# My dog won't stop peeing in his crate!!



## corgankidd

*Why won't my dog stop peeing in his/her crate? Our members help tackle this common problem...*

My 11 week old pup was doing great in in his crate for awhile, but a couple weeks ago he started regularly peeing in his crate. He usually wont poo in it, but I can EXPECT there to be pee in his crate every morning, when I come home for lunch, and when I get back from work! I take him out regularly, restrict his water, his crate is the right size, I feed him in his crate sometimes, I have tried EVERYTHING! What else can I do?? This morning I decided to leave his soiled towel in with him in hopes that he will learn why he shouldn't potty in his crate. I feel bad for doing it though, I mean who really wants to lay in their own urine? But I think he has learned that he can pee in it all he wants and then he'll get a brand new fresh towel. So any ideas? It is really starting to make me mad! I have to do a load of puppy laundry every other day and all my towels are now unusuable! I only have 1 people towel now!!


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## sheltieluver

I certainly can understand your frustration! The only suggestions I can make it to make sure your dog is exercised enough. Tire him out before you go to work. Also, how big is the crate he is in?


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## Cheetah

Leaving the soiled towel in there may only cause him to soil more just from smelling it. >^^;< How long is your pup left in the crate when this happens? An 11-week-old pup can technically only hold it for about 3-4 hours. The general rule for holding it is the pup's age in months plus 1.


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## blackgavotte

I wish you'd get an ex pen instead of expecting him to potty train in a crate at 11 weeks old. See some of my other rants... He will most likely start, around 4 months of age, to wait a bit... that's the more natural time than 11 weeks...


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## corgankidd

The crate is huge but I have sectioned off a part of it just big enough for him to lie down and turn around. He stays in it for 4 hours at a time while I am at work. At night, he used to sleep through the night, I would put him in about 1 A.m. and get him out at about 7:30-8 and he would never have potty in there, but now there is potty in there all the time! I know he is capable of holding it at night, cause he did it for awhile before. He gets plenty of excercise while out of his crate. I have two other dogs and a very large yard, so they all run around and play like crazy! I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel like he is getting used to sitting in his own pee and I don't want this to become a permanent thing. 
Also I was wondering, the crate I am using for him is one of those metal ones so he can see out in any direction. Do you think it would be better to use one of the plastic ones so he doesn't feel so out in the open. I just think the plastic one, since its more enclosed might actually make it feel like more of a den for him right now.


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## corgankidd

BlackGavotte - Waiting to train your pup until it is 4 months old just confuses them! I would never leave paper or puppy pads down for my pup cause it tells him its ok to go in the house. That, to me, is wrong! So I will continue my crate training and suffer through the frustrations cause its only temporary this way. Teaching him that it is ok to go in the house can have permanent effects on the dog and he may never grasp the concept that going outside is where he has to go after he is 4 months old. I'm glad that your technique has worked for you, but for a lot of dogs it doesn't and crating is the best way to housebreak them. I just don't want to risk the headache of having a dog that pees on every piece of paper I happen to leave on the ground years from now.


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## Cheetah

There's nothing wrong with crate training a dog at 11 weeks. My corgi started his crate training at around 8 weeks old - before I even got him. The trick is letting the pup out to potty frequently enough for that individual puppy.

Also, if he was doing great but then suddenly started having frequent accidents, he could possibly have a UTI, and you might want to take him in for a checkup.


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## blackgavotte

Well, all I can say is, if you think your method is working, how come this poor kid is dirty in his crate? And getting worse... Keeping an open mind about this is important, ignorance is not bliss when it comes to having to clean up a dirty dog. Making a smaller space within a small space is not the way to treat this puppy...And at the risk of sounding self righteous, I have had not just a few dogs over manymany years and have never raised a dirty dog, either in a crate or in the house, and my dogs never, ever, squirted on pieces of paper in the house just because they were there. Your puppy is already totally confused now, and frustrated and is now desensitizing himself to using the crate.... Good Luck !!!


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## blackgavotte

Another few thoughts...You say this puppy is now 11 weeks old, and having issues now. When puppies or people for that matter are forced to hold urine inside their bladder, which your little guy apparently did from - what - 8 weeks on? , they can get a form of cystitis called retention cystitis. Its because the urine is supposed to be gotten out of the bladder but when it is not released, the bladder and urethra can become inflamed. Nature did not, ever, intend, that baby dogs be kept in plastic boxes and forced to hold in urine and bowel material until their human owners got around to letting them out of these plastic boxes. Some manage to be able to do it, in spite of our ignorance...Urine and feces are waste products and are not meant to be held inside the body for too long...Your puppy may have simply decided after weeks of being uncomfortable day after day that he can not, or will not, hold anymore. Certainly having him checked by a vet is always a good thing, but not every puppy can or should hold as long as the current " wisdom " says they should. Its one more WRONG thing that people want to believe, because it fits in better with our human schedules...This is the sort of ignorance that riles me no end... and I will continue to speak out about this forever. Yes, of course, some puppies do manage to get through this cruel stage in their lives better than some others, that still does not make it right....


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## Cheetah

And I did suggest taking the puppy out for potty more often, and to take it to the vet. Crate training is not "cruel" if it's done correctly, and this means preventing accidents in the crate by letting the pup out a lot more often. It also means not letting the pup sit in there if it's had an accident. This particular puppy cannot hold it for the time the "general rule" states, and that is fine. He'll just need out to potty a lot more often. A ton of people have successfully crate-trained puppies the proper way, without a single accident inside, and without any discomfort to the puppy.

Anyway, something that might make the crate more den-like is covering it with a thin, breathable blanket.

Do you take him potty after everything before putting him in the crate? After drinking, after eating, after playing, after sleeping, even after he's been out for a while without pottying. Do you stop giving food and water late at night?


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## blackgavotte

One last thought, then I will butt out of this thread. Cheetah, I agree that crate training is not cruel when done properly. However, most people do not do it properly. They use the crate for potty training very young puppies, which is not the reason crates originally were used at all. People are keeping puppies in them far too much and too long. Corgankidd, you and I seem to be at odds in this regard, but why not at least file away what I have said, and try a different method before you really lose your patience, all your towels, and your joy in your puppy? No one method works for all puppies, there are other ways of thining at least. Enough said by this person, on this thread...


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## Cheetah

I do agree, the puppy is most likely being left in the crate for too long, and I also agree that many people do it wrong. >-.-<


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## corgankidd

Yes I take him out after everything! He is trained to us the bell on the door so he lets me know when he needs to go out as well. I cut off his water after 8 p.m. He is doing a little better now. He still is having accidents in his crate, but its not everytime now. I have a question about his brother that my friend has though....He is also peeing in his crate every once in awhile but he licks it up as soon as he pees. Its really gross. He licks up his pee outside too, its not just in the crate. How do you stop a dog from doing that? I know they have something you can put in their food to make them not eat their poo, but what about pee?


