Puppy poops in crate...

[cwk17]

Our puppy Bailey is almost 5 months old and every once in a while she will poop in her crate (day or night) and clean up after herself. We still have her sleeping on blankets and once she has cleaned up as much as she can, she folds the blanket over and lays on the clean side. When she first did this, she was about 3 1/2 months old and her crate was downstairs. It happened once during the night and once during the day. We began out crate training by letting her out every 3 hours and had worked up to just over 5 hours and she was doing great. Then one morning I cam down to a stinky room and a very sick puppy. Then it happened again a few days later when we had her in the crate during the day.

So, we put another crate into our room for her at night. We figured if she was in our room she would let us know if she really needed to go. When she would whine, we would wait until she was quiet, let her out and take her outside. Most the time she would go but I think all she really wanted to jump into bed with us. But the whining kept getting worse and she would shake the crate. She would make so much noise at night that my husband would have to go sleep in the other room. Every once in a while we would let her sleep with us so we could sleep a bit more peacefully and she wouldn't have to go all night! She could hold it for 10 hours without moving. I know we shouldn't let her sleep in our bed b/c we need to be consistent...but it was so nice to sleep and sleep in the same bed with my husband for once. But, for the most part, we crate her at night. Our bed is too small for the three of us and she still has a lot more growing to do. So after a few weeks of having her in our room we decided to move her back to her crate downstairs at night. The first night she was fine (we let let her out at 4:30 for a potty break). The second night, I went down at 4:30 to discover that she did it again.

How do you avoid this? Do I have to go back to letting her out every three hours at night just to be sure? It's just so wierd b/c the majority of the time she can wait till morning. Her crate is just big enough for her to turn around. Could it be that it's too tall...we used a travel crate in our bedroom with isn't very tall. Should I feed her at a different time? We are feeding her around 7 pm right now. Or is she just going to have to be a bed dog? Our full size bed can't accomodate us all much longer! I've also tried a dog bed, but she just jumps in with us after a couple of minutes. And it's not that she hates the crate, she gets right in when we say "kennel up" most of the time, I think she just wants to get in bed with us.

I guess I'm just looking for suggestions on what to do to help prevent the pooping in the crate and how to make her comfortable at night so she sleeps. She's only done it 3 times, but we don't want it to happen again. We could let her out every three hours for the rest of our lives, but I feel like there has to be a better way. Especially since I know she can hold it.

Sorry about the long posting but I wanted to lay out all the facts. I also hope it's not too confusing!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Scorpio]

Its hard! first make sure her crate is only big enough for her to turn around and lay down again. They don't usually poop where they sleep. Be consistant for sure. Ozzy was the same, I ended up if the other room with my arm hanging down by his cage, soft music playing, I ended up bringing him in bed with me in the spare room just to get some sleep. He also had Ryker sleeping with him!! They do out grow this. Try using the bells too, its helps. Take the pup out soon as they wake, after eating, after play every 15 min to start and use the bells. Use the search engine and search for bells, Patience, persistance, praise! pm me if you need more advice. We also have a puppy section that may help.

 

[Starlitew2]

Jessie is now 1 year old and still uses a crate during the day. She has to stay in there while I'm gone or she tears the house apart. She is trained to a doggy bed beside my bed at night now, which I'm super happy about. One thing I did to teach her to stay in her own bed was played with her and praised her a LOT in her bed. Whenever she sniffed at it I made a really big deal and now she loves it. It gives them a happy memory and so they like to be there. Now I let her in my bed sometimes but never at night.

Recently I have trouble with Jessie peeing in her crate when there is a towerl or blanket in it. When she was a pup I had her bed lined with a pillow and everything comfy with my scent. But later she started tearing all that up so I left only a baby blanket. Then I realized she was peeing on it so I tried it without anything and she doesn't have a problem.

I felt bad at first that she had nothing soft and comfy in there with her but I don't think she really even notices, LOL. Of course she's usually busy with a frozen kong and a ringed bone lined with cheese when she's in there.

Hope that helps. It does get better.

 

[Alydarling]

I couldn't agree more Sullivan. Pick up the food and water by 6 pm. I mean, what goes in has to come out sooner or later. That way, if you are going to bed at 10 or so, doggie has had enough time to visit the potty a few times before bed. Sometimes people feed their dogs then wonder why they want to go potty.

 

[Anna Begins]

One thing I did to teach her to stay in her own bed was played with her and praised her a LOT in her bed. Whenever she sniffed at it I made a really big deal and now she loves it. It gives them a happy memory and so they like to be there.

Luka and I have a game we play with his crate. He actually came up with it. He stands infront of his crate, but not in it and he likes me to kneel down behind the crate and encorage him to jump in it. When he does, I praise him and he jumps around, wiggles and heads out. We did this in the very beginning when he was curious about the crate. Now, I give him a treat this way and when he gets in I say "crate" and tell him what a good puppy he is. He now goes in on his own, sometimes when I'm on the couch, he'll take his chew in there or he'll go in and look at me for a treat. Sometimes I give him one, sometimes I just praise. The point being is, he now knows the word "crate", knows it's his space and he likes it. About 1/2 the time when I'm leaving for work he'll go in on his own... 1/2 mostly because he know I'm leaving and hates being seperated from me.
Can't help much with the soiling, Luka does this too, but the breeder allowed the puppies to use the bathroom in a raised crate. I'm hoping he'll grow out of it when he can hold it longer- and he's gone 2 days without using the bathroom in it appicon Hopefully, we're growing out of that!
Anyway, I don't put any blankets/ towels in with Luka. I felt bad about it at first, but he sleeps on the bathroom floor when I'm getting ready for work, so it can't be that bad!
I do put a bunch of chews in with him, I put ones that are easy to clean. And he's just now figuring out his Kong, thank goodness.
Mainly, try to make the crate a good place, give the pup something to do while in there and tire them out first. I also ditto the sugestion of taking the food and water up around 6. I let Luka go til 7 and he seems to be fine, but we started w/ 6. Also, make sure to take one last trip out and MAKE SURE SHE GOES. This has been key w/ Luka not potting in his crate during the day.
Good luck- it will probably get better with age.