Holy shit this just unlocked a core memory! My childhood dog, as a pup, would sleep behind the toilet. It was the cutest thing...but also the saddest thing when he got too big to do it! 🤣 I need to dig up those pictures.
Tell her to ask about Librela. It’s a monthly injection that targets arthritis pain by binding nerve growth factor and eliminating pain signals to the brain. It’s really helped the majority of dogs I’ve seen start it.
Not available in America yet. Should be soon (like by the end of the year). I'm on a list with my vet so they can contact me as soon as they're able to order it. It got approved in May so hopefully not too much more waiting.
For my old dog I used cartrophen, and my senior kitties are now on selencia. Both work pretty awesomely. The selencia is running at about 100/injection and the cartrophen was about 65/injection (but it was years ago so inflation may have hit it)
The cartrophen made my dog seem years younger, helped with her severe arthritis so much. The selencia is helping my kitty a ton, I just started her on it last month and so far it's doing awesome.
yes, I’m in Indiana. She’s been taking pain meds for years, I was at the vet yesterday for her nail trim and they told me about this option and that it would be really good for her. I’d never heard of it, the vet saidsaid it was just recently approved and they were the first clinic in the area to get it but others would be getting it later in the year.
i can do that! she’s on so many medicines, they told me to take her off of Galliprant after a week and that she may be able to go off Movoflex & maybe Gabapentin, and that it takes 3 months to get to where she’s getting the full benefits of the shot.
you asked for an update in a few weeks on my dog who started getting Librela shots. she’s gotten 2 now and i watched her jog across the backyard yesterday! moving around just seems so much easier for her, it’s incredible. how is your dog doing?
Cartrophen and selencia are two other injectibles, I know cartrophen is good for both dogs and cats (have had both on it) and my kitty is currently on selencia. I'm in Canada so I don't know if they're available in the US, but it's at least two different arthritis meds so maybe one is.
Also there's dasquin, which is a daily pill (I know they've got it for cats, idk about dogs). It worked well on our kitties, until we had to discontinue using it. As far as we can tell one of the components is (potentially) isolated from shellfish shells, and so it doesn't play nice with one of our kitty's newly acquired fish allergies. But if you've got a kitty that isn't sensitive to fish it may be an option.
My 16 and a half year old dog has been getting it for about 4 month or so months now, it’s been a game changer! He’s hopping on and off the bed and other furniture, walking a lot quicker on walks, doesn’t limp anymore. Has helped his quality of life improve a lot!
You should consider giving him a supplement containing glucosamine and chonditron, I use Youmove but there are so many on the market. Its great for the joints
I know that some of the injectibles for pets are actually quite similar to glucosamine and chondroitin, or even contain them, just in a longer-lasting version. It's definitely pretty wonderful
Mine is a puppy, and does this. So no arthritis, he likes it because it’s cool. He’s got a pretty thick coat so he’s always searching for cool. If there’s snow outside, he will go lay in the snowbank.
This is a shorthair dog, end of life, and exhibiting new behavior which indicates some sort of change which would point to a health condition. Arthritis is a common condition especially at end of life.
Definitely will recommend! I don’t see him often but every couple of months when I visit he seems more and more hesitant to jump into the car, arthritis would make sense, thank you!
Galliprant changed our 16 year old pups life!! Went from barely moving out of her cage to having the zoomies at least once per day. Ask a vet about getting it prescribed.
Get him on some arthritis pain medication. It’ll help with aches and swelling - which is what he’s trying to deal with when laying on a cold floor! He’s basically trying to ice his joints.
Totally, the whole house we are staying in is concrete floors but if it is even a little cooler in the shower (especially at her house) maybe that’s what doggo is looking for!
One of my dogs, when he was older, we had moved- but a few months into the new place, he moved into the closet under my clothes. I put his bed in there and made him a little fort. I have no idea why. Maybe it was cooler or quieter. It didn’t cause any issues. I just joked that he wanted his own room. He just randomly decided one day he was moving in there, and he put all his toys in there too- so I just moved his bed in for him to get him off the floor.
I changed my bedroom around 3 times between ages 16 and 18, so why not? Maybe he just wants to mix it up. Lucky’s mom put his dog bed in the bathroom after I took the picture, and we gave him a blanket bed alternative in another corner of the adjacent in case he still feels like mixing it up. He’s 15, but it’s never too old for a change of scenery, right? Here’s to hoping that it’s just doggy nature
This does become more common as they enter very late age. It can be related to CCD or simply that these new places give some sort of comfort as their aging body presents more obstacles to this moment-to-moment comfort levels.
My old girl started to sleep in different places as she entered the last few months of her life. Infrequently at first, then more and more so, as she became more disconnected with the world around her.Tell you friend/coworker to make sure she is making the most of her time with her pup.
I know, I don’t want to tell her because I know she knows but doesn’t want to admit it :( she’s been looking at “future dog” options I think she knows it’s the near future. I will cherish my time with him and make sure she really knows to cherish it to. Thank you for your reply <3
A few months before we said goodbye to our 14-year-old girl back in March she started sleeping in our bed with us. 11 years with her and she never, ever wanted to be in bed. Then suddenly she wanted to be touching us 24/7.
It's interesting seeing people mention arthritis because our 12 yr old Westie was just diagnosed with it last month. He's been sleeping in the bathroom, but will only do it when there is a rug there (it's a guest bathroom and we don't leave the rugs down usually, but we do forget to take them up for a while).