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## corgankidd

He is not being left too long in his crate. I leave him in for 4 hours at a time. He is in his crate for 8 hours a day then once I get home for work he is out of his crate the entire day until around 1 a.m. when I go to bed. So no, I am not misusing the crate, I am not confining him in there to no end, and I am NOT abusing my damn puppy! 
I would try your technique blackgavotte but I have carpeting in every inch of my house and I have absolutely nowehere I can set up a x pen without ruining my carpet.


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## Curbside Prophet

To some people, leaving a dog in a crate for 4 hours is abusive. So, relax! You have to understand who you're asking questions from, and we don't have all the information...we only know what you tell us, so, some assumptions have to be made to fill in the picture. Getting upset over what people say here is futile and counter productive.


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## blackgavotte

corgankidd said:


> He is not being left too long in his crate. I leave him in for 4 hours at a time. He is in his crate for 8 hours a day then once I get home for work he is out of his crate the entire day until around 1 a.m. when I go to bed. So no, I am not misusing the crate, I am not confining him in there to no end, and I am NOT abusing my damn puppy!
> I would try your technique blackgavotte but I have carpeting in every inch of my house and I have absolutely nowehere I can set up a x pen without ruining my carpet.


I know, I said I would butt out of this thread, but when you say, he is 11 weeks old, in his crate for 8 hours while you work, then from 1a.m. approx. to when you get up, in my opinion that's too much crate time for an 11 week old.... And he is obviously stressed out and confused, too. Could you put a tarp, say, over the carpet, then newspapers on that, then the ex. pen? Is the kitchen area carpet too, or could you have the ex. pen in the kitchen? No one thinks you are deliberately abusing your puppy... these forums are for getting other views or solutions out there, we really do try to help one another. I don't think anyone here is out to make things harder. If we all did not love dogs, and have their best interests at heart, we would not bother with these forums, especially since there can be misunderstandings and hurt feelings that go along with this, and none of us wants that in our lives.


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## blackgavotte

Okay, reread your threads. You had said 8 hours while you are at work, but also said 4 hours is the longest since you come home from work. That's sure better than 8 hours at a time but it still may be too long, right now, for this particular puppy. Just think about protecting the carpet and trying the exercise pen or enclosure...We all know you are trying really hard, and housetraining can be difficult. By the way, what kind of puppy is he/she?


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## Cheetah

You're not abusing your puppy, but every dog is different, and some dogs cannot hold it for as long as the general rules say (they can't read that anyway lmao). Some dogs' bodies take longer to get used to holding it for certain periods of time than others.

I am moving into a carpeted house as well, on Saturday, and I may have to get an ex-pen, buy a super-absorbant comforter, and stick the ex-pen on top of it, just in case of an accident. The price of Doggie Daycare is out of this world. I cannot afford to pay $20/day (over $400/month for me) for daily doggy daycare or pet-sitting right now so I will have to make do. Shippo is old enough now to hold it for a reasonable amount of time, but I am far enough away from work that I may not be able to come home for lunch anymore, and I can't make him sit in a crate for 8-10 hours per day. >-.-< I'm feeling your pain right now lol...


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## scissorhands

*Peeing in crate*

Where did you get the dog from? A breeder or a pet shop?? Dogs bought from a pet shop are used to going to the bathroom in the crate and laying in it.


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## skunkstripe

11 weeks is awfully young to be expected to hold it for four hours.
I would make sure he has the opportunity to go outside at least every two hours. Maybe you have a neighbor or friend who could help?


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## matthewa

crate maybe too big, if its just the right size, ie not big enough for a toilet area then it may be more likely to hold on to do its business when you take it out of the cage and put it outside


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## RonE

A friendly reminder that this is a VERY old thread and the OP hasn't been on the forum since October, 2006.


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## wvasko

Through the years I have cratebroke many puppies starting at 7 weeks of age. Due to the way we are setup during the hours we are awake pups are out of crate every 1 hr to 1.5 hrs and stay in crate all night 8 hrs. Do puppies have accident in crates you betcha. If done properly accidents get less and less until done. We do spread newspaper on crate bottoms and also use the fiber-glass/plastic crates. Dogs would prefer to sleep in clean areas so you have mother nature as your partner in this. It is a lot of work, but nobody ever promised me a rose garden whenever I cratebroke a pup. It just comes with the territory.(the work)


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## Schnauzerlvr

blackgavotte said:


> I wish you'd get an ex pen instead of expecting him to potty train in a crate at 11 weeks old. See some of my other rants... He will most likely start, around 4 months of age, to wait a bit... that's the more natural time than 11 weeks...


I have a question for you blackgavotte -- i have my 9wk old pup set up in my bathroom that isnt carpeted, his crate is in there lined with a blanket, but i took the door of it and i have a pad set on the floor for him to use while i am at work and cannot come home for lunch. I use a baby gate so that I can leave the bathroom door open and he can have a view.... i will be moving to a new carpeted house soon and i think the kitchen more than likely will be the new set up (maybe an ex-pen)..... do you think its possible for him when he is older to be able to do botht he pads while i am at work and go outside when we go for walks and exercise?


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## onthevirg

I know that this thread is pretty old, but it looks like there has been some recent activity, so I'll post here rather than start a new thread for now. It had particular relevance to me since I'm experiencing a similar issue. First, some details (and I apologize in advance for the length).

We picked up our little guy Dakota last week from the pound. He's an 8 week old Lab mix that has been fixed. We believe that he was at the pound for several weeks and do no know where he was before that. We brought him home and adjusted a large cage/crate to give him some space to move around that wasn't too tight nor too large (we think...we have about the same distance as shown for the puppy on the website).

As far as what we keep in the cage, we leave a Kong chew toy and a nylabone in there for him to gnaw on during the day. We also have a towel for him to lay on in there. Sometimes he pees on the towel, sometimes on the plastic tray. It varies.

Re: our schedule for him. Wake up @ 5, give him water and walk/play for 30-45 minutes. He always pees & does @ least one #2 in this period. Then food and more water if he wants it. At that time I get ready for work and he goes back to his crate for another hour until my g/f takes him for another walk before she leaves for work (7 am), which is typically 30 minutes.

Unfortunately I'm not able to come home for lunch until 12 (at which time he's soiled his cage). I then walk/play with him for 30-35 minutes and water if he wants it. Back to his crate.

I get home by 4:30, and it's immediately walk/play time again for at least another 30-40 min, then food and water again. When I head off to school, the g/f will let him hang on the couch/around the house with him until she walks him again @ around 7-7:30 for another 30 min.

He gets a walk/play again when I get home from school, for up to an hour which takes us to 9:30-10:00 pm. I take him outside before I rack @ 11 and wake up again @ 2am to take him for a quick outside trip.

*Phew* Sorry about the verbosity there, just wanted to give all the details for anyone who cares to respond. As you can see, he doesn't have a problem with #2 in the house, he always crunches outside. It's just the intermittent peeing in his cage. So I'm wondering, given that he was a pound puppy and caged all the time combined w/ the fact that he's still so young, am I just needing to exhibit more patience? We've discussed getting an outside kennel to house him during the day. But I'm worried that this will have an adverse affect on trying to house-train him. Because right now, there really aren't any visual cues that he's trying to go pee (even his poo one is really quick), he just squats and lets it fly.

