Doggie leaving 'presents' around the house

opinion guy

So the backstory.
Parents have 15/16 year old dog - don't ask me the breed I haven't a notion.
Anyhow started out an outdoors dog but gradually became more and more an indoors dog. Has become very very pettish as time has gone on. Constantly looking for attention - more so than he used to. Has developed a bad habit of walking under your feet - as he's very quiet means its really easy to trip over him.

Anyhow he used to always sh1t outdoors but in last few weeks has taken to sh1tting indoors - even in his own bed at times. Don't think there is medical reason or anything - thou he is a bit blind and deaf and maybe has doggie alzheimers for all I know.

But what do we do about this. Its basically a daily occurrence now. The folks don't know how to deal with it so I thought I'd ask you experts

IvySlayer

If your dog was trained to go outside for 15-16 years of his life and has suddenly stop doing it, then there has to be a problem.

Dogs will never soil their own sleeping areas either. Could be losing controls of his bowels movements, have nothing else to advise, a trip to the vets could be needed.

opinion guy

Ah no he didn't suddenly go from being outside alot to inside alot - it was very gradual.

fatmammycat

This is actually pretty common in elderly dogs, indeed my friend with the 14 year old basset is dealing with something similar at the moment. It's just age degeneration. The back legs go, the muscles don't work as well, the sphincter relaxes. There's not a whole lot you can do about it I am afraid.
Her poor old boy tries his damndest to hold on, but doesn't always make it, and a few times he's gone while getting out of his bed. She's lucky as she works from home and can keep a close eye on him and can read him pretty well if and when he needs to go out, but he still has accidents.
By the way, the walking under your feet thing is probably him losing his vision and hearing. Her basset does that too, but he's been blind for a number of months now. It sounds to me that your dog is heading for the last season of his life. Be patient with him, treat him kindly and with love and affection. Being old happens to all of us.

boxerly

Trip to the vets xx,my beloved boxer did that about 3 weeks ago,found he had a stomach tumour and had to have him pts 2 weeks ago (Dogs can be silent sufferers so a full check up would be best given his age xxx

Just to add my dog was 11 and had a heart problem aswell so surgery wasnt an option xx

portgirl123

agree with the others, trip to vet to rule out any underlying probs, but more than likely its age realated. Just be as calm with the poor old boy as you can be as others has said he is prob in his last season of life

LucyBliss

boxerly, I'm so sorry to hear that you had to put your dog to sleep. And just before Christmas too.

opinion guy, I would definitely bring the dog to the vet. Fifteen/sixteen is a great age for a dog, but also at that age they are slowing down considerably and I'd say the changes in his behaviour over the years could have a lot do with him growing older. My grandmother's border collie was the kind to not give a hoot about you when she was younger. In her final years - she lasted until the age of thirteen (she had heart problems) - she got a lot more needy and clingy.
He might be getting distressed too if he's soiling his bed and just can't help it.