If the dog must be left alone for long periods, paper training may be helpful. Often owners resort to isolation of the dog to avoid ruining household possessions. This can lead to other problems of loneliness or barking for attention. One possible solution is to keep the dog on a leash while with people so that it can alert someone to its need to go outside and cannot wander off to eliminate in the house. Defecation can also be a problem due to loss of sphincter control.
Dogs also respond to stress by soiling the house with stool.
If the stress can be identified, the animal can be acclimated to the change and hopefully the house soiling will subside. Mourning Many animals today live in multi-pet households and therefore have house mates that they share experiences with well into old age. A common behavioral problem for older dogs is mourning for the loss of a house mate. Although there has not been a great deal of research on mourning in pets, it is well known that pets form attachments to other animals they live with, and anecdotal evidence indicates that animals grieve over the loss of their companions. For some animals this grieving process may be short, or it may not be evident or visible to the owner.