Again, sorry for the length and appreciate any input anyone is willing to provide. Looking forward to hearing from you guys!


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## Dogstar

I think patience will help, but I also think setting him up in some way that he can get away from his mess- a crate opening into an exercise pen or a dog door into an outdoor run- would REALLY help him learn to LIKE being able to get away from his mess. It just sounds like that one long gap from 7 to 12 is just too long for him right now. (A more vigorous walk before he's left at 7 MIGHT help. The problem is, he's only JUST woken up from a 3 hour nap, so getting him right back to sleep is going to be tough.)


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## onthevirg

Dogstar said:


> I think patience will help, but I also think setting him up in some way that he can get away from his mess- a crate opening into an exercise pen or a dog door into an outdoor run- would REALLY help him learn to LIKE being able to get away from his mess. It just sounds like that one long gap from 7 to 12 is just too long for him right now. (A more vigorous walk before he's left at 7 MIGHT help. The problem is, he's only JUST woken up from a 3 hour nap, so getting him right back to sleep is going to be tough.)


Unfortunately, due to the way our house is setup, the option to get him outside is not available. The only exterior door to the back yard is setup such that we would able to get his cage there.

Re: moving is crate to an area where he could exit to EP. We could _probably_ find room for that (our house is relatively small, 1100 sq ft and most of that space is used) but wouldn't that just reinforce him to take care of biz in the house?


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## Dogstar

Reinforcing him to potty outside of the crate on newspapers is FAR preferable to reinforcing him for pottying in the crate. And while he's having to then lay in it, that's not going to bother him if he has lost the instinct to be clean (that's recoverable, but MUCH slower to fix than if it distresses him) and the feeling of relief he gets from eliminating *is* a (mild) reinforcer in itself.

Either he has lost the instinct to be clean (and honestly, this wouldn't be my bet) or he just plain CAN'T hold it any longer when he's awake.


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## Maggpie

*Re: Peeing in crate*



scissorhands said:


> Where did you get the dog from? A breeder or a pet shop?? Dogs bought from a pet shop are used to going to the bathroom in the crate and laying in it.


I have to say this was not my experience. I bought my dog at a pet store 7.5 yrs ago (before I knew better) and she hardly ever had an accident in her crate at all, but when she did............. she would be cuddled up in the farthest distance from where she had the accident.


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## onthevirg

Dogstar said:


> Reinforcing him to potty outside of the crate on newspapers is FAR preferable to reinforcing him for pottying in the crate. And while he's having to then lay in it, that's not going to bother him if he has lost the instinct to be clean (that's recoverable, but MUCH slower to fix than if it distresses him) and the feeling of relief he gets from eliminating *is* a (mild) reinforcer in itself.
> 
> Either he has lost the instinct to be clean (and honestly, this wouldn't be my bet) or he just plain CAN'T hold it any longer when he's awake.


Dogstar, I guess I'll have to talk to the g/f and see about getting something else setup if we can. Like I said we're limited in area in our house, so we'd have to find someplace to get a setup like that done. I suppose that doing this is better than just putting him outside in a kennel during the day, since that won't be teaching him to be house broken or prevent him from going in his crate. 

My question if we go with this setup though is how does it relate to trying to house-break him? If he gets accustomed to going inside the ex pen, won't that be trouble later down the line for him to always want to go in that area? Additionally, he'll be big enough to just bull through an ex pen I would think and get into the house. Or am I way off here?


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## Dogstar

Well, putting a top on the exercise pen really helps, and putting it on something (a shower curttain, plastic sheeding) with paper over it (newspaper or potty pads- I actually prefer newspaper- initially covering the entire floor so that urine can't accidentally soak into the floor.

I've got detailed steps on my blog here http://dogstaracademy.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/crate-soilin/
This topic comes up a lot on this board.


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## Hiaja

I agree that more frequent outings never hurt and I am very curious about the breed. I have a Papillon and I probably let out every 1and1/2 to 2 hours when she was a puppy- and I would have to wake up in the middle of the night to let her out to potty too. Best of luck with your bundle of joy!


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## onthevirg

Actually now, at almost 6 months, he doesn't go in his cage anymore. He gives us a whine if he's in crate to let us know if he needs to go out and handle business. The only problem that we have now is that he occasionally has an accident (pee) in the house if we're not paying close enough attention to his wanderings. Last night was the first time in about 3 weeks that we've had an accident. Every since we got the outside kennel for him, we haven't really had an issue w/ him. He actually doesn't even go in his kennel during the day. Just waits til we get home!


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## Hiaja

congrats on the success!!!!


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## Shylah2008

I have a similiar problem. My puppy, Shylah is approximately 14 weeks old 
(3 1/2 mths). We got her from a family member at 10 weeks old. As soon as we got her, we got a large crate with the the separater to make it the proper size and allow for growth. She was already accustomed to the crate, only previously with her two other siblings. She did very well in the beginning. I fully expected her to have an accident every night, but she didn't. we started with newspaper, but she just wanted to tear that up. So we don't put any type of paper down, and she manages to hold it over night. Typically every morning she wakes us up with a bark letting us know. This morning, oddly, she did not wake us up with a bark. As we let her out, she let it go as she was walking. I'm unsure as to why she didn't let us know. I already took her outside for a walk and play earlier today and then gave her a bath. Since this she has already had two accidents in her crate. I don't understand it. She does so well for about a week or two, then all the sudden, one day she will have 2-3 accidents with no prior warning. She does a little cry or weep after she's gone. The first time this happen, I thought well maybe from lasting through the night she might have a urinary tract infection, and had to go pee a lot. But it seems to only last a day then she is back to doing well. I need some opinions.. and for extra info: she has not deficated in the crate once. I'm thinking, am I giving her too much water? She seems to be thirsty a lot and will continuously bark if she's not completely satisfied with food and water. What is the proper amount? I am afraid to dehydrate her. What is the longest time span she should go before being let out to potty? and should I wait on a bark for her to signal me? How long can I count on dealing with these accidents before expecting her to have this crate training down? I want to allow her more free time, out of the crate, once I can trust her to give a signal and allow us the time to take her out. I have always heard that allowing a puppy to much area to roam will confuse the puppy and make it impossible to housebreak. This is the first time I have used a crate and I have to say it is working better than other methods. Any advice please help.
Can I get away with three meals for her, at this age?


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## Mygermanshepherdcena

Ok I love my German Shepherd he is now twelve weeks old. He does pee in his crate. I have tried just about everything. Now he is even put outside on a lead all day. I bought him in the house and put him in his crate and sure enough he peed. I am at my wits end just like several others of you. I do not know what to do and my Vet says that he could have a bladder problem but he isnt sure why he does it. All the experts tell you they will not pee where they sleep but I think they need to come and visit some of us. Looks like we are all in the urine filled boat.


