6 month old pees in crate - webcam + pee log

[Joe Beam]

My 6 month old male is having a problem peeing in his kennel. I leave at 7:45 am and he consistently pees at around 11:00. I come home during my lunch break at 12:00 and then leave again at 12:30. In the afternoon he'll usually pee around 3:45. I also leave a towel in there for him.

I know the exact times because I have a webcam pointed at his kennel along with a program that detects motion. I've been keeping a log of when he pees. I also found out that without a towel, he will clean the pee up by licking it and splashing it around. With a towel...he will use it to mop up the pee and then he'll go back to sleep on the same towel. He pretty much sleeps all day except for when he gets up to stretch or when he pees.

The kennel is cleaned with nature's miracle and the towels are washed. He just had a urinalysis done today and there were no problems with that. When I am home he goes to the back door and paws at some bells when he needs to go outside. I always take him outside to pee right before I put him in the kennel. He sleeps in the bed and can hold his pee from 10:00pm to 6:30am no problem.

I'm going to try washing the towels with some vinegar and take him for longer walks in the morning.

Does anyone think it would do any good to pull the piss towel out and put it in his face and tell him NO?

Any other ideas?

 

[gmacleod]

Does anyone think it would do any good to pull the piss towel out and put it in his face and tell him NO?

No - I think that would be a disgusting thing to do to any animal, and would achieve nothing except to prove to the dog that you do revolting and cruel things unpredictably. It certainly isn't going to make one iota of difference to his physical ability to hold his bladder.


If your dog pees every single day after 3 hours, resorting to licking up his own urine rather than having to sit in it - the news for you is that is how long he is capable of holding on. Not every animal (or person, for that matter) is capable of going many hours without having to empty their bladder. It is abundantly clear that his physical limitations are being reached. Therefore, it is YOU who has to change the schedule to provide for his needs. The dog requires a greater number of opportunities to empty his bladder during the day.

The fact that he can last longer overnight is irrelevant. ALL of us can last longer overnight - because our bodies are not producing much urine. Night time is deep sleep time, the body's growth and repair phase, during which non-essential bodily functions such as urine production slow down. That's why you and I, and your dog, are all capable of sleeping 8+ hours without having to wake to empty our bladders - but not one of us (or at least, not me and not your dog) can last that long during the daytime when urine production is full speed ahead cleansing the body of toxins.

You could certainly try longer walks in the mornings to see if can help to ensure that he empties his bladder fully prior to being crated. But that cannot increase his bladder size - only help to make absolutely sure that he's "empty" prior to you leaving. If it does not help him to hold on long enough for you - then there's no other option but to accept he has the size of bladder that he has and start providing for his needs. That's not very convenient, undoubtably, for a modern lifestyle. But a physical limitation is a physical limitation and having an animal sitting in or licking up it's own urine daily is just not reasonable. In this instance, a dog walker or doggy daycare that enables him to relieve himself as needed would be a far better option.

 

[ELubas]

My girl's bladder is pushed up due to the fact that she is so tiny through her hips and abdomen. I thought she had spay incontinence until I had an ultrasound done and the vet showed me how "squished up" she is. As gmacleod said, she just can not hold it as long as my other dogs and it is what it is. I asked my dog walker to rearrange the schedule a little so she gets out sooner, and I know exactly how long I can let her go in the afternoon without an accident. Sometimes they just need a little more from us I have always thought it must be awful to have to wait for "permission" to pee Good luck to you

 

[Joe Beam]

A dog walker or doggy day care is not feasible as I don't have extra cash just laying around. I would never make the kennel smaller...as that's not really the problem because he has no problem with his own pee. I think it has become too convenient for him to relieve himself as soon as he wakes up from his nap. He doesn't lick it up so he doesn't have to sit in it. The kennel is large enough for him to lay on the other side. He licks it up to cover his tracks. When there is a towel he mops it up. That's why I give him the towel.

He didn't pee when I got home yesterday! I did use a "new" towel so maybe that had something to do with it. I was so happy for him...but then he was so excited he peed on my shoe before he could get past the door. .

 

[PMFLAR]

At 6 months he wont be able to hold it that long, my maimus had the same trouble till about 10 or 11 months, dont put his face in it, that will only hurt the bond betwen you and your pet.

 

[ELubas]

A dog walker or doggy day care is not feasible as I don't have extra cash just laying around. I would never make the kennel smaller...as that's not really the problem because he has no problem with his own pee. I think it has become too convenient for him to relieve himself as soon as he wakes up from his nap. He doesn't lick it up so he doesn't have to sit in it. The kennel is large enough for him to lay on the other side. He licks it up to cover his tracks. When there is a towel he mops it up. That's why I give him the towel.

He didn't pee when I got home yesterday! I did use a "new" towel so maybe that had something to do with it. I was so happy for him...but then he was so excited he peed on my shoe before he could get past the door. .

He is really trying to hold it and then was so excited to see you he just could not hold it a sec longer The point of making the kennel smaller is then they have no where else to lay down-that is why he moves to a "clean" spot. But in your case, if he has to be in there that long, a smaller crate almost seems mean, as he is doing the best he can, even trying to "cleanup", which you see them do. Do you have other "dog" friends? I walk in a group and we will let each others dogs out if someone needs us too. We just reciprocate with each other...

 

[Joe Beam]

I wish I had some friends that didn't work during the day...I also think he is still too young to consistently hold it for 4 hours twice a day. I took him for a long walk this morning and he seemed pretty tuckered out when I left.

One thing I forgot to mention is that I also have a 4yr old female boxer that is not kenneled. Do you think she could be making him antsy? I bet he would sleep all day if she wasn't walking around the house.

It's nice to hear others went through the same problem. It gets frustrating to clean him and the kennel twice a day.

Thanks all.

 

[Joe Beam]

So far so good this week. He has only peed in the kennel once this week. He went yesterday at 4:45 and i got home at 4:49...so close to making it!

The morning walks are totally making a difference and I recommend it to anyone with the same problem. It's going to be hard once it starts getting really cold out.

 

[Joe Beam]

progress update...

I stuck with the morning walks this week and it has really helped. He peed twice out of 10 times. Today he went at 10:30, but I think that was only because it was drizzling during our morning walk...so I think he held some pee in.

 

[BonnyBoxer]

Hi!

We have a 7 month old little girl and we leave her for long periods of time. We put down puppy training pads when we go out as she knows she is allowed to pee on them (they are scented to attract the puppy to pee). When we are in the house she always asks to go out and when we are not there she uses her puppy pad. Occasionally she will have a protest wee by the door but otherwise she is as good as gold with the pads and it is nicer for her to know that she can go pee pee when we are not there.

I would love to set up a webcam to watch her as I am always fascinated about what she gets up to whilst I am out the house!


Lucy