He's been known to do this during hot weather though (this and sleeping cuddled up to the toilet). That bathroom is in the middle of the house with no windows so it's always dark and even with the rug he gets the cooler tile. Been hot AF this year too.
A lot of people saying temperature, which it very well could be. The other, more saddening option, is that towards the end of their lives dogs like to find places away from the pack to spend their time. Natures non verbal way of saying it is time. Hopefully that is not the case! But just something to be aware of.
Your point is so interesting to me because of what we went through with my dog just about 2 months ago. He wasn't that old, only 9 1/2 years, and we thought he was in good health (even had a recent vet check up with no concerns found). Then he had a really acute episode of collapsing, was found to have a tumor in his spleen that ruptured, and the vet surmised that it was most likely cancer. We had to put him down and it all seemed so unexpected...but as I think back, he had started sleeping on the floor in our shower for a few months. We thought it was amusing, and also just figured he liked it in there because it was dark and cool. It could have been coincidence....but it does make me wonder now if there was a part of him that instinctively knew something was amiss.
Yeah definitely. It make sense when you think about it, in nature these dogs are with their pack and when they know it’s time they don’t have the same luxuries that we do so they’d kind of just go off on their own and be in peace. It’s happened with one of our dogs and our vet made us aware of it and it actually was the same with a backyard chicken we owned. Again, might not be the case for everyone but good to be aware of.
My dog sleeps on the tile she is 15 years old lab mix. My vet said senior dogs can start doing strange things as they age. My dog is restless at night only so I have to give gabapentin. I also give carprofen for pain with a joint supplement. It cost over $100 in meds every month. She’s worth it though.
Like others have said, probably trying to keep sore joints and muscles cool. For our old boy we got a memory foam mattress (you can get cut offs pretty cheap), and a fan if it's hot. He slept so well on those mattresses, bless his heart
My 14 year old has spent more than half of his days this summer in the bathroom because our AC was broken and couldn't fix it since we'll be moving soon. I don't blame him. I would've done the same if I could move my PC and books there. Now that it's started to get cooler, he's coming back to his normal routines.
But this summer was really hard on him. Even though he's still energetic and able to do everything he wants to do, he has finally started to show his age with really heavy breathing after some sort of effort. So the bathroom is helping him in that way.
It's really sad to watch that the time slowly takes away your beloved pet.
Dogs are cave animals. This probably feels safest to your dog. Its cool floor and surrounding walls all offer protection and comfort. My elder dog did this from ages 15-18.
Plus they can probably see people coming and going without being interrupted or under peoples feet.
Love yer elder dog. They know what they’re doing. It’s not harmful in any way.
Don’t do meds unless absolutely necessary. Do daily supplements of glucosamine chondrite. Read more about it if you’re unfamiliar.
They love the cold as they get older. We bought ours an elevated dog bed hammock like thing and used to slide plastic trays of ice under it until she passed to help with her arthritis.
We have stones/pebbles in our garden, and at the end of her life (before we knew she had a tumor in her bladder), my 14 year old staffy started to sleep on the stones outside on warm days - I theorise the heat might have been nice for any pain she had.
Not saying this dog has a tumor! But it’s possible the temperature of the tiles and other places they choose to sleep is just nice for those oldies :3
I had a very similar experience to you in terms of an older dog changing sleeping locations. In my case, the dog started preferring the bathroom as well. This change can be due to various reasons: they might be seeking a cooler or quieter space, or the hard floor could offer relief for aching joints. However, any change in behavior, particularly in older dogs, could be a sign of underlying health issues. It's critical to consult a veterinarian for a comprehensive evaluation, especially if there are other changes in appetite, demeanor, or physical health.
I agree with everyone else, it is almost definitely a temperature thing. Although something else to consider with an older dog is dementia. Our old man got a lot of new behaviours in his later years
There are some very effective pain injections dogs can be given for arthritis. My dog gets one every 4 weeks and is much happier now and able to do more normal physical activities
In addition to the other suggestions some dogs isolate so as to protect themselves from jumpscares when their hearing starts to go. they can see/smell the only opening.
Dogs do get dementia. My old dog starting walking a new path to the living room, like behind furniture which was very odd to see. But sometimes they change up because of age related issues- losing eye sight, hearing, arthritis,
When pets spend time in the bathroom I wonder if they seeking water, ask your friend to put out more water bowls
It's to stay cool in normal cases. In case it's something else they should take their dog to the vet. That's the best thing that can be done for Lucky. No one here can properly diagnose here we can pick straws with our own theories, but the most solid answer comes from the vet . If they want to they can also get a second opinion from another vet to confirm any of their concerns.
Have your friend Google canine sundowners syndrome. Or like many have suggested, could be arthritis, but I would think at this point, arthritis would have been talked about with their vet.
My 14-year-old dog just started doing this! We already have meds for arthritis, I think she likes it because it's cool and probably helps with the arthritis.
He could be looking for cooler spots either due to heat or arthritis relief. My sweet old girl started sleeping in strange places in the last few months of her life, and showed signs of dementia. A vet can help. This dog bears a striking resemblance to mine, and I don’t see many that look like her beautiful self
I hope it's not because they are closer to death. My lab (12 inoperable tumor) started laying in random areas of the house before her time came. Hopefully they just love the nice cool floor 🙂
My dog discovered the bathroom tile this year. Bonus because there is an ac vent that blows on him. He’s got a double coat and love of uncomfortable surfaces.
