My dog is becoming reluctant to go outside more so at certain times and it's starting to worry me. Previously, we would go across the road to a grassy area for a wee when she got up, then out for a morning walk a bit later, afternoon walk and then a wee on the grassy area before bed.
But these last few nights I haven't been able to get her out or out and focussed enough to wee. She was even reluctant to go for her afternoon walk yesterday and just wanted to go back home. The weather was not good but not so unusual and it was still light although very overcast. She was the same this morning.
So yesterday she went from about 5pm to about 9am this morning without a wee.
She's always been reluctant to go out at night because it's cold and dark and she's quite happy on the sofa thank you but I always put a coat on her, use treats and she always gets food when she comes back in. She usually loves her walks and enjoyed her morning walk yesterday. I've tried going different ways when she's reluctant - back door, front door, out of the front garden, out of back garden but she just wants to go back into the house.
The garden is far from ideal. There's lots of steps and there is a lawn but if she panics as she did the other night, it's dangerous because the steps are steep and she has to be on a lead because she could get out if she really tried.
That panic was caused by a noisy car backfiring. I think this all started a few weeks ago someone let off fireworks while we on the grassy area (they were not on the same area but the noise was deafening) and she was terrified and now with the wind and rain and dark, it's just a hard no from her. This was way past NYE so I wasn't expecting yet more fireworks.
I made her a wee area on the patio just out of the back door. I collected her wee and got some fake grass and a couple of logs and a branch that I'd seen another dog wee on and some dead leaves. I introduced her to it in the light and then took her out at night to toilet there. She had a good sniff but wouldn't go.
She never wets herself in the night and is never desperate for a wee in the morning but I worry she's going too long and it will cause kidney and/or bladder damage. Things will improve as the weather gets better and the nights getting longer and I hoping to move house in the next few months.
She has previously taken calming supplements (Dorwest and Nutracalm) but I never really noticed any difference.
She rarely drinks from her water bowl but eats wet food with added water and then gets a drink afterwards. I worry she just doesn't feel thirsty even though she is at risk of becoming dehydrated - like kibble-fed cats (if that makes sense!).
I have thought about not taking her out until she asks to go and then only giving her the option of the wee area on the patio.
I'm thinking of making her a real turf box to use on the patio or even inside but she's a dog who prefers to toilet away from her home.
I've ordered more calming supplements and will get her some for urinary and kidney health.
I'll book an appointment with the vet tomorrow but it will be a week or more before we will be seen.
If anybody has any other advice or ideas, I'd be grateful for it.
And if by any chance any firework enthusiasts are reading this, I would ask them to think about if the whizz bangs and pretty colours are worth all this.