So my almost 8 yr old lab mix has taken to messing in the house. It's only during the day if I leave for a few hours. I haven't worked for about a year so I'm usually always home unless I go out to run some errands. It is never more than a few hours and I let her out before I leave and immediately when I get back. We are a few weeks away from having a baby so things have been hectic. We are reorganizing and moving stuff. We have a gate on the steps so we don't allow her on the second floor when we are gone because we have new carpet up there. We immediately clean the messes up and then bleach the floors. We are losing our patience and not sure what to do. We are thinking of getting a crate and crating her while we are not home that is how we originally trained her. Any suggestions? We have a vet appointment in a few weeks should I move it up?

A gate and a new baby, along with anxiety can get a dogs all turned around and "forget" housetraining. BTW skip the bleach and try an enzyme like Natures Miracle Natures Miracle Stain & Odor Remover 32oz. Get the crate and begin the retraining process while giving your guy praise and treats for good behavior. Skip any negative reaction to accidents, your dog will never connect the negativity with his accident, he will link it to the very last thing he did just before you gave him the negative. This could inculde coming to you when you call him. Dogs have the memory of a gnat

I had that problem dogs your like people when we were little mom had a baby we were bad same with dogs the feel that things won't be the same anymore. Just spend time and when you leave have her own room she can playing and see how she feels then I did it and my dog loves it and she stop acting up on me and life is good, A dog what's to be a person so treat them like it