Dog pooping on floor every night!

[Floorpoopfrustration]

Hi, we adopted a lovely dog privately 3 years ago, just pre-COVID, from a lady who could no longer look after him. He's an old Beagle, 13 years old and he's been declared healthy by the vets recently, inc. Urine test and xray. He's a healthy weight too now.

About 4 months ago he had issues with his back and put on parvale twice a day and told to cut his daily 30min walks to 15mins.

Previously, we would wake up, walk, feed after an hour and then he'd sleep for a bit, maybe asking to go out once or twice if he wasn't already mooching in the garden. Then dinner and a poop outside, and again around 9.30pm before bed. He's always been happy downstairs, and on his own. He gets lots of attention thru the day and free reign of our big garden.

Since cutting back his walks he's wee'd and pooped on the floor EVERY night! We've tried treats when he does it outside, sitting in his "usual" spot until he goes (30 mins and he lays down and watches us), having him upstairs with us (he goes down to do it,). I'm so fed up with cleaning every morning.
When he stays at my SIL he doesn't do this at all :(
Any ideas would be welcome! Thanks in advance ☺

He's 13.

Unfortunately sometimes this just happens when they're old, it's not necessary something medical that can be fixed but just old age incontinence. Maybe a bit of dementia. Any number of things.

If he's been given a clean bill of health by vets, no infections etc then maybe consider putting pads down for him or a belly band for the wee.

Op I assume same diet as always otherwise I’d say wheat intolerance.
Alternative is to tether him close to his bed at night so he can’t go for a wonder about and the inevitable happens! I did this with my teenage puppy and it did the trick. They wouldn’t mess near their bed.

Thank you so much for your reply HooWoo.
We wondered that too, but the vet was surprised that he doesn't do it when he stayed at SIL about once a month. Even when we went away for a week. We'll keep an eye out for dementia signs. Good idea 💡
I'll check out the belly band, thank you for the suggestion 🤗

Yes, diet is the same :)
Is it possible he's anxious and has got into the habit of doing it (so even when he sleeps with us he'd do it)?

My old dog pooped every night as well. He would sleep so soundly he wouldn't even know he was doing it. It's possible that yours isn't sleeping as deeply at your sister's, or it could just be coincidence.

If he's 13 you're not going to train him out of it, he probably can't help it.

If a dog has back issues it is really really common to affect their toileting. I am surprised that the vet did not mention it.

Nerve damage in the dogs back can mean that the dogs are not aware of when they need to and will soil indoors.

What happens if you throw in an extra 15 min walk nearer bedtime? So he has 3 15 min walk a day. Short walks should not really cause an increase in pain but I have not seen your dog in real life so unsure if this is sound advice!

We'll give that a go, thank you.

We had wondered that, the vet mentioned to keep an eye out for accidents...but this almost "feels" deliberate! Especially as it's same place every night and it's only at ours, not SIL - who he absolutely adores...trying not to take it personally 😆

We'll try the walks, and keep giving him lots of TLC and keep an eye on dementia and see if it improves. Thank you everyone 💓

Just thinking about it too. Pardale can cause constipation so it may be that along with less exercise and back pain is making it hard to go. So it happens when the dog is absolutely desperate.

Pardale contains paracetamol and codeine so if vet is happy maybe try just paracetamol and see fi that makes a difference. However I am no medic and could just be talking rubbish obviously pain control is more important!

He will not be doing it on purpose.

Maybe he loves you more than your sil and feels comfortable enough to poo on your floor . Lets take it as a love token....

He's definitely not doing it on purpose, just be understanding. He's old, poor sausage.

I know it's frustrating and not pleasant but we all end up in that situation if we live long enough.

If he's doing it in the same place and not at SILs is it because he can smell that he went there before? Did you get the proper clean up stuff, I think it's an enzyme one?

Hope DH and DC don't catch on to this and join in 😆

I had no idea Pardale could cause this, thank you for the info, I'll see if I can get hold of the vet tomorrow.

Yes, using the enzyme cleaner too. It's right in the middle if the kitchen floor so easy enough to clean up when we have a pad down thankfully!