Unexplained Behavior

Question
I have a 6.5 year old housebroken Austrailian Shepherd. Molly uses the doggy door that is always opened. If she can get to a rug at night she will go there....why? She goes out at night so she isn't afraid of the dark. I have recently removed wall to wall carpet because of this but now she will go on any rug she can. I keep taking them up and she goes to another. It doesn't seem to be a full bladder amount so it's very confusing. Could this be spiteful behavior? Anxiety...she is a very skiddish dog?  Help and Thank You, Cindy

Answer
Hi cindy;
Could be spite, could be anxiety, and it could be orneriness.
You know your dog best, so observe her and decide, if you can, whuich it is.
Does she do this all the time, or just after you have scolder her that day, or she is left alone while you go somewhere?
It could be there is a bladder problem she feels coming on, and she is trying to let you know, in a misdirected way. she can't very well tell you, so a check up to make sure can't hurt.
Also, when you shampoo a carpet or rug, it doesn't necessarily remove the odor you can't smell, but they can.
The choosing another one if one isn't available seems to disproove that though.
She could think it is better to go on a rug than the bare floor, and may be trying to do as little wrong as she can, and it is just a lack of communication. LOl
but seriously, it could be that.
It may not be a full bladder amount, but it may be a loss of bladder control. so her bladder need not necessarily be full to cause it to empty.
First, I woud have her checked out by her Veterinarian, and if that doesn't turn up something, consult a trainer, that can observe the dog, talk with you in more detail so he/she can determine what they think is the cause.
Charlotte