Toilet trouble

[Mi1997]

Hi everyone!

I know it's a long one but tried to explain everything as best as I can

I have two beautiful and clever puppies. One is 4months and the other one is nearly 6months.

The younger one took some time to toilet train but he's all good now, sleeping all night without accidents or waking up.
My older one is a bit of trouble for the past few weeks.
I brought him home when he was 8 weeks, he's so clever he started using the pad straight away. He didn't wake up at night or didn't do his business anywhere in the house but the pad. After few weeks we took the pad away and he only used the garden (didn't have accidents at home, always asked to go outside). Few weeks ago he started waking me up like twice every night to go to the garden and he was so loud like his bladder was full and about to explode. In fact, he only managed to get few drops out and went back to sleep.
Few nights ago he started waking up a lot more, like 4-5 times in one night (the younger one sound asleep, doesn't wake up until the morning).
Also, two nights ago he woke me up just after he pooped in the house just to show me what he's done. He's done it again tonight... 3 times!
I really don't know why he's doing it, any tips?
I'll just say that he doesn't eat just before bed, he's got dinner around 5-6pm, ages before his bedtime and does go outside after eating and before bed.

 

[JoanneF]

Maybe a vet check to see if it is a medical issue rather than a behavioural one. Take a sample.

And you could try adjusting his feeding time, try putting a few kernels of cooked sweetcorn into one meal, that will let you see what his gut transit time is. If he eats later, he might be able to last through the night to poo. Or, pre-emt him by setting your alarm for a time before he wakened you to be proactive and take him out.

Another possibility for when he woke you and barely managed to wee is that he was hungry. 5pm until morning is a long time for an adult dog, never mind a puppy.

I know you didn't ask about it but I also strongly recommend you research littermate syndrome. It applies to any puppies of similar age, not just ones from the same litter.

 

[JudyN]

I'd say definitely a vet check - this sounds to me like it could well be medical.

 

[Mi1997]

Maybe a vet check to see if it is a medical issue rather than a behavioural one. Take a sample.

And you could try adjusting his feeding time, try putting a few kernels of cooked sweetcorn into one meal, that will let you see what his gut transit time is. If he eats later, he might be able to last through the night to poo. Or, pre-emt him by setting your alarm for a time before he wakened you to be proactive and take him out.

Another possibility for when he woke you and barely managed to wee is that he was hungry. 5pm until morning is a long time for an adult dog, never mind a puppy.

I know you didn't ask about it but I also strongly recommend you research littermate syndrome. It applies to any puppies of similar age, not just ones from the same litter.

Thanks for your reply. I'll definitely ask the vet to check it but I don't think it's medical as he's fine and holds it when I'm out (I would say about 4hrs), it's only when I'm at home, in daytime he'll often ask to go outside like he tries to gain my attention when I try to do something at home or eat a meal (I do give him a lot of attention, new tricks training, toy play and all that).
I will try the sweet corn thing. He doesn't have like set times, he just wakes up randomly every night.
If I give him dinner any later he won't eat breakfast, that's why we switched to earlier dinner, and still he's having breakfast quite late for me. When he ate around 8-9pm he wouldn't eat breakfast until 12 or even later in the afternoon.
I really don't think it's medical or his feeding times, it's more behavioural I think.