Latley dog needs to go out at night

Question
I have a golden retriever. For about a month now he has started to ask to go out in the middle of the night or very early morning. On his normal schedule, he goes out at 9-10 p.m. and he would sleep all night. He is about 5 years old. Is there possibly a medical problem or should I try taking his food/water away earlier in the evening?

Answer
Tryo-

Because this is a new situation, I would take him to the vet for a urinalysis just to rule out any problems. Is he neutered? If this is a totally new change in behavior for a 5 year old, it would be a good idea for a physical to ensure he does not have a UTI or a blockage.

The other possible explanation is that it is now summer and he could just be drinking more water and there for needs to eliminate more often! Lets hope thats the case! :)