u/AlwaysSunnyOnWkdays

So proud of myself: I'm an emetophobe for more than 4 decades and it has often kept me from enjoying things.  But I didn't let this fear stop me from a recent trip to Cental America.  On this trip I had a blast and conquered several exposures:  eating raw fruit and drinking the water in a country where the risk is more elevated than at home; eating from buffets; riding a bus for hours on twisty mountain roads despite my very real tendency toward motion sickness in this scenario (thanks Dramamine non-drowsy, sea bands, and Libby library/audiobook app); using bathrooms that are well below my preferred level of cleanliness; and going on a zipline course.  But the biggest trigger of all was that a person in our group threw up unexpectedly all over himself on Day 1.  I didn't freak out. I boarded a bus with him, ate buffets with him, etc.  (Knowing that it was probably altitude sickness helped a lot).  I had a lot of fun!  You can do hard things.

My goldendoodle is 10 years old and after years of perfect potty manners is pooping in the house during the workday. She recently had a vet checkup with all labs and has had no dietary changes. Poop is normal except for the fact that it’s on my rug. I think she’s just old and can’t hold it. Should we put out a pad for her to use? Despite having a pet cam I’m not sure when it’s happening, but I could also try hiring a midday walker. She had a dog walker when young. Maybe she needs one now that she’s old. Anyone experience something similar?