9 year old adopted shih tzu driving me nuts!!

Question
I recently adopted a 9 year old shih tzu male. He is neutered and up to date on all shots. I have noticed that he pees while walking or standing without seeming to notice. I have also witnessed him pooping while walking and not seeming to notice. The previous owners claim that he has never had this problem before. But I believe that this may be the real reason they didn't want to keep him. I asked another expert but was told walking and peeing was normal, but I don't think he understood that the dog doesn't seem to notice or care where he is. Also, 2 nights in a row while sleeping at my feet, he woke up and peed on my feet and laid back down. Is this a behavioral problem? Is it a normal part of old age? I'm at my wit's end and I don't want to send him away as he's been through enough. Thanks

Answer
Hi Melinda,

It's not at all unusual for an older dog to become incontinent. If your dog isn't having accidents throughout the day in your home, and is able to "hold it" until he's taken outside, he's probably not incontinent.

Your vet should examine your dog, as that's the only way to tell if there is a problem. There is medication available that can help incontinent pets. Feeding a "low residue" diet can also help a dog who can't control his bowels. If your dog has a medical incontinence  problem, you can get back to me, and I can offer suggestions in helping with that.

Another part of this might be that your dog is still adjusting to living with you. Arriving in a new home is very stressful for older pets, and it can take a month or longer before they really feel at home, in the new home. If your dog checks out okay after having a vet exam, to help get the message across that "going" in the house is wrong, have your dog wear a "belly band". A belly band is a house training aid for male dogs. You can read about them here:
http://www.decotogs.com/bellybands/bellybandinfo.htm
http://www.bellybands.net/

If you know how to sew, you can even make your own belly bands:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2295386_make-belly-bands-male-dogs.html

Peeing on you, and not on the bed post or other object in your room might have nothing to do with being incontinent, and more to do with "pack" status. Peeing on people, and in particular,  in the owner's bed is a territorial marking behavior.  Your dog may be claiming you as "his".  For a dog, "his" doesn't mean he loves you, it's an act of dominance over you.

Giving your new dog daily pop quizzes of whatever obedience commands he knows (sit, stay, down, etc.) is a good and gentle way of establishing your dominance over him. You can also try the "Nothing in Life is Free" method of training, which will also help with any dominance issues your dog is trying to establish. Read more about this method here:
http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

Practice the new regimen of pop obedience command quizzes and Nothing in Life is Free daily. During this period of time (give it about a month) your dog should wear a belly band to further enforce the house rules. After that time period leave off the belly band, to see how your dog responds.

If your dog is crate trained, you should be crating him overnight. If he isn't crate trained, containing him to part of a room (with a child gate or two), or getting a small dog pen are other containment options. This is an example of the kind of dog pen I'm talking about:
http://www.allpetfurniture.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=IRI1036&refid=XT236-IRI10...

A dog with dominance issues shouldn't be sleeping with you. Once your dog learns his place in your "pack", he may return to your bed, as long as he behaves himself.

As far as seeming not seeming to notice when he's pooping, that just might be a quirky habit you dog has acquired over time, and it might be hard to break him of that habit now. As long as he's able to "hold it" until he's outside, he's in fine shape, and there's no need to worry.
I have an older dog I was fostering that I later adopted who has the very odd habit of only going to the bathroom under the "cover" of shrubs or trees, and never out in the open. So, I can understand your dog's quirky nonchalant attitude of where and how he "goes".

Best of luck!
Patti