potty breaks

Question
Hi,
I own a 13 year old female akita.  She was my service dog for 10 of her 13 years.  Do to all her work and hard play she developed a bad back that doesn't allow her the ability to walk very far or tell when she has to defecate.  She does know when she needs to urinate.  My question is do you have any suggestions on helping us not to have her going to the bathroom in the house all the time.  She has alwasy been an indoor dog and she still loves to eat, sleep, play when she can and greets you with a smile and a wag when you come home.  The only problem is the poop in the house even when we are home.  Which I am with her at home for a good 95% of the day.  We have tried taking her out within a 1/2 hour of her eating, but because she can't walk very well or very far she comes back in and within a few minutes she is going potty in the house.  The vets and chiropractor that we take her to said they didn't have any suggestions, and that she was still to healthy and alert to put down.  NOT that, that is something we want to do. No matter how long we seem to leave her outside, it never seems to be enough.
Any help you can give me on this would be great.  Thank you for your time concerning this matter and have a great day.

Answer
Hi Teresa;
I understand very well what you are saying.
When they get old, and start having such problems, there comes a time we have to ask ourselves if we are being fair to them, to keep them alive, and we are torn, because we are not anxious to let them go.
My German Shepherd I had long ago lost control of her bowels because of nerve damage, and when she went in the house, she was so embarassed. she would struggle to get to a tiled floor rather than go on the carpet, but you could see how ashamed she was. Telling her I understood didn't help much. It hurt her pride.
I use massage for pain relief etc, and my Setter, that we lost to old age a few weeks ago, would occasionally get constapated.
I would massage her, and it helped make her bowels move.
I am thinking this might just help your dog.
It would also help her walk better, if the problem is Arthritis or Hip Dysplasia.
Mine, when they get stove up from this ( a couple of them had had both problems), they hobble to me and let me know they can't walk. I lay them down and give them a good massage, and when they get more feeling in their limbs and less pain, they get up, give me a thank you kiss, and go on about their business, walking much easier.
I am thinking a massage to help her walk easier, and massageing her bowels, then taking her outside, or give the massage outside, would help her relieve herself outdoors.
You might get some potty pads to put down in the house where she can get to one of them, if she feels a move coming on, and can't get outside fast enough.
Go to this site, and read about the massage method, and you can order a video from there.
I credit knowing how to give,m and giving these massages, to my dogs living longer lives, and in less pain, with fewer pain meds

 www.lindatellington-jones.com

Please let me know how this works out for you.
Charlotte