being a training/behavioural issue.

Yes I'd be speaking to the vet.

Hi there, im a veterinary nurse and would be concerned at this change of behaviour. It nay be linked to the recent fireworks especially if he was on his own, were any fear related treatments used such as adaptil as a prevention at all? Something nay have happened whilst you were out that has really affected him.
Also with his age he is considered an elderly guy now! So may be coincidence of timing but age does affect their control!
Either way i would take him to your vet for examination etc.
Hope this helps and that he improves x

Hadn't even considered it be may be medical so will book vet appointment ASAP. He is seen regularly but not since this started.

No fear prevention techniques were used no (well unless you count leaving Enya playing like we've always done) but he's never really needed it. He dosnt like fireworks like most dogs but isn't severely affected by them and this was the first year he did this so we assumed it was due to fear, maybe it's just a coincidence.

I don't think it's a control issue as he can easily hold it during the day for long periods, usually from one walk to the next, whereas as night it's every couple of hours. When we let him out at night he dosnt rush out and use the toilet quickly either like he usually does but has a wander round the garden and a sniff for 5-10 mins before eventually weeing.