HELP!!! She keeps pooping in the crate

[timndar]

My 7 week old Boxer keeps pooping in her crate. The crate isn't too big for her so I know that's not it. I just don't know what to do. I wonder if we're feeding her improperly. Three times a day about 1/3 cup dry and 1/3 cup soft. I take her outside every hour, she's pooping 7-9 times a day. Is this normal? Am I feeding her too much? Ughhhhh, cleaning the crate is really getting old. We followed the same routine with our Boston and he never even pee'd in the crate. HELP ME!!!

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

Tim Johnson

 

[Jessica]

Well Tim, welcome to the world of boxers. I got my first boxer in March of this year. She's going on 10 mos now. Well, at 7 weeks old, she constantly peed, pooped, you name it, whenever in her crate. My husband and I would take her out and let her do both before we left, and if we came back half an hour later, 3 hours later, didn't matter, she went in the crate again! One word of advice, do not leave food and water in their crates. Make sure they have ample opportunity to eat and drink when you're home, but never give them added ammunition when alone in the crate.

I have found from listening to others on this board, that this seems to be somewhat common among the breed. They do outgrow it quickly though. It seems like an eternity to those of us cleaning it up. It basically takes them longer to mature, so at 7 weeks old, they really aren't there yet. Within one week, Zoe stopped pooping in the crate, but it took another 3-4 weeks to stop the peeing. The grossest part is how they will lay in it and not even care!

If the crate seems at all too big, try petitioning it off, but I think you're just going to have to wait for a little more maturity. We even asked two separate vets about the problem, they had no answers for us. I think it's just part of the entire separation from mom and siblings, new surroundings, new routines, etc. It really helps to get them house broken ASAP, this stopped our problems immediately. One of the best ways to do that, reward EVERY time with treats. Every time she goes poop outside when you ask (use trigger words like, poo poo, every time you take her out and ask her to go) give her a treat right away with lots of praise. Once we tried this (we weren't fond of treat training, we don't do this with our other dogs), it only took about 2 weeks to fully house break Zoe.

Good luck, hopefully others on here will have more advice for you. I know we had to wait it out, but it seems like a distant past now, Zoe is absolutely wonderful and we wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. Just figure on taking the kennel out for a good hosing each day. Jessica
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Zoe-1/16/00, plain fawn, cropped, spayed, docked
Jake-2/3/98, yellow lab

 

[JazznChase]

When we got Jazmine at 8 weeks-she starting doing the same thing. I think it was because
her cage was too big for her. Once she got a little bit bigger-she stopped...Hopefully she will grow out of it!

Jazmine's mom-Lisa

 

[Mike69]

My dog always pooped in her crate every night without fail and then I got a piece of advice which I followed and she never did it again. I simply got a large cover and put it over the top of the crate when she was it and at night I pulled it right over so she could not see out. It worked for me give it a try and let me know how you got on.

 

[crabby69]

I have always heard that dogs won't relieve themselves near where they eat. We even had a cat that wouldn't use her litter box until we moved it away from her food dishes (at the vet's suggestion). Following that logic, wouldn't it make sense to leave the dogs dishes IN the crate? I don't know, I'm asking. Clio has never been crated. She has a kennel for when she is outside and we stopped putting food out there long ago because she refused to eat where she knew she would have to relieve herself.

Leta
Mother to Clio, flashy fawn, natural eared female with sox.

 

[Jessica]

Leta: I was told by breeders and vets NOT to leave their food/water dishes in the crate. This just okayed them to eat/drink whenever, and as a small puppy, that means having to go potty more often. My vet told me if you fed/watered them when they were out of the crate (when you were home) that that was enough. Plus, it helps to feed/water them as soon as possible, with more lengthy time before you have to leave them in the crate. (does that make sense? that way they have many chances to go out and relieve themselves while you're still home) I would not recommend leaving food and/or water in the crate because small pups have to relieve themselves very soon after consuming anything. Just my thoughts...Jessica
Oh, and we tried the covering the crate with a blanket thing, didn't work for us. Worth a try though!
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Zoe-1/16/00, plain fawn, cropped, spayed, docked
Jake-2/3/98, yellow lab

[This message has been edited by Jessica (edited 11-09-2000).]

 

[crabby69]

Jessica,
Nuff said! Yes that does make sense. I guess I really had no business making suggestions about a problem I haven't really experienced.

Thanks for the heads up.

Leta
Mother to Clio, flashy fawn, natural eared female with sox.

 

[Jessica]

Leta:
No problem at all. I think everyone's entitled to an opinion, the more the better usually, it's the way we share great ideas on this board. And, just because I don't agree with food and water, doesn't make me right either! Thanks, Jessica
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Zoe-1/16/00, plain fawn, cropped, spayed, docked
Jake-2/3/98, yellow lab

 

[Alisha Mobley]

Mine pooped in the crate for a few days when I brought them home at 6 weeks of age. It did seem like they pooped more as small puppies. They pooped almost every time they peed. I think it is normal for the age and your pup will grow out of it before long. I'm sorry you have to go through this but after it's all over you'll look back and laugh.

Alisha - Indiana

 

[Tooma's Mom]

I am sure you will get alot of different opinions on this topic, ...Remember whatever goes in has to come out!
Do not leave food or Water down I would only feed dry food soaked soft in water,no canned food. What type of food are you feeding? It could have something to do with the waste? Only feed food and water at times that allow you time to take her out, control her intake...have you contacted your breeder to see how she was started?
Its mostly that she is just a little to young, but if she is going that often you may be leaving her in the kennel too long, an hour is a long time if she has to go, you might try putting her in say a kitchen area, put newspapers a few layers down in entire area, place bed in one corner
she will go to other part to relieve herself, then you watch her and when she goes there you pick her up and say lets go outside...
I paper train each of my litters that way when they go to there new home its easy for there family to crate/housetrain them..they put down a few sheets of paper by door and when the puppy needs to go he walks over there, it is not for him, but for the new owners to learn that he needs to go potty...
Everyone is always amazed how easy my babies catch on to housebreaking... Some are just a little slow at catching on, or never had to control it don't lose patience, She will get it!