I found out my mother's dog has been messing in the house. (solid waste in the living room, urine in one of the spare rooms and in the den). The dog also sleeps with her - but also chews up the blankets - rendering them kinda nasty looking even after they've been washed.
I've suggested kenneling the dog when she leaves the house to minimize the risk of "accidents" in the house, and using a muzzle as a training aid to stop the blanket chewing. The dog gives her comfort, and she will do nothing to try to curb his bad behavior.
Mom is at an age where she demands to be in control above all else and won't listen to reason. Any ideas/suggestions would be very welcome!
Back to the original question. Is this behavior with the dog fairly new? It might actually be an indication that your mom is beginning to slide down the mental path: not caring about cleanliness, not taking the effort to track the pet's behavior .. can all be signs that she's declining. It could mean that her own personal hygiene is suffering, which could mean her health will, too. UTIs are one of the more serious side effects of this. Are you sure she's taking meds as she's supposed to?
And, of course she wants to retain control. At this stage in our lives, it's just about all we have left. I think it's important to understand WHY this is happening.
Good luck and let us know how it all goes.