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## Shylah2008

Well Shylah for the most part has done pretty well.. she has a little hyper accident when she's been left for a long period of time. 
Today I gave her a bath and she hasn't had one in a while. Due to the fact that she always has an accident soon after a bath, I made sure to have her go potty before going back in her crate. well about an hour later she has an accident, a big puddle. Doesn't even make sense how she could pee so much. This makes me so angry because her crate was just cleaned and she was just bathed, then here we go again. You would think she would be more prone to accidents when she's stinky, but she is the opposite. She does get all excited if anyone goes around her crate while she's not in it. She definitely takes ownership of her crate, like her own place. Is it possible she prefers it to smell of pee, because she is marking it so to speak, and she wants to re-make that smell. Also, I clean it with vinegar. I've heard this removes smell, so I don't believe it would encourage her to urinate. She had the one accident today after the bath and the crate does not smell bad (after the usual quick vinegar spray and wipe up). She has not had an accident again, so I don't know what to think. These aren't little "I'm happy to see you, oops some pee slipped out." This is like a whole bladders worth about an hour to half and a half after a bath, which was followed by a potty break. And mind you, this puppy goes through the night with no accidents. 
Bath time always take place after playing time, and i fully expect her to be getting a good nap.. but this seems to happen everytime. 

Give me your thoughts. thanx.


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## Chuckles

I don't know how much age has to do with this. My puppy is 8-month-old now and can barely hold it for 2 hours, and she has no reservation whatsoever about peeing inside the crate and sometimes even lying in her own urine. Imagine my frustration of having to clean the crate and give her baths on a regular basis.

Just wanted to let you know you are not the only one, I am just hoping and praying she will get better soon.


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## onthevirg

I can certainly appreciate the frustration all of you are experiencing. I thought for a while Dakota would never get it. Since the last time I replied to this post, we haven't had a single problem. He wakes us in the morning when to let us know that he needs out and goes to sit by the front door while he's inside roaming to signal his need to go outside. 

Chuckles, it's weird that your dog can't hold it longer. Dak manages to hold all his waste for the better part of 9 hours or more when he's outside in his kennel during the weekday.

It's weird, it seems that we actually saw in improvement in the problem when we expanded his crate to actually make it larger for him. *shrug* I do know that it seemed to help that we were consistant in taking him out every couple of hours when he was inside, whether or not his was signalling his need. It seemed to help reenforce that he should go over to the front door when it was pee-pee time. Good luck guys!


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## dleggs15

I feel for the OP! In my opinion it sounds like she is doing the possible best with what she gots!
I crate trained my bulldog from the time she was 8 weeks old! she did have messes and it got cleaned up and she did it until she was probably 3 or 4 months old then after that she was completely trained! She was usually in the crate for about 4 hrs at a time then at night for a bit at bedtime but i would get up 3 times during the night to let her out and let her sleep in bed with us! 

Now we also have a stray that we took in who is around a yr old min pin who is not house trained or crate trained so we are trying to work on that now! he is a smart booger though! we have a small crate for him he will pee on the outside of the crate so its not in his space but all over my floor  and he has only done this twice but IF he poops he will kick it outside the crate as well....what a stinker huh?

Good luck to you and I know its frustrating and takes time just hang in there! your pup will learn sooner than later what you want and he will be able to do that for ya! in the mean time just make sure you are taking him out plenty and everytime he goes potty outside reward, reward, reward


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## lindz

your puppy is still very young so holding it will sometimes be dificult for him however it seems that he has developed a habit which is what puppies do try not putting any kind of towel in with him. He is connecting potty with towel in the crate.


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## eclipse

*Re: Dog Paw*

Rather than start a new thread i thought it best to post my question in this one. 

My pup is 12 weeks old this and he has his "cage" in a small utility room. I now only need to paper half the room in case of night time accidents.

hes a King Charles spaniel and Im wondering after how many months should i expect him to not do his business at night? Since I have taken him home at 9 weeks he has only not done his business in his room once. Fortunately he never goes inside his cage.


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## somnio

wow everyone is so passionate which is good, but i think we forget that we all right in some way and we shouldn't loose track of the issue at hand. i would have the pup checked by the vet first to make sure nothing is medically wrong. because if this was something that has happened all of a sudden i would rule that out first. then i would look back to when the pup started to soil in his crate, was their any event or change in the pups life or yours to cause an up set in the routine? even the smallest change could up set a young pup who strives on routine. what was your inital reaction, did you make a big deal, did you get up set? or did you just clean it up? where is the crate located did that location move? i would for now not use the crate i would put the pup in a safe area, either in a ex pen or baby gate off the kitchen, front enterance or bathroom with a puppy pad ( not newspaper) for night time and when you are away, and for when you are home you can keep the pup teathered close to you so you can supervise what the pup is doing. the reason being the more times the pup is allowed to soil in the crate, he/she will just continue with out truly knowing what he/she is doing wrong.i would put the pup on a schedualed feed (morning, afternoon, evening meals)with approval with a vet, i would also go back to taking the pup out every 2 hours (15 -30min after eating, after naps, play time and of course morning and night and by taking out i mean on leash so you can reward the pup right after its gone outside. once the pup has proven that he/she can hold for 2 hours slowly increase it by half hour increments. once the pup can prove it can "hold it" for 4 hours for 2 weeks without any accidents i would start introducing the crate again, slowly building the time.(so start with 15min, then adding 15min each week). i hope this helps as well as sorry for the sp


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## Kim201

don't worry corgan my 5 month old thinks the crate IS the bathroom. He actually walks over to the crate and pees in it and walks out. Good boy!!!! lol


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## Malakaiii

Once a pup pees in the crate once, they will smell the urine in there for a long, long time unless you clean it up with an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle. 

So even if the first time was an accident, they may start peeing in there regularly if they can still smell the urine. (same goes for anywhere else the pup has peed!)

*Here's what's worked for us, if anyone else wants to try it:*

- pup gets out of the crate in the morning, and we take her out right away (don't put her down in the house on the way to the lawn!)
- out again after meals, naps, or a couple hours of supervised play
- bathroom break before bed
- the crate is in our room, when she wakes up and scratches at the bars, I take her out for a midnight pee, then put her back in the crate (this will go away as she gets older, but is necessary now!)

*Bonus points...*

- Clean up any messes with Nature's Miracle, and don't punish for errors - it's your fault for missing her bathroom cues! Keep her tethered to you if you aren't watching her every move.
- Praise and give a treat when the pup goes outside
- Give a cue word when the pup goes, such as "hurry, hurry" and she'll eventually learn to go on cue and save you time!
- Keep a schedule of bathroom breaks (and errors), and feeding times, track so you'll know when she usually goes


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## joyfulsoul50

I feel your pain! And appreciate everyone's dialogue. Is making me rethink my dog's crate--may look for an exercise pen option. She is older now and generally trained--but having issues with crystals in her urine--which is common for bichons. I have read a lot about all kinds of infections/issues with accidents and definitely believe it is right to get a urinalysis to r/o infections/crystals. I was trying to treat her problems behaviorally and with her pee breaks during the day and it was really right and good to find there was a physical problem for at least some of her accidents. Also--my brother has the brother of my dog and he peed in his crate often for awhile. They were advised to take the blanket/towel out and not given him anything to soak it up. It seemed to solve the problem then. Best of luck!


