Dog in disgrace

[Caramello]

Our dog, Scrappy, is 14 years old. He is chihuahua cross terrier.

Currently he is in disgrace - actually he has just got out of conventry because until 10 minutes ago I was so disgusted in him.

He has taken to this habit of gulping down large amounts of water while he is inside - he has a bowl outside which is refilled regularly - but he has decided that inside water is better.

Mum and I had been out shopping - I got a King sized bedspread for a bargin price and I was really happy - I have wanted to replace ours for ages as it was ripped.

Anyway, when my Mum came home with me today I let Scrappy in. I then showed Mum the changes I had made to the future nursery.

Suddenly Scrappy is up on the single bed and there is a WET PATCH underneath him. The animals are allowed on the bed, but Scrappy rarely goes on the single bed because it is too high for him. I think, ok, its been raining, maybe he is wet underneath. I check underneath him but he is not wet.

I smell the patch but it does not smell like urine. I think, ok I will wash it later when Mum's gone, the wetness from the dog being outside must have rubbed off.

Dad comes to pick up Mum. I decide that its a great time to try out my new bedspread. The dog is on the bed - which is fine - he is allowed.

The dog takes a whiff, turns around and DELIBERATELY ****S HIS LEG UP and WEES on my BRAND NEW BEDSPREAD!!!

GRRRRRR!!!

I then realise that the wet patches I have been finding on my side of the bed are not him licking his paws on hot days, but him weeing on the bed!

I am so ANGRY I wack him on the bum and tell him to GET OUTSIDE!

What is going on here?

Some things I've thought of while I have been stewing on this:

1. He was excited to see Mum and he weeed on the doona (no idea about the bedspread)
2. He was scared by the thunder
3. He didn't like the smell of the new bedspread
4. He has a habit at the moment of taking large gulps of water from the inside water bowl - he has an outside water bowl but inside obviously tastes better. He has jumped on both beds and squished his bladder, hence the wee
5. He is deliberately doing this as some sort of way to prove his domination over me. To explain, DH is the softy, I am the disciplinarian. He growled at me one night when I was putting him out after he had snuggled up to DH on the bed. I wacked his bum and told him never, ever to try it again. This is when the initial wet patches started. I thought they were him licking, but once I found it on the first night I told DH that he had to put the dog out before he went to bed so I am not the bad guy, and on the second night I went nuts at DH and made him get up and change the bed with me. It has not happened again.
6. There is something wrong with his kidneys
7. It was a reaction to the storm (although that had passed by the second incident)

Can anyone help with an explanation? We did get his kidneys checked when his teeth and bottom were operated on and the kidneys were fine - this was about 6 months ago.

Maybe a visit to the vet is in order?

[Phteven]

I'd be upset too in your place but the first thing that came to mind is that he's 14 which is pretty old for a dog.
Maybe his bladder control just isn't what it once was, another sadder possibility is that he might be going a bit senile. We had an old dog who lost her memory once.

I think that if this is a new behaviour a trip to the vet might be your best option.

[RhiChiChi]

I think it could be the bladder control thing and drinking large amounts of water. If he drink lots it would be best for you to let him out not long after so he can relieve himself. We have a 15 y/o jack russell and he just couldn't hold him bladder anymore. It got to the point where he would 'tell' you he wanted to go out but he'd get to the door and just wee. In the end he couldn't hold on for poos, so he & the other pooch are now outside dogs as every morning I was cleaning up dog urine.... We also moved house, so perfect timing for us to make them live outside permanently.

[christy]

Hun any time a dog who is older in years starts drinking more and urinating inappropriately its time for a trip to the vet. If you can, try to get a sample in a clean container to take with you to test. Our 10 year old dog has had cystitis 3 times in the past year, the last time I caught it was when she wee'd on our bed! Everytime she's had issues and twice it had grown to her kidneys which affected her drinking as well. Its worth a trip. There are a few things that would cause drinking and weeing more (in vet talk PU/PD) so its worth checking it out.

[krysalyss]

I agree that a trip to the vet is probably warrented due to his age. I also wanted to add though from a behavioural POV tat I was reading an interesting journal on dog urine marking and their definition of marking vs urinating is that sniffing preceeds a mark. I thought that was quite interesting. Perhaps it is more behavioural - again this could be age or could be something like changes in the household, new neighbours etc?
But the first step would definitely by the vet anyway to rule out health problems. Good luck and keep us updated.