Dog using restroom in the house in the middle of the night

Question
Hello,

I have a Yorkie Pom mix that I've had for 2 and a half years now but ever since I got her she has always gotten up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and doesn't wake me. She's always good about letting me know when she has to go during the day but at night she won't and she's ruined my carpet at my last two places. Now, she's doing the same thing at my boyfriends so we tried to crate her at night so she won't go but she cries and barks all night.I take her out right before we go to bed and she still wakes up. I've even tried puppy pads but I literally have to line the entire house with those to get it to work.I just want her to sleep through the night. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! I love her very much but this is really taking its tole on me!

Thank you,

Vanessa Ortiz

Answer
There are various explanations for your dog's behavior:

Your dog may not be house trained; a dog "asks" to go out for a lot of reasons, one of which may or may not be that the dog has to eliminate.

or...Your dog has attempted to wake you with unpleasant or no result; often we sleep far more soundly than we think, or when something interferes with our deep sleep we react with anger/physical movements (while still asleep) that a dog can immediately interpret as frightening.

or...the dog has a separation issue if she is not allowed in your bedroom.  You are unavailable (locked behind door), the dog is anxious and is marking.  Leaving any dog at large in any household depends upon the dog's emotional balance.  Some dogs are alarmed with such a vast space to inhabit by themselves and would do better in confined space (such as the kitchen).

or...your dog has a problem with urinary incontinence and cannot hold it all night long.  If you are unavailable or the dog has experienced unpleasantness while attempting to wake you, she has no choice.  Veterinary visit required to be sure this isn't the case.

and....by using "wee wee" pads you have essentially given the dog a double message.  You either want her house trained or you don't.  If she's confused and anxious to begin with, she's doubly confused and anxious now.

and....moving the dog from her accustomed home to spend time at someone else's makes any dog very anxious, this is a high stress situation for a dog.  Even a solidly house trained dog can (and often does) urinate/defecate in an unfamiliar household.  Reinstating house training skill by rewarding outdoor elimination consistently in any new household environment is required for all dogs, no matter how well trained they appear to be in their own homes.

So, first thing: vet visit to rule out urinary incontinence (which is not uncommon in spayed females).  Second: re-train. TAKE the dog out, reward with praise and tiny treat every time she urinates outdoors; do this consistently for a few weeks.  Third: crate confinement for a dog that has never been crated is not advisable since dogs need to be carefully introduced to a crate, not just suddenly stuck into one.  Far better to confine the dog to the kitchen with soft bed and strong baby gate across the doorway.  If she whines, barks, etc., the first few nights might be difficult but she will become accustomed to sleeping in this area and being left alone there when you are not at home.  She should be fed in this area and special toys made available to her when you are not at home.  Inappropriate urination won't mean much in the kitchen area, it's easily cleaned (don't use chlorine products.)  As she re-learns that outdoor elimination is rewarded, she will have fewer accidents; if there's a physical reason, this is the least offensive place for urination.  Or....you may choose to keep the dog confined to the bedroom where you sleep.  If her urination is due to stress and anxiety at being separated, this will help; using doggy diapers can teach a dog that urinating while wearing them is unpleasant.  The diaper can be put on her only when she's confined to the bedroom with you.  

As outlined above, only you can determine which of these reasons is most likely to explain your dog's behavior.  Being angry when you find urine indoors is counter productive and does NOTHING but increase the dog's stress and anxiety.  "Strange" home environments will provoke stress related behaviors in many dogs so she needs to be cut some slack when you are visiting the home's of others overnight.