Advice re food please

Hi all:

We had Cassie clean through the night for 3 weeks running but the last couple of weeks it's been a bit hit and miss. She can obviously make it through the night but we seem to be regressing.

We have recently changed her to adult food but she doesn't get anything after about 6pm so would think she would be fine. Could it be the change in food? Should we go back to puppy/junior food or try a different brand, maybe for sensitive tummies? Is this just another part of juvenile behaviour? One step forward and 2 back.

We don't walk her after tea time but she has access to the yard. We always put her out before we go to bed, but she usually only has a wee. My brother was staying with us last weekend and he let her out about 2:30 am (he's a nightowl) and she went then. Obviously we can't be letting her out at that time of morning as we're both early to bed and early to rise.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, dog flaps, any comments?

Thanks

Hello How old is Cassie?

I would think it is definitly sufficent just to let her out to do her business last thing before you guys go up to bed they shouldn't need letting out in the night after that if they are over 5 or 6 months

I don't think it would be her change of food, unless it gives her an upset tummy that she just can't control??...If she is normal as usual, no upset tummy she should be just fine...She should also be able to have water down 24/7 and it still shouldn't be an issue...

I know that when my two had been house trained for quite a few weeks, out of no where they had a mishap or two afterwards and I wondered if it was them just double checking...'ok mum, so we definitly don't go indoors, have I got that right!'...but that was when they were still very young...

I'm just not sure why she would be doing this. Maybe she just needs a bit of extra time?

Hi Wufflehoond.
Yes, the type of food you feed can make a difference, I guess some foods are more easily/faster digested than others .
Dogs can regress a little sometimes particularly if there is a change in circumstances of any kind.
Dog doors are great, I have one and Amy loves it, You must have a secure garden and still keep an eye on your dog when it goes out there.
Remember dogs are not physically able to have full bladder and bowel control before a certain age , usually four months at the earliest but it can vary from dog to dog

Thanks both, she's a year old next month so would have thought she would be well over accidents by now.

Our yard is well secure 10 foot walls and fine to put a dog flap in the kitchen door. Just can't figure what's making here poop during the night! Think i may try her back on junior food for a while and see how it goes. Just didn't know if it was something we were doing wrong.

She always goes at the kitchen door, so she knows what she should do but this morning there were a few in different places. No upset tummy, everything normal there.

Just scratching our heads at the moment.

Wufflehoond personally I do not think is will do any harm to put her back on junior food for a while if it 'worked for her'.
Yes she should be past the accident stage..think if something has changed recently .
It may also be be adjusting to the new food, what are you feeding and did you change it gradually by substituting a little new food for the old one?

Maybe it would be a good idea to have her go out for an evening walk an hour or two after her last meal, just to get everything moving a bit quicker so that before bed time she may be ready to go instead of later in the early hours?...I think that's one of the things I would do ...A walk always seems to speed the process up

Yes, changed her food gradually and her treats are the same as she's always had. I also though walking her at night may help, just not very nice on a night around us. May try while it's still light on a night! Thanks

A recent change...like this .

My brother was staying with us last weekend and he let her out about 2:30 am (he's a nightowl) and she went then

I think this is something to do with it!! She now needs to get back into her own routine.

Hmmmm....never thought of that. He stays with us every other weekend, wonder if it may be something to do with it.

She probably likes to be a night owl too....lol