Dog coming upstairs

[WatchOutMissMarpleIsAbout]

Hi our almost 12 year old rescue/rehomed Lhasa has started coming upstairs at night the last 10 days or so. We got her 5& half years ago.

She isn’t allowed upstairs and only used to come upstairs if scared eg thunderstorms, fireworks that sort of thing.

We send her back down but she’s very reluctant to go down. And usually comes back up again. She’s also started to wee on the carpet but only upstairs and no problem holding her bladder if downstairs or if it’s raining princess

Ive made an appointment for Thursday at the vets for a check just in case there is something medical going on.

Anything I could be missing? TIA

Forgot to add she doesn’t come upstairs during the day unless spooked by a loud noise.

She probably has a touch of doggy dementia and is either confused or frightened - quite possibly both.

Thank you
I hadn’t thought of that as she’s 12 next month
I’ll ask the vet when I take her

dh reminded me she is whining more in the evening (not during the day) which I have mentioned so I wonder if it’s all related.

Bless her, yes, it sounds very much like a bit of dementia and cognitive decline/confusion.

It may be that you have to readjust your expectations now she's in her twilight years - maybe let her upstairs but with a gate so she can't wander, for example, or change the set up downstairs so she's happier and feels more secure.

Do you leave lights and a radio etc. on for her?

Maybe eye sight in the dimmer light?

Thank you
she has pancreatitis which is under control mainly but can sometimes flare which is the main reason she isn’t allowed upstairs. She sleeps at the bottom of the stairs and often sits there even if we are downstairs so I think she’s comfortable there.

Do you leave a light on for her . Our elderly dog sleeps upstairs but we leave the downstairs hallway light on as he often gets up in the night and needs the light to be safe on the stairs .

My old boy wanted to be with me much more than usual as he got older. As his eyesight and hearing deteriorated he just needed reassurance someone was there.

Yes we leave the kitchen light on and the hallway and she has a basket in both places and can go between the two as door is left open.

She doesn’t like being locked into the kitchen at night so we leave the door open for her. But she’s fine if door is closed during the day!

Thank you

Our dog wasn't allowed upstairs but that was 15 years ago and somehow she now has a bed in our bedroom. I changed the bedding and she made a nice little bed out of the bedspread that was on the floor. I hadn't the heart to move her. I want her elder years to be happy so I live with it. I do think that you need to take your dog to the vet though and assuming all's well maybe get her a place to sleep in your room.

You may need to adjust how you do things now she's older - they can get very distressed at night and alone.

We have an appointment on Thursday morning and I’ll ask for her to be checked over. She is the sweetest except when eating poo thing and if she’s happier upstairs so be it!

She wants to be close to you. Please just let her. She won't be with you forever. You're her whole world.

That’s what the dcs say! It’s the wee and occasional runny bum on carpets I can’t cope with but maybe I can try her bed in the ensuite?

I’ll get her checked over first. I’ve asked for a double appointment so she can have a thorough check x

Our dog started doing this we put gates up but he was able to jump over so we had to get a large crate for nights. Its not anything medical as saw the vet just getting older I think and trying to assert himself as wanted to sleep upstairs

It’s also the change in behaviour that’s got me worried at the moment rather than her coming upstairs.

Yes, I totally understand.
It's so worrying.

But I do get the issues of leakage. We use disposable adult incontinence pads for our dribbly old girl. You can also get washable incontinence pads as well.

I'd much rather do more frequent washing and have my elderly lady in bed with me for the last few years of her life, than have her downstairs alone.

It's a horrible, horrible thought but as she gets older, I think about what would happen if she died in the night. I'd want her in bed with me, surrounded by love and safety than alone on a cold, tiled floor.

Yes thank you
but she doesn’t wee downstairs just upstairs

ill see what the vet says and report back.

If she's never been allowed upstairs that's probably why she wees up there. Many dogs can't generalise their behaviours so unless you teach them that upstairs is part of the house (and therefore not somewhere she's allowed to toilet) she may not understand.

It's could also be a form of marking or insecurity if it's not somewhere she's allowed to be.

I know that doesn't help now but it may explain why she's doing it.

Ahh thank you

I was just on to say she didn’t come upstairs (to my knowledge) last night.

Well dh says she came upstairs twice so I’m really wondering about her behaviour change.

I’d just try taking her up to bed tonight and see what happens

Not sure as one of the dc has just noticed patch of wee upstairs in hallway which I hadn’t spotted this morning
anyway will just have to be more alert when she does come up

Does she actually know she is weeing ? I must say being unclean is high on my list of quality of life particularly as my dog doesn’t have accidents indoors , even when he was literally off his legs at his illest he held it until he was carried to the garden .

She doesn’t wee anywhere downstairs and lets me know when she needs to go out during the day or evening.

I’m an early riser (around 6/7) and so she’s let out then breakfast. Also dh goes to bed at around 1am and she’s let out then. I walk her around 8am.

During the day she goes around midday and then again at around 5/6 we have another short walk and then she likes to potter around the garden at about 7pm
so I don’t think her holding her bladder is an issue but I’ll see.

This is such a change from her and I’m a bit worried. She’s 12 next month so maybe an age thing.