How to Stop an Old Dog from Peeing on Carpet

Co-authored by David Levin

Last Updated: November 1, 2021 References

As a dog ages, it is likely to have more problems controlling when it goes to the bathroom. This can be caused by illness, behavioral changes, or just having a hard time waiting to go outside to go to the bathroom. However, there are some ways to keep it from peeing in your home, including on your carpets. These include making changes to the dog's schedule, lifestyle, and access to areas that are carpeted.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Eliminating Factors That Could Cause Peeing

1
Have the dog seen by a veterinarian. If your older dog starts urinating in your home, it could be a symptom of illness. Another indicator could be if your dog is drinking more than usual, too. Have your dog assessed and treated for possible medical causes, such as:^{[1]
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- Urinary tract infection.
- Kidney infection.
- Dropping hormone levels.
- Diabetes.
- Cushing's disease.
- Cognitive dysfunctions such as canine Alzheimer's.
2
Identify factors that could cause behavioral problems. Some older dogs begin urinating in the house when they are upset with changes in their life, for example when they move to a new home or a new pet enters their family. If you can identify big changes in the dog's life, then you can minimize the impact they have on the dog.^{[2]
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- For example, if you have recently moved, make sure that your senior dog has access to furniture it has always loved to lay on or the arrangement of furniture is similar to how it used to be.
- If you or your vet suspects your dog may have a cognitive dysfunction, it could be that your dog doesn't completely remember toilet training. Talk to your vet to see if they can recommend a medication or supplement to help.
- If you have a new pet in your home, give your senior dog lots of space and time away from the new pet. Don't assume that the dog will adjust quickly to a new roommate.
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3
Offer your dog more potty breaks. Your dog's urination frequency can change as they age. Well-intentioned older dogs may be trying to hold it and simply can't make it as long as they used to. Help your dog out by offering more frequent potty breaks throughout the day.^{[3]
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Expert Source

David Levin
Professional Dog Walker & Trainer
Expert Interview. 19 December 2019.} If, for example, you normally take your dog out 3 times, try upping it to 4.^{[4]
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- If your schedule doesn't allow for you to personally take your dog out more often, consider hiring a dog walker to come over once a day. If you have a yard, you may also consider getting a doggie door so that your pup can go when it wants.
4
Discipline your dog only if you catch it in the act of urination. If you see the dog about to go to the bathroom or in the middle of the act, tell the dog "no" and take it outside.^{[5]
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Expert Source

David Levin
Professional Dog Walker & Trainer
Expert Interview. 19 December 2019.} If you make it clear to the dog that what it is doing is bad, it is more likely to avoid that behavior in the future.
- However, disciplining a dog after the fact will not do you any good. It's likely that the dog won't understand why it is being punished. Never rub your dog's nose in the wet area.
- There is a chance that discipline could lead your dog to urinate in hidden spots in the house, instead of outside as you would like. Keep this in mind and use moderate discipline, such as saying "no" firmly but not hitting or yelling at the dog.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Giving Access to a Bathroom Area

1
Let your dog outside more often. As a dog ages, it will have less ability to hold its bladder. This means that your dog will need more frequent bathroom breaks than it did in its younger years.
- For example, a senior dog will not be able to stay home all day without a bathroom break, even if it used to do that when it was younger.
2
Stick to a routine.^{[7]
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Expert Source

David Levin
Professional Dog Walker & Trainer
Expert Interview. 19 December 2019.} It can be difficult for a senior dog to adjust to a new bathroom routine. If it is used to going to the bathroom at the same time every day, its body is likely to continue that routine, regardless of whether you are there to let it out.^{[8]
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3
Provide constant and easy access to a place to urinate. If your dog is having a hard time holding its bladder, it may be time to install a dog door or dog run so that your pup can go to the bathroom whenever it needs to. This area should also be easy to access for the dog, as a senior dog with mobility issues may choose to go to the bathroom inside instead of going through physical discomfort to get outside.
4
Hire a dog walker. If your dog needs to go out more often but you cannot be home to do it, a professional dog walker may be the solution. You can simply hire someone to come at midday on your long work days and walk the dog. Talk to your friends and your veterinarian for recommendations of local dog walkers that might be right for the job.^{[9]
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- Make sure that the dog walker comes with recommendations from other clients, which will help ensure that they will be responsible when they enter your house.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Protecting the Carpet

1
Allow the dog on the carpet only when you are present. Some old dogs will only pee on a carpet when they are left alone. If your dog is doing this, then block it off from the carpeted area when you are not around.^{[10]
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- You can keep the dog in another area by placing items in the way that block access or by putting the dog in another room when you are gone.
2
Block all access to carpeted areas. If your dog has been known to pee while you are in the area, then you should block all access to the carpet. Even when you are in the room, make sure to keep the dog out.^{[11]
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- You can block all access by placing items around the carpet that physically keep the dog out. You can also simply not let the dog in rooms that are carpeted.
3
Place urination pads over the carpet. Urination pads are a good option if your dog simply cannot control its bladder and there is no way to isolate it from carpeted areas. These pads have a liquid-proof liner and hold the urine in place. Place them in an area where your dog has urinated, so that it will learn to go to the bathroom on the pad instead of the carpet.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
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- Once the pad has been urinated on, you simply put the whole pad in the garbage and put a new one down.
- The downside of using these pads is that you may need to use them indefinitely once the dog gets used to peeing inside.
4
Clean up accidents so the smell is completely eliminated. If a dog has urinated on your carpet, the smell that is left behind can signal to it that that is the place where it should go to the bathroom in the future. To avoid this, spray the area with an enzymatic cleaner, which totally eliminates the smell.^{[13]
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- Enzymatic cleaners made specifically to clean up pet urine are typically available at pet supply stores and from online retailers.^{[14]
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  David Levin
  Professional Dog Walker & Trainer
  Expert Interview. 19 December 2019.}
5
Get a stain-resistant carpet. If you simply cannot get your dog to stop peeing on the carpet, at least get a stain-resistant carpet. This will help you effectively clean the area and will minimize the chance of embedded stains.
- Stain resistant carpets have unique fibers that don't absorb liquids the way that traditional carpet fibers do.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I stop an older dog from peeing in the house?

David Levin
Professional Dog Trainer
David Levin is the Owner of Citizen Hound, a professional dog walking business based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 9 years of professional dog walking and training experience, David's business has been voted the "Best Dog Walker SF" by Beast of the Bay for 2019, 2018, and 2017. Citizen Hound has also been ranked #1 Dog Walker by the SF Examiner and A-List in 2017, 2016, 2015. Citizen Hound prides themselves on their customer service, care, skill, and reputation.

David Levin

Professional Dog Trainer

Expert Answer

If your dog goes to the bathroom in your house, try to interrupt it as soon as you can and take it outside. Clean the urine with an enzymatic cleaner so your dog doesn't smell the spot and try going there again.
Question

No matter how many puppy pads I put down, he wants to pee on the edge. What do I do?

Community Answer

Get a puppy pen and line it with pads. If this still doesn't work, take him outside every hour.