Urinating in dogs bowl and other areas

Question
Hi Sandra,

I have a 11yr old Bull Terrier X (Bandit) and a 20 week old Maltese X Silky Terrier (Scrappy).  In the last couple of weeks Bandit has started urinating in and around Scrappy's bowl after they have eaten.  Then today we discovered we outside our outdoor laundry where Scrappy was sleeping for the night due to barking.  Is this a jealousy thing and how can we fix it?  Bandit has never done this before, but we have noticed that he has not been the same (he seems withdrawn and is barking at nighttime at what appears to be nothing).  Help!

Answer
It's not unusual for a resident dog to get his nose out of joint over a new puppy arrival. Male dogs tend not to be overly-fond of pups and he may feel like he's being displaced (especially if sleeping arrangements have changed since the pup's arrival). I think it is less about jealousy than trying to mark his territory so the interloper will know where it is. I'd feed separately, and take the food dishes up immediately after they eat. Give Bandit lots of attention while the puppy is present, and then ignore a bit when the puppy is not present - so puppy = fun and no puppy = bored. Also make sure the pup stays out of Bandit's face. There's a lot of difference in size between them and Bull Terriers are powerful (and sometimes other-dog aggressive) dogs. That's standard advice on getting an adult dog used to a puppy. BUT given Bandit's age, I'd also suggest talking to your vet. Losing housetraining, becoming withdrawn and barking at nothing (especially at night) may be early signs of Canine Cognative Disorder, which is similar to Alzheimers in humans. The timing of this may be coincidental to the arrival of the pup, or the pup may be putting enough stress on him that he is becoming more symptomatic. There are medications which help mental function for these dogs, especially if the situation is diagnosed early. Sandy Case MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com