12 year old dog pees on furniture ONLY at night

Question
QUESTION: My 13 yo female Jack Russell has started (in the last few months) peeing on the couch and on My side of the bed! This behavior is new???  She has been know to occasionally pee in the floor when she doesn't want to go out ie. it's raining out.  I am home with her ALL day and she ONLY does this a night???  Not on the floor, but either my bed or couch... how gross!!!  She has NEVER done this in the past!  What is going on??  Please someone help!  Thanks!

ANSWER: Holly,  Sometimes dogs develop unwanted behavior and you have to revert back to crating them at night for a while, until they relearn acceptable behavior.      However, in this case - the first thing I would do would be to have a vet check her out.  She may have a bladder infection; urinary track infection or something else that a urine test and blood test could diagnose.  She is at the age where things can start to develop-- so checking her out medically would be my first suggestion.  Perhaps she is waking up and just can't hold it.   Just a thought.


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QUESTION: After researching it I don't think it's a behavior problem.  She looks sorry while it's happening.  Not her usually sneaky look if she is doing something unacceptable... on the table... getting in the trash.
I think you are right about the waking up and not being able to  hold it.  Or she is falling asleep and loosing control.  I think we are dealing with an incontinence issue.  Do you think this could be it???  I will take her to the vet just to be sure, but if it is incontinence.... what can I do.  She is crate trained, but I hate putting her to bed at 7:00.  She is so use to cuddling with me of dh at least for an hour, but this is when it's happening.  I put her in her crate tonight at 7 pm.  She wasn't really happy about it, but she was a pretty good girl.  Any other ideas besides putting her in her crate early??

Answer
If you are dealing with incontinence, there are many medications that can help it.  The vet would have to determine the cause first.  It could be something as simple as an infection and some antibiotics would clear it up completely.  

As far as crating her -- perhaps you could gate her in a room with a hard floor and a soft dog bed that is washable?  Like a kitchen.

When you go to the vet you can ask them to do a senior profile which would include complete bloodwork and a urine test.   I suspect they will show the problem, and hopefully it will have a simple solution.