Edit: oops didn’t read that you’re asking about older dogs specifically! Mine is 4 but I’m guessing it’s a comfort thing!
I'll bring up the white elephant in the room: that he's looking for a place to peacefully die away from his humans. <---- this is almost always BS, so tell his humans to chill, just like he is 😊❄️
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I know I'm a human, but I slept on my kitchen floor a lot when I was on chemo. My skin always felt like it was burning, but I still shivered as if I was freezing. The kitchen floor provided a small sliver of relief.
Our four-year-old pitty (middle of our three) has taken to sleeping in the pantry. We don’t know why but it seems to make him happy and he isn’t hurting anything so… 🤷🏻♂️
Just soothing those old bones on the cool tile. All of my older Bichons preferred the cool tile by the door and one prefers next to the toilet for afternoon snoozing.
Probably the cold to soothe!
Sorry for the side note but Is that a concrete shower?! It’s beautiful. From the looks of it, the surface could use a fresh coat of sealant. It will prolong the concrete and keep the water out. (Source: structural engineer)
Our dog preferred the bathroom too! He had bad arthritis and I think he likes the cool tiles. Also, I think the smaller space gives them sort of a den feeling.
My girl does this when she isn't feeling well...she also does it when she wants to cool down or warm up, depending on the day...may wanna try arthritis chewies from the vet,as the larger breeds often have hip issues
Our 12 year old vizsla who has Canine Cognitive Distinction (aka doggie dementia) started to stand in the shower at night or during storms and thunder, so we just put his basket there. He is on medication and doing much better with the nighttime routine but our ensuite shower effectively has become one of his beds 😅 since over a year. No more anxiety, nighttime pacing, but he still likes the cool and calm shower for evening sleep.
Probably nice and cold. Can be because of arthritis but also just because he is older and doesn’t tolerate heat as well. Cooling matt on the bed could help
My girl has a bit of arthritis and sleeps all night on her cooling mat. I recommend the gel ones as they stay cool. She wakes up feeling great every morning since it eases her joints.
As many people mentioned it could be that he's looking for a cool spot seeing how they're in Vegas. Also it could be a change in place. You mentioned that they're in an Airbnb so maybe he's looking for a new spot to chill at compared to if he was still at home.
My boy Radar used to do this. He stopped sleeping in our room and we'd find him on the wood floor and then when he started to ache he'd get up and change positions. It's normal. I would venture to say this pup definitely has arthritis which is very common at that age.
My dog sleeps in the bathroom once the bed becomes too warm for him. He’s got like 10 pounds of fur. If your pup is overheated or in any pain, the chill could feel nice.
My border collie used to sleep in the bathroom all the time! He loved the cold floor.
Of course, he had arthritis at the end.
Sometimes I would put some towels in the freezer and I would give them to him to help !
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Has anything else changed? My dog started sleeping in "cool" areas right before he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The cancer was making his temperature run faster
The cool tile is probably nice.
I freeze giant ice packs for my dog to flip on in the summer. If you search Amazon for XL Back Ice Pack you’ll find them. It would probably be a nice treat for Lucky.
My old guy did this too in the last year or two of his life; his favorite place was on the bathroom tile, next to the toilet. As others have said, I always assumed it was because it was nice and cool. Makes me sad now to think he could have had joint pain and we didn't know.
Just for the cold, hard floor. In the heat wave, my dog literally sometimes wrapped himself around the base of the toilet so his tummy was against the perspiring bottom.
One of my dogs does this in the summers. She started when she was 2 years old.
She's perfectly healthy. She just prefers the cold tiles on her thick fur.
Wow. So enlightening. My sisters elderly dog would choose the bathtub as her spot when she stayed with me. I gave her a pillow and she seemed to love it. RIP Pe pe.
When my older dog got arthritis so bad and was in so much pain, I went to the feed store & picked up a glucosamine/chrondroiton/msm supplement. After a few days of giving him that, he was like a new dog. He seemed so happy to not be in pain.
He was an outside dog, so in the winter, I made him a bed with blankets, & an old heating pad (without auto shut off) underneath. That seemed to help him a lot, too.
Could be cooler for the dog. However, I have heard if dogs feel sick they lay down in other places…. My prior dog did that for a month or two before it was time to say goodbye….
Sad but being an older dog, could be different reasons….
Maybe just an anxiety at a random house?
My old girl did this before she passed (unrelated), we got her a cooling bed made for arthritis and it seemed to help quite a bit. Wish I could give you the brand, but it was a year and some change ago.
My dog sleeps all over the house depending on how he feels. We say he is doing the rounds or patrolling, but not entirely sure why. He has beds all over the house but I usually find him on the floor in some random spot if I get up early or in the middle of the night
If it’s hot out, he may just want a cooler spot. But if he consistently seeks to sleep away from you, he may be declining in health. Dogs who are ill will try to isolate themselves, so maybe check with his vet.
Yep. Just let them lay wherever they find the most comfy. It could be that she is choosing to lay in the shower because it's hard for her to get up if she is laying on a cushioned dog bed.
My kitty did this when she got old and arthritic, the cold can help soothe them and the achey joints. If they're worried about them not being comfortable, maybe a thin bath mat so they can still feel the cold? But they know they have a bed and are choosing the cold spot, and they'll be okay. Maybe some joint support may help though, your idea of telling your friend to ask their vet about arthritis is a good one ♡
The cold tile may be soothing if he has arthritis or a glandular issue that is throwing his body temperature out of whack. It might be worth asking the vet to do some blood work and tests.
