# help puppy has started pooping in crate at night



## billylonergan (Mar 4, 2013)

Hi.
We have a 6 month old pup (cavachon).Up until two weeks ago lucy would go into her crate at night and there were no problems. Two weeks ago lucy started pooping in her crate in the early hours of the morning.we brought lucy to the vet, twice, and there appears to be nothing physically wrong with her. She poops normally throughout the day and its quite solid (sorry if thats too much info). we bring her out for the last time at about 11pm.

Just wondering if anyone would have any suggestions what we can try?

Thanks
Billy


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## samshine (Mar 11, 2011)

This thread http://www.dogforums.com/dog-training-forum/141842-pooping-crate.html concerns a younger puppy but much of the same advice applies. 

How often does your puppy eat? On a schedule or free feeding? What food are you feeding? How many times does she have a bowel movement during the day?

Scheduled feeding means regular elimination, and some foods produce a lot more stool which means more output.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

How long have you had Lucy?


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## billylonergan (Mar 4, 2013)

we have her since she was 9 weeks old.shes now exactly 6 months.


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## billylonergan (Mar 4, 2013)

We feed her 'royal canin' for puppies.we measure it according to her size and feed her 3 times a day 7.30am , 12.30pm and 5.30pm.the last feed used to be at 7pm but we brought it back to see if this would prevent her soiling in her crate.
she tends to have bowel movements regularly about 3 times a day, sometimes as late as 11pm.The vet recommended we should try changing her food but she has been on this food from an early age and we've not had any problems so im not sure if thats the answer.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Is it an every day thing now, that she poops in the crate overnight?
If she's 6 months old, and only started this 2 weeks ago, I would say a vet visit in in order, but, you've already done that! 

My next thought is, pups can have setbacks in potty training, due to several things, like going through a fear stage, or teething, or illness, or change in routine, or change in environment. Sometimes even something we would consider to be an unimportant change can affect a pup. 

I would suggest maybe trying a middle of the night bathroom break until you get a handle on it. Getting up in the middle of the night to take the dog out isn't fun, for sure, but, it is better than letting her poop in the crate, and get into that habit.


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## bear_42 (Feb 20, 2010)

How large of a crate are you using? My rule for puppies are if they have room to sleep and not be on the poop, the crate is too big for them. My crate came with a divider that I would put in and as the dog grew, I moved it further back, until, he filled the crate. If you don't have one, at least where I am, you could buy it from a pet store.

For now, you only want room in the crate to sleep. That helps to reinforce that YOU want the crate for sleep and where YOU want poop.


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