So Luanne is house broken (she is about 4). BUT sometimes she will go through phases where she will have an accident in the night, it doesn't happen all the time, but sometimes.

Things that I have noticed will trigger this are, letting her have too much water at night, not taking her out long enough before bed time (for instance, if I just take her right across the street and she doesn't get a chance to pee more than once) and that's about all I can think of.

SO, i figure my option are:
- cut off her water even earlier (like not let her have even a sip after maybe 8 pm), although i feel bad doing this because she seems like she is thirsty!
- set my alarm for some time in the middle of the night and take her out (but i don't want her to get used to this, and it's also a big pain, because i live on the 4th floor of an apt)
- crate her (which i would also hate doing, because i crate her in the mornings, and also if i go out in the evenings)
- buy one of those fake grass indoor potty things and train her to use it

any other options or ideas here?

 Quote: jenn verrier

Things that I have noticed will trigger this are, letting her have too much water at night, not taking her out long enough before bed time (for instance, if I just take her right across the street and she doesn't get a chance to pee more than once) and that's about all I can think of.

Sounds like you got it to me.:smile:

If peeing at night is a problem, taking up the water is good.

I'd start there before I woke up in the middle of the night to take my dog out to pee.

Have you had a urinalysis done to make sure she doesn't have a urinary tract infection that could make it hard for her to hold it all night? We had a dog that had that problem and found out she had a UTI - once we got an antibiotic going the problem was over!

Good call, Lori!

I shoulda' kept my mouth shut.

 Quote: Lori Hall

Have you had a urinalysis done to make sure she doesn't have a urinary tract infection that could make it hard for her to hold it all night? We had a dog that had that problem and found out she had a UTI - once we got an antibiotic going the problem was over!

Hi Lori

I did do a urinaysis at one point when she was having this problem a bit over a year ago. At the time, she was actually having 2 accidents per day (one during the day, despite me having a dog walker, although the dog walker was pretty unreliable, but that's a different topic haha, and one at night), and it came out fine. I think it's just a matter of the water in the evenings. I guess I will really have to watch she doesn't drink too much.

Does anyone know how much water dogs should be drinking a day anyway (ie humans should drink a certain amount a day, but do dogs)?

The other thing about the UTI - wouldn't it be a problem at other times of the day too? She is fine when I am at work, and on the weekends she can easily hold it for 7+ hours, it's just at night.

I have my friends dachshund male staying with me and he, for some reason, drinks all the water you let him have at night, no matter the amount (I have a doberman so the bowl is rather big) that results in peeing inside. He is healthy but I guess this is how some dogs are so I just take the water for the night and even though in the morning he looks like he has been forced to run a marathon in the desert, I think this is the best solution for him and don´t sweat about it since he has free access to water all day.

I honestly think that a healthy adult dog should be able to hold it through the night.

my female dog (mutt - 11kg) occasionally used to pee at night if given the opportunity. opportunity being a bathroom, because for some reason she pees only in the bathroom when she really needs to.

she's got a small bladder since she was little so it's understandable, however:

- crating: works 100% she loves her crate so i just shut the door at night. You basically need to choose (i) clean pee or (ii) close the crate door. For me closing the door takes less time (and is way easier) compared to cleaning pee.
- take her out as LATE as possible - that is, in your pjs and ready for bed!

For just the 'before bed night walk' - give her the chance to pee once, then back in and crate her. In a way, you either make her pee everything in one go, or she'll have to hold it.

- I don't think the dogs feel sorry for you to have to clean up their pee, so I don't think you have to be sorry that they don't have water after 8pm. It's nice that you already have water throughout the day.
Ice blocks? might be your compromise for having her stay in her crate.