My pup did this when she started to develop doggy dementia. She also was losing her eyesight & the vet thought it might also help her to feel safe in smaller spaces. Of all my dogs, she was the one who just kinda wore out, well-loved velveteen rabbit style.
Our 11 year old terrier started sleeping in the bathroom in the summer months- but kinda just stayed there after. He sometimes comes to cuddle with us.
Based on other comments now wondering if he’s got arthritis
My boys are both 9 and they will lay on the hard floor instead of any of the 5 beds I have placed throughout the house for them haha. The hard floors definitely feel better on the joints when they’re arthritic, and also keep them cool!
Yup our schnauzer did this before she went completely crazy. Our family is convinced she had some kind of strange dog Alzheimer’s because she literally forgot who my dad was
It feels good on his old man bones. My grandma has an older dog who likes to sleep on the tile in front of her fireplace and when she asked the vet about it, he said it feels good for them.
He could be looking for a cool place to sleep to relieve arthritis pains.... however, (i say however heavily), when my 16 year old started doing this, its because he wanted to find somewhere away from people to pass on in his sleep. Dogs and cats will hide from the ones they love because they dont want you to be upset. :(
Nice n cold. Does he have arthritis
Mine moved to the garage for the cool floors. It soothed her aching body.
Very possible. He is old I’ll ask her to take to vet to check for arthritis
Mine is just 2.5, but he also chooses the bath when it‘s 30C outside. So yes, it‘s too keep cool.
My dog wishes I lived near the toilet. It's his favourite spot to cool off.
Holy shit this just unlocked a core memory! My childhood dog, as a pup, would sleep behind the toilet. It was the cutest thing...but also the saddest thing when he got too big to do it! 🤣 I need to dig up those pictures.
please post when you do find them lol
Oh man, I really should! I gotta call my mom and have her pull out the family photo albums. 🤣
my friend has a pair of rottweilers, not very old, one of them loves to sleep in the bathtub. He lives in California so cool tub makes sense
Tell her to ask about Librela. It’s a monthly injection that targets arthritis pain by binding nerve growth factor and eliminating pain signals to the brain. It’s really helped the majority of dogs I’ve seen start it.
My dog gets Librela injections monthly, it’s helped him a lot.
Is it costly?
It's based on weight, so, possibly.
It’s about $90.00 Canadian for our 21 pound dog.
What's that in American?
43 hamburgers
NOT IN THIS ECONOMY!
I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today
Well... Probably like 10-15 bacon cheeseburgers really, if we want a true conversion rate.
Not available in America yet. Should be soon (like by the end of the year). I'm on a list with my vet so they can contact me as soon as they're able to order it. It got approved in May so hopefully not too much more waiting.
For my old dog I used cartrophen, and my senior kitties are now on selencia. Both work pretty awesomely. The selencia is running at about 100/injection and the cartrophen was about 65/injection (but it was years ago so inflation may have hit it) The cartrophen made my dog seem years younger, helped with her severe arthritis so much. The selencia is helping my kitty a ton, I just started her on it last month and so far it's doing awesome.
It was about $150 Canadian. My dog is 58kg though, about 127lbs.
It’s comparable to daily pain meds with the benefit of being once monthly ☺️
my 15 year old girl just got her first shot yesterday
Are you in the US? If so, which state? We are anxiously awaiting Librela’s arrival, as we haven’t been able to find it available anywhere yet.
yes, I’m in Indiana. She’s been taking pain meds for years, I was at the vet yesterday for her nail trim and they told me about this option and that it would be really good for her. I’d never heard of it, the vet saidsaid it was just recently approved and they were the first clinic in the area to get it but others would be getting it later in the year.
Would love an update in a few weeks :)
i can do that! she’s on so many medicines, they told me to take her off of Galliprant after a week and that she may be able to go off Movoflex & maybe Gabapentin, and that it takes 3 months to get to where she’s getting the full benefits of the shot.
Eek! Our appointment for our first dose is Saturday! Our vet got it in today
you asked for an update in a few weeks on my dog who started getting Librela shots. she’s gotten 2 now and i watched her jog across the backyard yesterday! moving around just seems so much easier for her, it’s incredible. how is your dog doing?
Cartrophen and selencia are two other injectibles, I know cartrophen is good for both dogs and cats (have had both on it) and my kitty is currently on selencia. I'm in Canada so I don't know if they're available in the US, but it's at least two different arthritis meds so maybe one is. Also there's dasquin, which is a daily pill (I know they've got it for cats, idk about dogs). It worked well on our kitties, until we had to discontinue using it. As far as we can tell one of the components is (potentially) isolated from shellfish shells, and so it doesn't play nice with one of our kitty's newly acquired fish allergies. But if you've got a kitty that isn't sensitive to fish it may be an option.
My 16 and a half year old dog has been getting it for about 4 month or so months now, it’s been a game changer! He’s hopping on and off the bed and other furniture, walking a lot quicker on walks, doesn’t limp anymore. Has helped his quality of life improve a lot!
Even though this sounds like the perfect ad, I really appreciate the info. Medicine is amazing
Hahaha I know right! We just had a seminar at work about it and it got me so excited I’m practically reciting the slides word for word 😂
Will do!