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## Diamond

I got a Maltese puppy from a pet store 10 weeks ago. She pees in her crate as well. I work from home so she isn't in the crate much except for when I run errands and at night. The amount of time doesnt seem to be the problem, but as soon as I come in the door, she gets excited and pees before I can get her out. She also pees many times as soon as I put her in the crate even if she has just been taken outside. Any suggestions? She also has peed on guests' feet when they arrive and start patting her. Excited I think. But how do I stop it? Also, do I leave her to lay in the pee or clean it out right away? I don't want her to learn that if she pees in the crate she gets added attention. Help! I love my new puppy but she is driving me crazy!


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## luvudogs

There are some problems that people run into when they buy a dog from a pet store instead of a good home breader. One is potty training. It is difficult to crate train the puppy when he has been confined to a small kennel. He has learned to poop where he sleeps- there is no place else to pee and poop. Get him out of the crate. Since all housebreaking is based on the instinct to keep clean, the instinct must be built back up before crating again. Set him up in an exercise pen or small easy to clean room. Keep the door of the crate open and at the front of the small area and place pappers in the rear. You may want to get a cat litter box and put a piece of grass sod in it which may help him to get used to going in the grass outside. If he still messes in the crate with the door open ,then you know that the crate has become his toilet. Take the crate out of his confinement area. Feed him by dumping kibble on the bottom of a clean crate.This will help turn his bathroom to his kitchen. Feed a high quality food which he does not have to eat a lot to get his nutrition. A young puppy can not hold his bladder for very long. When you walk him, take him to his disigated potty place and tell him "busy" of "potty" so that he can start to learn to poop on comand. When you come in you want to keep him close to you on lead. Keep a treat in your pocket. You may want to tether him to your waste and watch for any sign thats that he is going to potty. Then scoop him up and take him outside to potty place. Do not play now stay serious and unfun. If he pottys treat him immediately and Praise enthusatically. He needs to know what you want of him. Take pup out first thing in A.M. - last thing before bed. If he whines during the night take him out. This is a pain in the neck I know ,but it should not take too long for him to do this once he understands. After 2 weeks of being clean, try him in the crate with the door shut for no more that two hours just after he has pottied outside. If you want to continue with the crate ,if his hair is long, get it cut short. He will feel being wet more with short fur. Remove most or all bedding from crate.Stick to a rutine. If the pup goes out at 7:00 during the week, he will not make it to eleven o'clock if you sleep in. You can try moving his mealtimes. If he is pooping in the middle of the night, try moving mealtime to 9:30 with her last walk about 1/2 hour later. Try feeding 2/3 of her daily amount in A.M. and 1/3 at night. If she makes it through the night but does not poop in A.M. move her dinnertime earlier by thirty minutes or so , or feed her 2/3 of her daily ration at night and 1/3 in A.M. Puppy may have some sort of physical reason why she is having trouble with housebreaking. See a vet to determine this. Above all, do not get angry, scold, or punish the pup. This will only make things worse. She may think that you have some sort of problem with her pooping and hold it until you are not around to avoid getting in trouble. Hope some of this helps. Theee are good books and web sites with videos on easy housebreaking tips and instructions. It's best to not make a mistake with your pup's training at first. It's harder and takes longer to correct something taught incorrectly than it is to have a good idea of how to start of with a sucessfull plan. I sincerely hope something here may help. House training can be tedious and frustrating , but it is for the life of the dog.


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## amsr83

1. make sure that the crate isn't too big so that he can't get away from it
2. don't let him drink too much water at night
3. positive reinforce when he does pee outside


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## Tandiey

Hey there, like so many of you I'm also having crate training issues. 

I have a 14 week old Boxer/American bulldog mix. The first week we had her, we got her at 9 weeks, she did fairly well with crate training... she even held it through the night a couple times. 
Since then it has gotten increasingly worse. She started peeing in her crate whenever she felt like it regardless of if she had just been outside for 2 hours and she peed 5 times or not. I was only letting her stay in the crate for 4 hours at the longest except at night, but she was holding it through. Now she has started peeing in the house randomly as well as in the crate. She also poops in it if she has to, but she also doesn't try to get away from it. She will just walk through it and lay in her pee until it's splashed and shot everywhere. She doesn't care at all. You'll be playing with her in the house and she will just stare at you and squat and start peeing so we yell NO and take her outside to finish, but after 3 weeks of this, it has only gotten worse. She pees so frequently that it's impossible to get her out in time. She even will pee numerous times in a 20 minute period of being in the crate or house. 
We have a 3 year old dog that has NO accidents so she knows where she is supposed to go and we praise both of them when they go outside, especially to reinforce the fact that this is correct behavior for both dogs.
We even went so far as putting her in the other dog's crate with him and she peed all over it and pooped in it 2 times in a 6 hour period during the night. He woke me up whining because she had messed up his cage.
We are at our wits end. On top of this she barks non-stop for hours if she knows you are in the house with her and she is in her crate. I have to keep her covered with a sheet anytime we are inside with her and we can't watch her. 
-How do I fix this peeing issue?
-How do I stop her excessive barking?


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## Justin123

Hmm, looks like I'm having a similar problem to you guys.

I've had my 10-week old puppy for 5 days now and I think she is more or less house broken, but she has the world's smallest bladder. She has to pee so often it's ridiculous, and as a result she pees in her crate if I leave for too long. I'm a little worried, after reading this, that her problem might get worse.

I have to go to school on M/W from 8:10 (time I leave) to 4:30, although I get back for lunch at 12:30 an stay until 1:15 (she'll usually pee outside at the very beginning and the very end, and in between I give her a light lunch with a little water).

She definitely dislikes it when she pees in her crate. When she does, she cries a lot. It's blocked off so there's nowhere for her to go. She's also great about peeing outside. All signs are great except that she just physically can't hold it sometimes.

I think water intake is definitely an issue...but the timing is just so bad for me. I cut off her water 2 hours before bed (bedtime is 11ish), and therefore she can make it through the night without accidents as long as I wake up twice. I wake up usually around 7:00 and give her a little food/water after taking her out (I take her out again after I eat breakfast). But, then I don't know whether to give her a little more food/water before I leave (in which case she'll probably pee) or not (in which case she'll have only received a few sips in 15 hours, and 2 servings of a few sips in 19 hours).

So, 2 questions:
(a) Any advice on the water problem? 
(b) She is apparently newspaper trained -- should I leave her in the bathroom with newspaper instead of putting her in the crate?

I feel like she should be right on the verge of making it through, and I want her to understand how to control her bladder. I really don't want to do the newspaper training thing, but I will if it's faster for her. I want her to be able to last 4-5 hours in the crate during the day as soon as possible, even if it means a little short-term hardship for us (i.e. my goal is not simply make things easier for us over the next 3 weeks).

(And yeah when she pees, it's on her bed, and I use Nature's Miracle to spray the cage to death and then wash her bed in the W/D).


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## Duckie1009

i have a 12 week old puppy that just started holding it thru the night which is 5 hours. i don't think your pup has regressed. Mine didn't pee as much when i got him at 8 weeks compared to now. In fact he didn't pee the first day i had him at all. Prob has to do w/ stress of a new home and learning how to get water. i think you should just expect this for a few more weeks. Its part of being a puppy.


