My dog is acting strange

Question
I was wondering if you could help me. I really dont know who to ask. I have a 10 year old female border collie. Lately she has been acting strange. She has been laying around. Usually I feed her and she leaves the kitchen and goes and lays down in the living room. Lately she just eats and lays by her food dish. She has been suddenly going to the bathroom in the house. I have a fenced in yard and I let her out on her own and she goes to the bathroom and comes back. Now when I let her out she does not want to go down the steps to go. She does finally but she has been trained to go at the end of the property. Now she just goes on the sidewalk and comes back to the door. She is walking fine. She seems to be seeing and hearing fine. No whimpering or whining. I read that dogs can be depressed. I do have another dog in my home a day or two a week that I watch that she does not play with. I keep the dogs separate she has been around this dog a few days a week for the last year so I dont know if that could be the problem. We have a bunny rabbit in our office and lately she has been going to the bathroom next to or under his cage. Could she just want attention?

Answer
Hello Phil;
Absolutely, I think you have nailed it on the head!
I think that she is telling you she needs to feel you are wanting to spend more time with her, and not others!!!
I would give her some more time and do some play with her when she goes potty, to make it like a reward for her to have that special time after she does her job.
So, that she will be encouraged to get back into the habit, and work into a "Positive" reinforcement pattern...and that way you will ignore the negative new one she is playing...
So, see if that is a help, and let me know what happens.
Thanks for asking for help,
And, do let me know what your feedback is to my answer on the site!
Best regards,
Melissa