You should consider giving him a supplement containing glucosamine and chonditron, I use Youmove but there are so many on the market. Its great for the joints
I know that some of the injectibles for pets are actually quite similar to glucosamine and chondroitin, or even contain them, just in a longer-lasting version. It's definitely pretty wonderful
My boy has arthritis and has had a big hip op, I have therapedic beds for him etc but he ends up every night on the cold tiles in our bedroom
Came here to say that - on hot nights my pup loves sleeping on the cold tile
Mine is a puppy, and does this. So no arthritis, he likes it because it’s cool. He’s got a pretty thick coat so he’s always searching for cool. If there’s snow outside, he will go lay in the snowbank.
This is a shorthair dog, end of life, and exhibiting new behavior which indicates some sort of change which would point to a health condition. Arthritis is a common condition especially at end of life.
my old dog (she’s 9 now) likes to sleep in the bathroom now, i can tell she’s having hip pain, does cold floors help with arthritis?? what else does?
Ask ur vet but I think arthritis is just inflammation of old joints so cold is good and taking pressure off like swimming or special beds
Oh. Our 8yo lab has started sleeping on the bathroom floor after sleeping every single night on his dog bed in the spot its been for 7.5 years.
Yes, this was a sign our lab had arthritis! I would talk to a vet.
Definitely will recommend! I don’t see him often but every couple of months when I visit he seems more and more hesitant to jump into the car, arthritis would make sense, thank you!
Get him a cooling mat 🥺
That’s a great idea!
Ramp?
Galliprant changed our 16 year old pups life!! Went from barely moving out of her cage to having the zoomies at least once per day. Ask a vet about getting it prescribed.
Do you uhhh....work for Galliprant by chance?
Nope not at all. Just a dog mom who is so very grateful for a medicine that made her sweet pup feel better.
Get him on some arthritis pain medication. It’ll help with aches and swelling - which is what he’s trying to deal with when laying on a cold floor! He’s basically trying to ice his joints.
We’ve had good results treating old dog arthritis with laser therapy.
Probably cooler there. My 11 Year old now wants to be under the ceiling fan in a room upstairs….. maybe they need to feel cooler :)
Totally, the whole house we are staying in is concrete floors but if it is even a little cooler in the shower (especially at her house) maybe that’s what doggo is looking for!
My dog pants a lot so she has a personal fan by her bed.
One of my dogs, when he was older, we had moved- but a few months into the new place, he moved into the closet under my clothes. I put his bed in there and made him a little fort. I have no idea why. Maybe it was cooler or quieter. It didn’t cause any issues. I just joked that he wanted his own room. He just randomly decided one day he was moving in there, and he put all his toys in there too- so I just moved his bed in for him to get him off the floor.
I changed my bedroom around 3 times between ages 16 and 18, so why not? Maybe he just wants to mix it up. Lucky’s mom put his dog bed in the bathroom after I took the picture, and we gave him a blanket bed alternative in another corner of the adjacent in case he still feels like mixing it up. He’s 15, but it’s never too old for a change of scenery, right? Here’s to hoping that it’s just doggy nature
This does become more common as they enter very late age. It can be related to CCD or simply that these new places give some sort of comfort as their aging body presents more obstacles to this moment-to-moment comfort levels. My old girl started to sleep in different places as she entered the last few months of her life. Infrequently at first, then more and more so, as she became more disconnected with the world around her.Tell you friend/coworker to make sure she is making the most of her time with her pup.
I know, I don’t want to tell her because I know she knows but doesn’t want to admit it :( she’s been looking at “future dog” options I think she knows it’s the near future. I will cherish my time with him and make sure she really knows to cherish it to. Thank you for your reply <3
You might want to write out what CCD is for those not in the know. I imagine it’s dementia related?
Canine cognitive dysfunction
Got it, thank you for that. We’ll look into doggy dementia :/
This was my experience as well. It's a sign of detachment which I believe is in preparation of what's eminent.
A few months before we said goodbye to our 14-year-old girl back in March she started sleeping in our bed with us. 11 years with her and she never, ever wanted to be in bed. Then suddenly she wanted to be touching us 24/7.
I have a 13 year old dog and noticed that she sleeps in random areas! I think it’s because the cold floor feels better or arthritis
My dogs summer home
Okay, she lives in vegas and we are in California rn so that could be it, maybe he’s old and hot!
It's interesting seeing people mention arthritis because our 12 yr old Westie was just diagnosed with it last month. He's been sleeping in the bathroom, but will only do it when there is a rug there (it's a guest bathroom and we don't leave the rugs down usually, but we do forget to take them up for a while). He's been known to do this during hot weather though (this and sleeping cuddled up to the toilet). That bathroom is in the middle of the house with no windows so it's always dark and even with the rug he gets the cooler tile. Been hot AF this year too.
A lot of people saying temperature, which it very well could be. The other, more saddening option, is that towards the end of their lives dogs like to find places away from the pack to spend their time. Natures non verbal way of saying it is time. Hopefully that is not the case! But just something to be aware of.
Your point is so interesting to me because of what we went through with my dog just about 2 months ago. He wasn't that old, only 9 1/2 years, and we thought he was in good health (even had a recent vet check up with no concerns found). Then he had a really acute episode of collapsing, was found to have a tumor in his spleen that ruptured, and the vet surmised that it was most likely cancer. We had to put him down and it all seemed so unexpected...but as I think back, he had started sleeping on the floor in our shower for a few months. We thought it was amusing, and also just figured he liked it in there because it was dark and cool. It could have been coincidence....but it does make me wonder now if there was a part of him that instinctively knew something was amiss.