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## millkri

I have a Toy Fox Terrier, he is now 14 weeks old. We have had him for over a month now. We got him from a Breeder, so I feel we have an advantage over some that got there pups from a pet store. We are doing the crate training method, and so far its been going well. He really loves his crate, at night we put him in and he doesnt cry usually at all, he just goes to sleep. For the first few weeks he did fine in his crate, only soiling it if he had been confined for more than 5 hours. At night we take him out before bed, then I get up in the middle of the night and take him out again. Here lately, I noticed he has already soiled his crate when I get up in the middle of the night, so I will change the bedding, then when I get up in the morning to take him out, his crate has already been soiled ( just Pee). But I am getting really frustrated with this. I read in a puppy book that if the dog continues to soil his crate to take out all the bedding. I am not sure how to feel about this, I feel this is cruel making him sleep on a hard cold plastic crate floor. But I want him to realize that he cant pee in his bedding and it be ok. I am confused; is this the right method to teach my puppy its not ok to pee in his bed?


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## spaceman2222

I'm having a similar problem with my puppy. He's about 3 months old (i'm not sure exactly how old because he's a rescue). He has started going pee ON his bed in his crate (really a playpen) when the door to the pen is wide open. he does not always urinate in his pen, but i have seen him walk into his crate specifically to pee! I have also cleaned his bedding, his pen and the entire area with a pee cleaner, so i doubt it is related to scent (i also dab some of his pee on the pee pad so the pee pad smells more strongly to him and he will eliminate on the pad). He was doing well going on the potty pads up until a few days ago. he has also peed in the hallway and kitchen recently. I've given him much praise and treats when he eliminates in the appropriate spot hoping that will re-enforce proper behavior.

his bed wetting is not likely anxiety related or due to his feelings toward the crate. I rarely leave the door closed on him, and give him treats when he goes into the crate - so he has positive associations of his pen; he will often go into the crate by himself to just relax and play with his toys. when i do leave the house with him in the crate, i give him a kong toy filled with treats and don't make a fuss when i leave or when i return.

Today i left him for an hour when i went grocery shopping and the crate was clean upon my return. But before going to bed this evening, i went to brush my teeth and when i returned to his crate (literally 5 minutes later), i saw that he had soiled it - the door to the crate was not even closed, so he had access to the pee pad. (he does not wet the bed only before bed time - so its not related to going to bed).

if anyone has any advice please let me know! I will be taking a urine sample to the vet tomorrow to see if it is not a medical issue.


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## 31136

Hey all! I have read through most of Your replies and I must say they have given me some hope in retraining my dog. However... Will these things work on a 1 year and 6 month old Scottish terrier??? I adopted my Scotty, Stephen at the age of 5 months from my local pet store.. For 4 months of his life he used his little glassed in crate as a sleeping, eating, and potty sanctuary. When I first brought him home to my parents house in the suberbs of Rochester, NY he was so pleasent! He got the whole potty thing down very quickly, and he loved to Be outdoors! He was friendly and carefree. Henhad a few accidents in his crate but nothing major, a few months later my finace and I moved from my parents house to an apartment in the city. Thus when all hell broke lose.. Stephen became aggresive towards dogs and other people, and he got easily distracted. He won't go potty outside and pees eveytime I put a leash on him. An just recently he has been walking over to his crate and going potty or #2 in it, after a long walk outside. He will sometimes hold it until we come home because he is so distracted by people, other dogs, and cars... And at te least the wind! I haven't tried any of the advice
on here yet but I am goig to start... In the mean time... Anyone else ever expirranced this? We have also been at our new location for 7 months. If anyone has any advice
please email me at [email protected]. I don't get to chek this thing too often. Thanks!!


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## mikhailparaskan

yes, that is frustrating and you have to exercise your dog...that is probably an only solution


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## PiedmontMom

This is a great thread! I am learning all the things NOT to do.


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## scotchnbella

So I'm not to sure what else to do. My dog who is about a year old (a rescue/abused dog) but continues to use the bathroom in her crate and lays in it. It is frustrating to keep coming home and having to bathe the dog and clean the crate as well as the floor by the crate door since she is trying to pee outside the crate. The crate is big enough for her to not lay in it. We have tried not giving her water after a certain time, taking her on walks and letting her use the bathroom before going in the crate. Not too sure what else to do. We are going to make a vet appointment to make sure she doesn't have a bladder problem.


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## Crantastic

(Didn't realize this thread was so old! I edited my post to be general info rather than specific to the OP.)

Here's what Ian Dunbar says on the subject:



> Puppies have a 45-minute bladder capacity at three weeks of age, 75-minute capacity at eight weeks, 90-minute capacity at twelve weeks and two-hour capacity at 18 weeks.


And also:



> Usually, puppies urinate within half a minute of waking up from a nap and usually defecate within a couple of minutes of that.


I like his Errorless Housetraining (I used his techniques with my pup and they worked great). A young pup can't hold it for many hours. It's not a mental thing; it's a physical thing. The pup just doesn't have that level of bladder control and won't until he's older. If the pup falls asleep right after you leave and stays asleep until you come back, then sure, the crate will be accident-free when you return, because body functions slow down while a pup's asleep and the pup won't feel the need to go. But if anything wakes the pup while you're gone -- noisy people or animals outside, the mail arriving, whatever -- the pup is quickly going to have to pee... and it has nowhere to go but in its crate.


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## JennaMichelle1

Hi everyone, I thought I'd add my question to this thread instead of starting a new one. 

My husband and I took in two stray dogs. We were able to find a home for one, but are still looking for a home for the other one. Since the other one has found a home, the one who is still here has started peeing and pooping in her bed outside. We bought her a new doggie bed, and she peed in that one too and doesn't have any issues sleeping in it. We bought her a crate because this week we're trying to start keeping her inside at night so she doesn't feel lonely, and she peed in that as well. It seems like she'll ONLY go pee in her bed now. =/ We haven't formally tried to train her and have just keep a close eye on her while she's in the house and haven't had any accidents until recently with her bed. This week I'm out of school for the summer and we want to try to start training since we haven't had success finding her a home and it might be a while. 

Thanks everyone, we're kind of at a loss. We've never trained a dog before-and weren't planning on it either until these little guys showed up at our door with other ideas in mind.  Any help would be appreciated. 

~Jenna


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## PiedmontMom

I would keep the pup in the crate as much as possible until it LOVES its crate. At least a week. Every hour on the hour, put a collar and leash on the pup and walk it to the area you have designated as the area for elimination. Use your words to tell the pup to do its job. As soon as it pees or poops say "YES!" and offer a really tasty treat. I've heard cat kibble is really good. (I have other treats already). Give the pup a chance to do whatever it hasn't done, but no more than five minutes (start a poop log so you know when to anticipate it). If a poop or pee is expected and it isn't happening, walk back to the house or its crate outside (still on leash) but turn around back to the "spot". Give the pup time to do his job but no more than 5 minutes. Keep going back and forth from the house or crate to its spot until something happens. My pup takes two trips sometimes. Some pups take hours.

