Help! 11 month old boxer soils crate every day!

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

bmeshier

Boxer Pal
I have a male (neutered) boxer that is 11 months old and has been using his crate for a bathroom ever since I got him from the breeder. I've tried everything in the book and I'm starting to think it's a mental or physical problem. If this continues, I will have to give him up.

His crate is nicely prepared with blankets, toys and I leave the radio or TV on when I leave. I first thought that he's young and can't hold himself. This is not the case. I may put him in his crate for 15 minutes, leave and it will be destroy. I'm not talking about a small pile of poop and urine. He spreads it all over the blankets, crate, everywhere! It takes me an hour each day to clean it up. I have to give him a bath afterwards because he has poop all over his paws. It's making me crazy.

I wouldn't say he hates his crate because he'll go in there freely to rest throughout the day. He feels comfortable with it as his den. But I can't understand why he soils it EVERY DAY. I'm never gone for more than 6 hours and het gets plenty of exercise. I take him to the dog park every other day.

Any ideas, im going crazy!
 
gmacleod

gmacleod

Elusive Moderator
Staff member
If he's been doing it since he was a small puppy (or you got him recently?), then by now it's probably "normal" for him and it will probably take some work to change that behaviour. It does sound as though he's stressed out by being left in the crate. I guess you're already very careful about making sure he's pooped before you crate him - but on the off-chance that's not the case, it would be a good starting point.

I would go back to crate training basics and just crate him for very short periods, making sure he's pottied before going in, and only giving him enough room to lie down and to turn around in. If that's successful, you could gradually start giving him more room and leaving him for longer periods.

The other option is to try leaving him uncrated, but (seeing as he's a teenager) with only a limited run of the house. Gating him in the kitchen or bathroom could be an option. If his problem is stress at being crated, you should see an immediate improvement with leaving him loose. Let us know how it pans out :)
 
B

bmeshier

Boxer Pal
Evie&Adam said:
do you have problems when he's left OUT of the crate??
Click to expand...
Not at all. He's very good about not going in the house. I'd like him to be able to stay in his crate when I'm gone. The times I have left him in the house alone he's torn up the house plants. He has an a taste for chewing on bushes, plants and twigs. Luckily he has no interest in tearing up furniture.
 
M

Macie'sDad

Boxer Pal
Our 6 month old spayed pup will pee in her crate every day as well. (fortunately, she will only pee in it, no poo)

We don't think that she dislikes her crate because she is more than happy to run in it with a simple, "go to your crate". However, we have been unable to figure out why she does this? Unless she simply isn't yet able to hold it?
 
B

BearBoxer

Boxer Pal
Mistakes

Hello,

Normally a dog will not defecate where it sleeps. In the wild, they tend to keep their den very clean. They do not like to "Sleep where they sh*t". My boxer often voided in his crate at the beggining. This was due to nervousness and anxiety. It was not because he wanted to. It was all accidental.

I learned that timing his meals was essential and that taking him out VERY OFTEN to relieve himself was very important. It's all a matter of timing. The dog is not doing this on purpose. It's all accidental and not it's fault.

Don't give the dog away....the new owners might experience the same problems and the dog will never have a comfortable home. Remember...the dog is NOT DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!!! I've washed and hosed many a crate and would continue doing it till my dog learned. Boxers are great companions and very loyal. Please trust me on this. I look back now on his "younger" years and wanted to get rid of this annoyance. Now Mr. Bear is 4 YO and the love of my life. I could never ever give him up...EVER!

It's a patience thing and a timing issue. Also look at the anxiety issue. If the dog is nervous and full of food it will defecate no matter where it is. Just like us humans do. Ever been so nervous you could vomit or need to use the bathroom?

I wish you more than the best of luck. Try smaller bowls of food. And let the dog void more often. It will all come together in the end, (No pun intended).

John Kowalski
 
B

bmeshier

Boxer Pal
BearBoxer said:
It was all accidental.
Click to expand...
No, this is very purposeful. He often does not eat breakfast (by his own accord) in the morning. I let him outside and he goes to the bathroom. So I know he has nothing in him when crated. He still continues to poop in his crate.

BearBoxer said:
the dog is NOT DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!!! I've washed and hosed many a crate and would continue doing it till my dog learned.
Click to expand...
I've been washing/hosing his crate every day for the last 11 months. I love him to death, but I really believe he has mental or physical issues. I will crate him every so often when I'm at home. If I leave my bedroom (where the crate is) for any longer than 15 minutes, he'll poop. I take him out often so it's not because he needs to go to the bathroom.

Help please!
 
Super Boo

Super Boo

Completely Boxer Crazy
It sounds like anxiety to me especially because he tracks it all over his crate--he may be getting up and down a lot. I would walk or exercise him before so he eliminates at least once and is "empty". Then try giving him something like a filled Kong to keep his mind busy. You also didn't say how often you feed him--the more often they eat, the more often they have to go.

My male took forever to get comfortable. He would go in and out of the crate on his own, but if you locked him in or prepared to leave the house, he would start to drool uncontrollably. I now get up an hour early to take them for a long walk--by the time I leave for work, they are sleeping. If they don't eat breakfast, I pick it up and feed them at their normal dinnertime--that way there is no change in their schedule and they learn quickly to eat when the food's there.

Just remember--11 mos old is still a puppy--hang in there they will figure it out. My boy is 13 mos going on 4 mos:D .
 
B

bmeshier

Boxer Pal
Super Boo said:
It sounds like anxiety to me especially because he tracks it all over his crate--he may be getting up and down a lot. I would walk or exercise him before so he eliminates at least once and is "empty". Then try giving him something like a filled Kong to keep his mind busy. You also didn't say how often you feed him--the more often they eat, the more often they have to go.
Click to expand...
I'm going to start getting up earlier and try taking him for walks in the morning and see if that helps. You're right, he does get up/down frequently in his crate. I recently setup up a camera to watch him from work (http://meshier.com/cognac.jpg) I see him constantly pacing in his crate, and rarely laying down. I feed him twice a day, 2 cups in the morning and 2 cups when I get home from work. He doesn't always choose to eat before I leave in the morning.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top