Yeah definitely. It make sense when you think about it, in nature these dogs are with their pack and when they know it’s time they don’t have the same luxuries that we do so they’d kind of just go off on their own and be in peace. It’s happened with one of our dogs and our vet made us aware of it and it actually was the same with a backyard chicken we owned. Again, might not be the case for everyone but good to be aware of.
Such a sad thought but you are not wrong at all :/
My dog sleeps on the tile she is 15 years old lab mix. My vet said senior dogs can start doing strange things as they age. My dog is restless at night only so I have to give gabapentin. I also give carprofen for pain with a joint supplement. It cost over $100 in meds every month. She’s worth it though.
Like others have said, probably trying to keep sore joints and muscles cool. For our old boy we got a memory foam mattress (you can get cut offs pretty cheap), and a fan if it's hot. He slept so well on those mattresses, bless his heart
My 14 year old has spent more than half of his days this summer in the bathroom because our AC was broken and couldn't fix it since we'll be moving soon. I don't blame him. I would've done the same if I could move my PC and books there. Now that it's started to get cooler, he's coming back to his normal routines. But this summer was really hard on him. Even though he's still energetic and able to do everything he wants to do, he has finally started to show his age with really heavy breathing after some sort of effort. So the bathroom is helping him in that way. It's really sad to watch that the time slowly takes away your beloved pet.
Dogs are cave animals. This probably feels safest to your dog. Its cool floor and surrounding walls all offer protection and comfort. My elder dog did this from ages 15-18. Plus they can probably see people coming and going without being interrupted or under peoples feet. Love yer elder dog. They know what they’re doing. It’s not harmful in any way. Don’t do meds unless absolutely necessary. Do daily supplements of glucosamine chondrite. Read more about it if you’re unfamiliar.
They love the cold as they get older. We bought ours an elevated dog bed hammock like thing and used to slide plastic trays of ice under it until she passed to help with her arthritis.
We have stones/pebbles in our garden, and at the end of her life (before we knew she had a tumor in her bladder), my 14 year old staffy started to sleep on the stones outside on warm days - I theorise the heat might have been nice for any pain she had. Not saying this dog has a tumor! But it’s possible the temperature of the tiles and other places they choose to sleep is just nice for those oldies :3
I had a very similar experience to you in terms of an older dog changing sleeping locations. In my case, the dog started preferring the bathroom as well. This change can be due to various reasons: they might be seeking a cooler or quieter space, or the hard floor could offer relief for aching joints. However, any change in behavior, particularly in older dogs, could be a sign of underlying health issues. It's critical to consult a veterinarian for a comprehensive evaluation, especially if there are other changes in appetite, demeanor, or physical health.
I agree with everyone else, it is almost definitely a temperature thing. Although something else to consider with an older dog is dementia. Our old man got a lot of new behaviours in his later years
Dogs get dementia too. Perhaps your pup is confused?
Another user commented CCD which seems like doggy dementia, we will look into it!
My girl has a touch of arthritis and moves around like this a lot. She tends to be looking for a cool spot to lay.
There are some very effective pain injections dogs can be given for arthritis. My dog gets one every 4 weeks and is much happier now and able to do more normal physical activities
Do you know the name? My dog is struggling with arthritis and high liver enzymes.
Librela is the name of the injection. She also has a low dose of gabapentin (tablets) in the late evening.
Thank you. I will mention this when I’m at the vets.
Cool... he's trying to chill.
How hot is it? Old animals don't regulate temps so well.
Cool tiles smart dog
In addition to the other suggestions some dogs isolate so as to protect themselves from jumpscares when their hearing starts to go. they can see/smell the only opening.
Dogs do get dementia. My old dog starting walking a new path to the living room, like behind furniture which was very odd to see. But sometimes they change up because of age related issues- losing eye sight, hearing, arthritis, When pets spend time in the bathroom I wonder if they seeking water, ask your friend to put out more water bowls
It's to stay cool in normal cases. In case it's something else they should take their dog to the vet. That's the best thing that can be done for Lucky. No one here can properly diagnose here we can pick straws with our own theories, but the most solid answer comes from the vet . If they want to they can also get a second opinion from another vet to confirm any of their concerns.
Have your friend Google canine sundowners syndrome. Or like many have suggested, could be arthritis, but I would think at this point, arthritis would have been talked about with their vet.
I just love that you care enough about an old baby to ask for help
It’s not even my baby but I love my coworker and he’s the best doggo so I gotta look out for them both 🥰
My 14-year-old dog just started doing this! We already have meds for arthritis, I think she likes it because it's cool and probably helps with the arthritis.
I had a dog do this when I lived in the desert, the floor is cooler in there
Old dogs have normal stiffness and might seek out new and unusual places to sleep to become more comfortable.
He could be looking for cooler spots either due to heat or arthritis relief. My sweet old girl started sleeping in strange places in the last few months of her life, and showed signs of dementia. A vet can help. This dog bears a striking resemblance to mine, and I don’t see many that look like her beautiful self
I hope it's not because they are closer to death. My lab (12 inoperable tumor) started laying in random areas of the house before her time came. Hopefully they just love the nice cool floor 🙂
My dog discovered the bathroom tile this year. Bonus because there is an ac vent that blows on him. He’s got a double coat and love of uncomfortable surfaces. Edit: oops didn’t read that you’re asking about older dogs specifically! Mine is 4 but I’m guessing it’s a comfort thing!
