Elderly dog soiling the house at night - suggestions please

[Indecisivelurcher]

My elderly lurcher (14) has started weeing and pooing in the house every night. He gets up and goes to the door I think but then when it's shut he goes on the rug which is adjacent.

He does have osteoarthritis and IBS but I actually think this must be behavioural or a habit seeing as he's weeing AND pooing?

I'm thinking to block the rug off and put washable puppy pads by the door. I will also feed him earlier in the evening and take him out to the road last thing at night and see if he goes. Has anyone got any other ideas?

The rug will smell of his wee/poo so I’d get rid of it, and I’d start setting an alarm to get up in the night to let him out. There might be some dementia causing it too.

I thought that with the rug but the trouble is I can't leave hard floors exposed because he slips on them and injures himself. If I buy a new rug now there's a risk he'll urinate on that one. So I'm kind of holding off replacing it until he's gone. I can block it off at night with the dining chairs.

We got through a lot of rugs during this phase with my elderly dog. I just bought cheap ones. They can’t help it.
Can you put the puppy pad on top of the rug at night time? Clothes pegs to hold it in place?

Are there any signs of canine dementia? Our lurcher girl was doing this, same age. I genuinely don't think she knew what she was doing. I slept in the living room with her near the end so I could get up with her. She was pts not just because of this, but for other symptoms related to her dementia. It's tough, OP.

When my dog got older it was harder for him to hold it all night - I had an alarm set and let him out in the middle of the night, solved it entirely, and was much nicer for both of us, he used to get upset if he’d had an accident and it saved me from having to clean up in the morning.

He becomes a bit restless in the evenings, which I've read is common, but otherwise no signs of dementia.

My Mum bought washable dog nappies when this started happening with her elderly dog. They were brilliant

Our 11yo sighthound started doing the same. What worked was walk last thing before bed, pyjamas when it was colder and finally and most successfully, anti anxiety medication.

This was the beginning for the end for us and I wish I'd pts earlier. It's unlikely to get any better at 14.

Yeah I know it's only going one way @Watercooler

My youngster has recently been peeing at night. (She’s in season.) I have Muddy Mats from Amazon. She’s a giant breed pup yet the mat has soaked up a full wee and can easily be washed. They aren’t cheap but come in a variety of sizes and colours. (Not bought for pee but mud!)

Realised how manky the rug is underneath so have binned it and will block off the area. Washable puppy pads should be here tomorrow.

Time to let go Op.

Of the rug or the dog?! I don't think soiling the rug at night is a reason to PTS, especially when I've not tried to do anything about it yet. He's getting up to go, and going to the back door. It's not like he's lying there soiling himself. I do realise it's only going one way though.