Old Dog *has* learned new tricks

I have no experience with seniors but 14 is quite a milestone for the breed/mix.  Could it be she is just becoming incontinent with age?  Normally a dog would not choose to "go" where they like to sleep but she might not have any idea, or it has just become a habit.  I would not wait for her to tell you she has to go, just get her on a routine schedule of going out.  Can you toss a thick blanket over her bed so if she does go you can just wash that?  I use thick bedding with my puppies when I have to be out for longer than I think they can hold it, then it absorbs the urine (rather than smearing all over a crate pan or hard floor).

There are those here that will have some awesome advise.  I am just sending you {{hugs}}.  Welcome to the forum, you have come to the right place for helpful advise and support.

If it's urine accidents you can put her in bitches britches with human continence pads in them (cut them in half -- if you'll email me I will give you step by step instructions.

 Is this a LOT (if it's poop)?  Or is it just a short amount (which can spread a long ways if she's laying in it).  The very elderly can lose feeling in the end of the intestines/near the anus.  Literally a short poop can pop out with them being unaware of the need to go.

Now if it's a lot -- that's another story. 

I always have my dogs in the bedroom -- so trying to control this when you are out of the room would be difficult.

Thanks all for the replies so far. Yes, it's almost entirely urine and yes, I'm sure 90% of this is just that she is quite old.

That said, what I find both comforting and frustrating is that even when she has the run of the house and needs to go she will go on the bag. It's as if she still understands that the rest of the house is still *my* den and won't soil that - so she chooses to soil her bag largely *because* it absorbs much of the liquid.

I'm leery of using incontinence pads. We tried them on our last dog (chow/corgie mix who lived to 19!) and she ripped them off in seconds. (IIRC, the male lab/shepherd helped.) Even if I could be with her during the day, she still has overnight accidents, so, while additional trips outside might help, they won't solve all of the problem. As the puppy training pads are also supposed to be super absorbant and odor-killing, I'd like to train her to use them instead of the bags.

I'll try removing the bags tonight (and put them down at bedtime) and see if she will start using the pads.

If anyone has other ideas, please float them.

 Thanks!

I can't quite feature what you're calling "bags" -sorry! 

Can you just lay puppy pads over her bedding?

In my own experience, one of the reasons why dogs will often snag off bitches britches is because that plastic insert becomes VERY sharp and uncomfortable.  So I always remove that as soon as I bring it home.  But then the trick with the continence 'pads' (and I mean the things that look likc thick sanitary napkins) was first that I cut it in half (cos they're too long anyway which makes them uncomfortable) -- and then I sealed the cut ends with nylon first aid tape (again, scotch tape will scratch -- just the nylon first aid tape or the paper one, NOT the waterproof stuff). 

 But then I took the curved end and stuck it WAY up so it literally covered the tail hole but then folded that down 1/2".  That leaves a SMALL hole for the tail to go thru BUT that way you seat that folded over end way up under the tail.  THEN the urine actually finds its way into the pad -- not out the hole!

It takes a bit of training.  And we used to have to put a note on the back door "Take off Socks' Jeans!!" because we'd forget she was wearing them!!

You can also try Proin you know ... and if you go to a TCVM vet (traditional Chinese veterinary medicine -- http://www.tcvm.com) there are herbs like shishandra which are often used.

I'd want to consult a vet about the incontinence.  I'm not familiar with other treatments but they're worth exploring too.   Maybe she's drinking more water due to some condition that might be easily treatable. I had an older spayed female who was successfully treated with hormones. I'd put down washable bedding instead of dog beds, maybe a baby mattress with a plastic cover under the outer cover.

You can buy the human incontinence pads to just set on top of her bed.  That way, if she urinates on them, you just take them away to wash, replace with a clean one, and the bed stays drier.  If she continues to lie in urine, her skin may break down, or she may get UTI's, so try to keep her as dry as you can.  I remember well the days of 3-4 loads of wash per day, but the extra time with my heart dog was well worth it.  And, as Jackie suggested, your vet may be able to prescribe a medication that will help for a time.

Well, the good news is that she has started using the piddle pads (not consistantly, but she is doing it - and the younger male dog doesn't seem to be too stressed over the mess.) I'm going to try lawn furniture cushions for bedding and keep the wag bags in other rooms in the house for easy cleanup.

The bad news is she has now started barking in the night. She's always been a barker (let me in, let me out, the mail is here...) but she has never done this before. I'm not talking whining as soon as she's put to bed for the night - and I'm not talking barking to be let outside just after the sun comes up and I want to sleep in. She's gone off at 5am and last night at 1:30.

Any thoughts?

Sounds a bit like Canine Cognitive Dysfunction.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1650&aid=1095

http://www.vetinfo.com/canine-cognitive-dysfunction-syndrome.html

Yes, I suspect it's part of the larger issue. I've lived through two older dogs who exhibited several of the symptons decribed and anapril (sp) helped - but never the incessant barking part of it.

We've started the present dog on the drug a week or so ago, and while I've seen some positive changes, the night-barks is new. I hope it's not a side-effect of the medication. I want her to have quality of life for as long as she can, but I can't literally lose this much sleep over this.  

I so understand you wanting to focus on quality of life for your elder girl.  My Buddy who recently crossed was showing slight dimentia towards the end.  We were dealing with specific mobility issues with our boy.  I noticed a couple of times that Buddy seemed a bit lost (he found himself behind a door and couldn't seem to figure out how to get out.  So, I just helped him and led him out.  Poor guy.

Its so hard watching our babies get old and having to deal with geriatric issues such as dimentia, incontinence and mobility.

The only thing I can think of with the barking is perhaps crate (if she is at all used to kenneling or crating) and put a blanket over it.  Just a thought.

Good luck and I hope you find peace here on this forum as you work through her issues.  I know these folks here have helped me greatly over the last couple of years with my elder's issues.