Plays in her poop!

[Jemcon2]

My puppy is 14 weeks old, got her at 10 weeks. She has her own room (the laundry room, with a crate for her to sleep in, but open, and an area to go potty). She is doing a pretty good job of housetraining. I work, but come home for lunch. Often she has pooped during the time she is alone, which is fine. That is why I gave her an area outside her crate. HOWEVER, sometimes it is...well, it appears that she poops then sits and jumps in it because I come home and she has it on her feet, between her toes, sometimes on body, and it is being walked around the rest of the room and sometimes she climbs up on door so there is poop there too!! A MESS and hard to clean since it has dried and is everywhere! I thought dogs don't like their own waste (no, she does not eat it thank goodness!) Why wouldn't she poop in the corner and leave it alone? How can I fix it?!

Any help is appreciated!

 

[sgbtab]

maybe she is bored. I never had a dog that did that but samson would love to clean up the yard if I let him.

 

[apollosdad]

puppies do not have the mentality that humans do to avoid getting poop on themselves. the fact that she has an "area to go poop", is what is causing your problem. most people crate train their dogs, but if you do now wish to do so is completely your perogative. however, not crate training them and leaving them in their current situation will most likely bring on continued behavior. is there a way that you could have someone let them out in the middle of the day? this might ease the housebreaking process.

 

[Jan]

You need to give her a place to go to the bathroom. I know Ian Dunbar suggests that it should be the same surface that you want them to go on outside. It could be a couple of square of turf, a couple of patio stones, or some dirt sprinkled on some newspapers. You put it as far away from their bed as you can, as dogs will naturally want to eliminate as far away from their bed as they can. If you can raise it slightly off the floor she won't be so likely to walk in it by accident.

Good luck!

 

[Jemcon2]

puppies do not have the mentality that humans do to avoid getting poop on themselves. the fact that she has an "area to go poop", is what is causing your problem. most people crate train their dogs, but if you do now wish to do so is completely your perogative. however, not crate training them and leaving them in their current situation will most likely bring on continued behavior. is there a way that you could have someone let them out in the middle of the day? this might ease the housebreaking process.

But I do come home every day for lunch. And she always sleeps in her crate but if locked in during the day she will poop and then get it everywhere, on her and all over the crate.

 

[Bustrsmomma]

I have always kept my dogs in a crate with the door closed when I am not home. This serves a couple of purposes...my puppies would NOT poop in the crate if it is only small enough to stand, turn around, and lie down in. The one exception to this would be if the pup had some gastrointestinal problem and could not control the diarrhea. Also, it keeps the pups out of trouble. I know you have puppy proofed the laundry room as any responsible parent would do, but I find it amazing what a boxer pup can get into when left to his own devices. Mine actually chewed a corner of the wall while I was in the shower (in the same room!) one morning. He had to be crated for a while longer unless under direct supervision. I am not sure if you oppose closing your dog in the crate, but that is what I would do. The two pups I have now have NEVER pooped in their crates.

 

[apollosdad]

Jemcon2-
where did you get your puppy from?
i know you mentioned that you had gotten it at 10 weeks, and was just wondering if perhaps the person whom you got it from might have imprinted a negative behavior on her? was it a reputable breeder or byb?

by you leaving the door open on her crate while you are away, you are actually encouraging her to get out of her home and walk out somewhere else to relieve herself. which is completely okay, because as long as it is not in her crate she IS starting to understand the concept of the housetraining. however, i think what is making it difficult for her is the fact that she then walks around and possibly gets excited and ends up making a mess on herself. if you go home for lunch, how long in between visits would your puppy be left in their crate? what time do you leave in the morning and what time do you return for lunch? if you keep in her crate, with the door closed, and maintain a consistent potty training schedule, you might actually be more successful at achieving your potty training goal. however, if you are gone more than 4 hours, it might be too much for your pup to be left alone for her present age. but don't fret, as she gets older, she will be able to be left alone for longer periods of time and perhaps then it will coincide with your schedule.