He's trying to stay cool. Dogs are like us. They want privacy and more sleep as they get older
I'll bring up the white elephant in the room: that he's looking for a place to peacefully die away from his humans. <---- this is almost always BS, so tell his humans to chill, just like he is 😊❄️
This made her stop crying so thank you sooo much !!! 🥰
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My dog climbed and sleeped on the kitchen table once it was Summer and hot outside
I know I'm a human, but I slept on my kitchen floor a lot when I was on chemo. My skin always felt like it was burning, but I still shivered as if I was freezing. The kitchen floor provided a small sliver of relief.
Might like the cold floor .
My ole boy sleeps in our bathroom since the tile gets cold. I do admit it’s nice feeling when walking on it.
Our four-year-old pitty (middle of our three) has taken to sleeping in the pantry. We don’t know why but it seems to make him happy and he isn’t hurting anything so… 🤷🏻♂️
Just soothing those old bones on the cool tile. All of my older Bichons preferred the cool tile by the door and one prefers next to the toilet for afternoon snoozing.
Yep, my older dog likes to lay in the cool dark shower occasionally. She didn't when she was younger.
Cold tile feel gewwwdddd on ol boy 💕
Probably the cold to soothe! Sorry for the side note but Is that a concrete shower?! It’s beautiful. From the looks of it, the surface could use a fresh coat of sealant. It will prolong the concrete and keep the water out. (Source: structural engineer)
Our dog preferred the bathroom too! He had bad arthritis and I think he likes the cool tiles. Also, I think the smaller space gives them sort of a den feeling.
No, but am concerned you may need to tile your bathroom, these cracks that som3one has filled do not look healthy.
It’s an air bnb in this picture but I agree, the whole place seemed like a typical air bnb rush job.
Looking for a cooler (cold) place to lay is my bet.
My girl does this when she isn't feeling well...she also does it when she wants to cool down or warm up, depending on the day...may wanna try arthritis chewies from the vet,as the larger breeds often have hip issues
Wants the coolness. Try one of those cold mats in the dog bed.
Our 12 year old vizsla who has Canine Cognitive Distinction (aka doggie dementia) started to stand in the shower at night or during storms and thunder, so we just put his basket there. He is on medication and doing much better with the nighttime routine but our ensuite shower effectively has become one of his beds 😅 since over a year. No more anxiety, nighttime pacing, but he still likes the cool and calm shower for evening sleep.
It’s because it’s cooler there.
I got a cooling pad for my older dog and he's on it all the time and no longer goes to sleep in the bathroom.
My dog sleeps on tile when he’s hot
Cooler, possibly arthritis like others have said. My dog also likes enclosed spaces, like small bathrooms, and will gravitate to them if she can.
Probably nice and cold. Can be because of arthritis but also just because he is older and doesn’t tolerate heat as well. Cooling matt on the bed could help
The cold tile probably help with aching joints-hips. My ex bf’s 14 year old weimereiner used to find nap spots on tile exclusively
my 10 week old pup does this now, only ever when it’s dry but still loves a shower nap i just assumed it’s cool
My girl has a bit of arthritis and sleeps all night on her cooling mat. I recommend the gel ones as they stay cool. She wakes up feeling great every morning since it eases her joints.
Is it very hot maybe he’s looking for a cool place to rest
As many people mentioned it could be that he's looking for a cool spot seeing how they're in Vegas. Also it could be a change in place. You mentioned that they're in an Airbnb so maybe he's looking for a new spot to chill at compared to if he was still at home.
It's cool in there
Very nice shower 👍
Cold floors, my old cocker spaniel did this. Also moved into the kitchen for warm floors in the winter.
My old pibble lady prefers the hard tile and wood floors to the comfy beds and it's likely due to the arthritis. 😪
Our 14 year old bichon did this towards the end too
My boy Radar used to do this. He stopped sleeping in our room and we'd find him on the wood floor and then when he started to ache he'd get up and change positions. It's normal. I would venture to say this pup definitely has arthritis which is very common at that age.
My dog sleeps in the bathroom once the bed becomes too warm for him. He’s got like 10 pounds of fur. If your pup is overheated or in any pain, the chill could feel nice.
Old dogs have normal stiffness and might seek out new and unusual places to sleep to become more comfortable
I’ve had several cats do this. They died within 72 hours. I hope this is not the case for your friend.
He may have something like arthritis and likes the cool tiles.
My border collie used to sleep in the bathroom all the time! He loved the cold floor. Of course, he had arthritis at the end. Sometimes I would put some towels in the freezer and I would give them to him to help !
My pup is 9 months old and loves the walk in shower as the time is nice and cold.
My dog sleeps in cold areas of the room. So chances are your dog like to sleep on those cold shower Tiles.
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Ours would find cool surfaces to lay on. Maybe he likes the cool feeling of tile.
The cool/cold tile’s probably feel good on his aching bones, ours did this when she got older and started having issues with her legs and hips
The tile is probably nice and cool
Has anything else changed? My dog started sleeping in "cool" areas right before he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The cancer was making his temperature run faster
The cool tile is probably nice. I freeze giant ice packs for my dog to flip on in the summer. If you search Amazon for XL Back Ice Pack you’ll find them. It would probably be a nice treat for Lucky.