Also, leave any absorbent material out of the crate. And make sure the crate is only large enough for the pup to stand up and turn around in. Extra room means it will pee/poop in the back of the crate and sleep in the front.

Good luck!


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## woodl9

Specifically for Blackgavotte:

I wish people like you would gives dogs the credit they deserve. My mutt puppy learned sit, shake, say please, "and kennel up" at 12 weeks and he certainly was potty trained by then. I have 2 older dogs who learned the same things when they were that age as well. My gut tells me that you think you should wait until four months because 4 months puts the pup at the human equivelant of a 3 year old which is when we generally potty train. But that makes little since because since they develop that much quicker, there is no need to wait that long. Kudos to the questioneer whose having trouble. Your pup is peeing in his kennel because he is mad at you for leaving him alone. Much like if he werent in a crate, he would chew up your shoes and your furniture while you were gone. Its a phase and it will pass. As he gets older there will be bigger puddles of piddle and eventually it will make him uncomfortable enough to stop....for now its just a small puddle which means its only a small inconvienience to him, one that he will sacrifice to get his point across that hes very mad that you left.


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## Lindsbabe

You are not doing anything wrong. Our first puppy who is not almost one was started on the crate training at 8 weeks and did awesome. He did not have a single accident in the crate and very few in the house. We let him out every 2 hours at night when we first got him then soon after only had to once a night then not at all. We recently got another puppy who was 10 weeks when we got him and now about 13 weeks and we have done the same with him and he pees in his crate. We have tried everything and really don't know what to do.


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## tobytoby

hi, i'm new to this forum and dog ownership. we have an 8 week french bulldog. he adores his crate but pees in it. i take him out all the time, but if i go away for an hour or two, there are pees stains on the blankets. i'm going to take out the blankets so maybe that'll deter him. other suggestions?


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## Max The Beagle

This is a pretty old thread, but I didn't realize it until I had read through most of the posts. So I feel I have to at least post a comment after all of that reading 

My 2 cents:
Make sure the size of your crate is not too big for your puppy. If they have room to move around too much, there is always the temptation to pee. 

Dont expect too much from a young puppy too fast. Also remember some smaller dogs have smaller bladders than a big dog and may need to go pee more often. Though, come to think of it, I have also seen the exact reverse. So I suppose it depends on the dog.

Take them out often, especially when first starting to train. You need to learn their schedule. Then slowly lengthen the time they are in the crate. 

We dont want to "reward" a behavior we dont like. If they have peed in the crate, you need to decide if you dont let them out right away (but dont let them wallow either) or if you want to put them directly outside (this has to be done immediately after the pee). Only you can tell if this is a reward to them or not.

Dont make a big deal of it. Attention is a reward, whether it is negative or positive.

You can try putting them in for short, I mean 20-40 minutes max, time periods and giving them a treat when they have not peed. Then slowly longer periods. 

No treat for pee!


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## dimples_2b

hello,
We have a 14 month old golden retriever/border collie who sleeps in our room at night, goes to the door during the day since I'm home but as soon as we leave and put him in his crate he pees even its for 10 minutes to walk some kids to the bus. We have even tried letting him stay in the bathroom and he just pees in there also. He goes outside before he goes in his crate, and it doesn't make a difference. Any ideas as to what to do? Thank you!


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## doxiemommy

It sounds like he's peeing because he's anxious about being left alone. You mention you're home during the day. So, perhaps he's not used to being left alone. It might help to try putting him in the crate for several short periods of time, just 2-3 minutes or so, and walking out the door (even when you don't need to go anywhere).

Maybe 3-4 times a day, just put him in the crate, and walk out the door, no fuss. Come back after 2-3 minutes, let him out, no fuss. Do this as often as you can so it becomes normal, and maybe he will learn to tolerate being in the crate when you leave.

Also, do you leave anything in the crate with him, toys? Chews? A frozen, stuffed kong? That may keep his mind off being alone.


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## dimples_2b

No we don't leave him with anything but we will start that as well as during the day. Thank you!!


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## doxiemommy

You're welcome! Our dogs used to get super anxious when we left for work, but that all stopped when we started giving them kongs stuffed with peanut butter and frozen overnight. They don't care about us at all when they have those!

As for toys, just make sure they are in good shape, inspect them regularly, so you know there are no loose pieces that could be swallowed.


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## motheroftwinsplus5

Hello my name is Leslie and I have a puppy that was born on March 4, I just need some tips on potty training him, I am trying the crate but he has resorted to using it in the crate. I have read this thread and I hope I can learn something, I do believe my problem may be that he is in the crate too long. I too work and we take him out before we leave the house (me work and my boys school) sometimes he is in the crate from 7:00 until 2:45 when the boys get home from school.


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## cookieface

motheroftwinsplus5 said:


> Hello my name is Leslie and I have a puppy that was born on March 4, I just need some tips on potty training him, I am trying the crate but he has resorted to using it in the crate. I have read this thread and I hope I can learn something, I do believe my problem may be that he is in the crate too long. I too work and we take him out before we leave the house (me work and my boys school) sometimes he is in the crate from 7:00 until 2:45 when the boys get home from school.


I'm far from an expert, but I think that's way too long for the puppy to be in the crate without a potty break. The general rule of thumb is that a dog can last as many hours as they are months old plus one. So, a three-month-old puppy might be able to last for four hours without a break - some won't be able to. Additionally, puppies should go out as soon as they wake up, after eating, and after playing. Is there someone who can take him out while you're at work? If you don't have someone, you might want look into puppy pad training.


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## motheroftwinsplus5

cookieface said:


> I'm far from an expert, but I think that's way too long for the puppy to be in the crate without a potty break. The general rule of thumb is that a dog can last as many hours as they are months old plus one. So, a three-month-old puppy might be able to last for four hours without a break - some won't be able to. Additionally, puppies should go out as soon as they wake up, after eating, and after playing. Is there someone who can take him out while you're at work? If you don't have someone, you might want look into puppy pad training.


I agree and I am working on a plan like trying to go home myself for lunch and let him out. Now what if I put him in the bathroom with the pad if I know that I won't be able to get home for lunch... my job is pretty demanding...thx


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## NewfoundlandOwner

4 hours for an 11-week old puppy is too long, IMO. I would not expect a puppy of that age to hold it longer than 2 hours. If you are going to be away from longer 2, maybe 3 hours, or can't get up regularly to let your puppy out, I would strongly suggest putting together a gated spaced for him, with pads at one end and his food/water at the other. If you have carpeting over your entire house, even in the bathrooms and kitchen, I would first be rather surprised, and then skeptical. But whatever the case, it is unreasonable to expect a puppy of that age to hold it for 4 hours. They simply do not have the bladder control to accomplish this. 

Also, I can add that insisting you're not abusing "my damn puppy" is not likely to convince people. I have often become irritated or frustrated when raising a puppy - they're loud, eliminate at inconvenient places and times, chew things, etc., but I never refer to them in such a derogatory manner. A puppy does these things, so if you're not prepared for some frustration, messes, and loss of sleep, it's highly advisable to buy a plant instead. Leaving him in his waste to teach him a lesson will instead teach him to tolerate it. Since the entire reason crate training works is that dogs instinctively don't want to sleep in their own waste, you really don't want that. 

When my house was mostly covered in carpet (I've since put in tile and wood flooring in several rooms), I also had a puppy I brought home. I put together a portable play area with a linking gate, some toys, water, food, pads, and under the entire thing - a tarp I bought for $6 at Walmart. It saved my carpet, and allowed my puppy space to move around and a good place to eliminate when I was gone longer than she could hold it. There is very little transition between going on a pad and going outside. In both instances, you're teaching your puppy to eliminate in a specific, approved place. Once they're older, and have better bladder control, crating for 4 hours at a time will be fine.


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## xxxxdogdragoness

Yeah when Josefina was a pup, we adopted her at 3 mos, she could hold it for up to 3 hrs at the MOST. When Izze was a pup (I got her at 6 wks.... Too young I know but I didn't know any better at the time) & of course she couldn't hold it at all but I took her to work with me & at home she had a dog door which my older dog at thr time taught her to use very quickly as soon as she was big enough to open it.

See, pups this young cant always tell you when they have to go bc THEY don't always know when they have to go as their bodies aren't developed yet, your pup has learned to pee in his crate & has desensitized himself to being dirty. PerhAps one poster's suggestion of putting an x pen with thr crate in there with a comfy bed in it & pee pads covering thr entire floor outside the crate to start, as he gets the idea (you will have to monitor this as every pup is different). With consistency, luck, time & most important of all PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE lol, no one said having a puppy was easy, but it is rewarding when you are deligent in thr beginning.


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## Precious Puppy

I think the puppy has a medical condtion and should be checked immediately.


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## Precious Puppy

dimples, sounds like your dog does not know that going outside is for using the bathroom. Unless they are trained some do not realize it and while outside are not going to the bathroom but are outside smelling around, etc. then come inside and relieve themselves. You need to start from scratch with his housebreaking, beginning with crate training and putting him on a strict feeding/potty schedule and when you take him outside you use a word to identify going to the bathroom, the same one all the time, after he goes you immediately give him praise and bring him back inside so then he begins to relate outside as the place to go to the bathroom. After he learns outside is for the bathroom, then you can let him stay out to do whatever else he wants to do while in the yard.


i once owned a chihuahua who would consistently go out and literally pretend to go by doing this little half squat, then come in and immediately pee on the floor.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

This thread started in 2006.. so that puppy is almost 6 years old now. Dimples hasn't posted in February..


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## JadaDobieDiamond

Hey, a little off topic so sorry but how did you train your pup to use a bell on the door to notify you when to go out? I too have an eleven week old pup peeing in her crate but only at night and it is also a recent thing for her. Actually it's more in the morning and when she whines it's because she has already done it, not before. Anyway, during the day she is rarely in the crate I only work 3 days a week and those days she's with my bf and his dog so it's really only at night but she doesn't really whine to go outside during the day either we have just picked up on when she is holding it and needs to go so we let her out, maybe if I could get her to ring a bell things will be easier.


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## Jstone

corgankidd said:


> BlackGavotte - Waiting to train your pup until it is 4 months old just confuses them! I would never leave paper or puppy pads down for my pup cause it tells him its ok to go in the house. That, to me, is wrong! So I will continue my crate training and suffer through the frustrations cause its only temporary this way. Teaching him that it is ok to go in the house can have permanent effects on the dog and he may never grasp the concept that going outside is where he has to go after he is 4 months old. I'm glad that your technique has worked for you, but for a lot of dogs it doesn't and crating is the best way to housebreak them. I just don't want to risk the headache of having a dog that pees on every piece of paper I happen to leave on the ground years from now.


I've got the same issues, my puppy is 12 weeks old and I have been crating her for 5 weeks now. I work very close by so I gradually started her off, with nights only and had taken up all my rugs, closed all my bedroom, closets and completely puppy proofed my house. I finally got her up to all nights in the crate, bedtime around 11 and waking up around 4am, lately it has been 6am. I use to put her in the crate at 8:15am after feeding her around 6ish and taking her out for a walk, and then again out to pee around 8am. I use to come home around 11am for a half an hour to let her out...no accidents in her kennel, leave her out of her kennel from 11-2 with the puppy proofed house and then kennel from 2:30 to 5. As she is getting older, her teeth are coming in and she is playing a little rougher, so I also can no longer leave her out unattended because I have cats...and I can't trap them in a room all day as they are very hard to catch and get into that one room in the morning. I was awarding her good crating behaviour with making her crate larger...then after a few days she started being more mischievousness around the house while I was home and I noticed she also soiled in her kennel. I made the kennel smaller, then I tried again, going at 2.5 hour intervals....and worked her up to 4 hours. She was doing great until the other day. I honestly think its either stress or spite. Anxiety of being left alone again...she's been really bad lately when I leave, whether someone is home or not, she cries for a while. Or the spite...she is very smart and knows she can get my attention if she does something naughty and I think this is her trick. The question is...how to nip this stress or spite in the butt because we can't simply leave her out to roam...that's a huge mess to clean up when you get home, or worse...injured cats or puppy from unsupervised roughplay. The only other option is puppy day care...but you really shouldn't have to depend on this all the time if they are on the path of obedient behaviour. So were not all alone, but does anyone have any other tips besides dog training and obedience classes...she's not old enough yet because she has to have her 3rd set of puppy shots ...which is in another 4 or 5 weeks.


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## Jstone

Mine holds it for that long, she was born June 7th, She cries when she wants to go out and holds it all through the night with no accidents and she has unlimited running water when she isn't in her kennel and about a cup of water while in her kennel because I heard if they don't have water for longer than 2 hours and they are vocal or are chewing on something that can make them thirsty its not healthy for them. Anyways...saying it is abuse and such...is crap, its a puppy, you can't let it roam free and let it do what it wants or you are going to have a very hard to train dog. You certainly don't start off at 4 hours or 3 hours but you start off with half hour in the crate, then out to pee, then work your way up to the longer periods of time. There is a "weekend crate training guide" that is great to getting them up to about 2-3 hours in their crate which is healthy for a 2-3 mth old pup. I think it boils down to boredom, stress and stubbornness/spite...different with every breed of course, I have a GSD so stubborn/spite is my issue right now and trying to challenge me as her Alpha.


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## Jstone

Get this...Friday early evening, my pup had her 2nd set of puppy boosters...she had a nap in her opened kennel and then woke up for a second to come over and nap by me on the couch. I noticed she was a little damp on her side, so I got up to see and her kennel was wet too. Is that somewhat common that she would pee in her sleep after her boosters? Since then she has been peeing in her kennel while I'm at work...like she's gotten use to it now! I know its not physical, it must be emotional...either anxiety or stubbornness...she's very stubborn and strong willed little puppy.


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## LittleFr0g

This thread was started in 2008, and the OP is long gone. Think it's time to close this down.


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