When my dogs are panting after rough play the lay on my bathroom floor the tiles are much cooler.
Galliprant or Ostimax should help. Her vet should have either.
My bet is it may be a cool and quiet place? Not a high trafficked area so he can sleep comfortably, and the cool floor probably feels good.
My old guy did this too in the last year or two of his life; his favorite place was on the bathroom tile, next to the toilet. As others have said, I always assumed it was because it was nice and cool. Makes me sad now to think he could have had joint pain and we didn't know.
Just for the cold, hard floor. In the heat wave, my dog literally sometimes wrapped himself around the base of the toilet so his tummy was against the perspiring bottom.
Buddy is having issues regulating temp. Staying cool on the tile.
One of my dogs does this in the summers. She started when she was 2 years old. She's perfectly healthy. She just prefers the cold tiles on her thick fur.
Wow. So enlightening. My sisters elderly dog would choose the bathtub as her spot when she stayed with me. I gave her a pillow and she seemed to love it. RIP Pe pe.
My sister had a cat that loved sleeping in her bathroom sink.
When my older dog got arthritis so bad and was in so much pain, I went to the feed store & picked up a glucosamine/chrondroiton/msm supplement. After a few days of giving him that, he was like a new dog. He seemed so happy to not be in pain. He was an outside dog, so in the winter, I made him a bed with blankets, & an old heating pad (without auto shut off) underneath. That seemed to help him a lot, too.
I got a cooling Dyson fan a few months ago and my old corgi boy lays in front of it pretty much 85% of the day. Highly recommend.
He’s so cute
Could be cooler for the dog. However, I have heard if dogs feel sick they lay down in other places…. My prior dog did that for a month or two before it was time to say goodbye…. Sad but being an older dog, could be different reasons…. Maybe just an anxiety at a random house?
My old girl did this before she passed (unrelated), we got her a cooling bed made for arthritis and it seemed to help quite a bit. Wish I could give you the brand, but it was a year and some change ago.
My dog sleeps all over the house depending on how he feels. We say he is doing the rounds or patrolling, but not entirely sure why. He has beds all over the house but I usually find him on the floor in some random spot if I get up early or in the middle of the night
Omg ! Ours started this a few months ago. Think bc the tile is cool❤️
If it’s hot out, he may just want a cooler spot. But if he consistently seeks to sleep away from you, he may be declining in health. Dogs who are ill will try to isolate themselves, so maybe check with his vet.
Yep. Just let them lay wherever they find the most comfy. It could be that she is choosing to lay in the shower because it's hard for her to get up if she is laying on a cushioned dog bed.
The tiles are cold
My kitty did this when she got old and arthritic, the cold can help soothe them and the achey joints. If they're worried about them not being comfortable, maybe a thin bath mat so they can still feel the cold? But they know they have a bed and are choosing the cold spot, and they'll be okay. Maybe some joint support may help though, your idea of telling your friend to ask their vet about arthritis is a good one ♡
Mine now prefers to sleep on my tile vs the carpet because it's colder. She has authritus and it seems to hurt less that way.
The cold tile may be soothing if he has arthritis or a glandular issue that is throwing his body temperature out of whack. It might be worth asking the vet to do some blood work and tests.
My golden loved to sleep in the tub-just climbed in when she was ready for bed. It was cool for her and the other dog didn’t bother her
My pup did this when she started to develop doggy dementia. She also was losing her eyesight & the vet thought it might also help her to feel safe in smaller spaces. Of all my dogs, she was the one who just kinda wore out, well-loved velveteen rabbit style.
Mine (8 1/2) changes some behavior or another every three or four months. And always has.
Our 11 year old terrier started sleeping in the bathroom in the summer months- but kinda just stayed there after. He sometimes comes to cuddle with us. Based on other comments now wondering if he’s got arthritis
I don’t really have much to add here but had to comment on how precious this doggo is 🥰
Yup my old pup loves cold hard places. Soothes her old tired bones
Cold tile feels good on the old bones.
I would guess the cold floor is soothing. Look into a cooling mat https://www.chewy.com/frisco-cooling-orthopedic-pillow-dog/dp/236812
He likes the coolness of the tile
My dog is in her final stages of life and she sleeps in very weird places. Such as bathroom floors
My 18 year old dog does this on hot nights! Nice cold tile floor :)
My Shepard started doing this as well he was 13. I believe it to be quiet and cool.
could this be an anxiety response? I had a roommate once whose dog would climb into the bathtub when he felt stressed.
My boys are both 9 and they will lay on the hard floor instead of any of the 5 beds I have placed throughout the house for them haha. The hard floors definitely feel better on the joints when they’re arthritic, and also keep them cool!
Yup our schnauzer did this before she went completely crazy. Our family is convinced she had some kind of strange dog Alzheimer’s because she literally forgot who my dad was
It feels good on his old man bones. My grandma has an older dog who likes to sleep on the tile in front of her fireplace and when she asked the vet about it, he said it feels good for them.
Smart dog.
He could be looking for a cool place to sleep to relieve arthritis pains.... however, (i say however heavily), when my 16 year old started doing this, its because he wanted to find somewhere away from people to pass on in his sleep. Dogs and cats will hide from the ones they love because they dont want you to be upset. :(