kristen
JH
Posts:24
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| 04/10/2011 2:04 PM |
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So i adopted my puppy about three weeks ago and since ive gotten him hes been peeing in the crate when me and my boyfriend go to work. I thought dogs dont like to soil where they sleep so im utterly confused on what to do. Hes about seven month old and im sure that his previous owners didnt have time to potty train him so im thinking hes just used to doing this because he was crated all the time when he was younger. Ive tried restricting his water before bed and take him out all the time to go. Im lost on what to do next. Does anyone have any suggestions? |
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JMSGunner
Bucks County, PA
MH
Posts:785
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| 04/10/2011 2:26 PM |
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How big is the crate he's in? Eliminate extra room and he won't potty where he sleeps. He should have enough room to stand up, lay down, and turn around. |
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Jackie & Gunner
Impressive Gewehr von Catskill 4/19/2010
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4452
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| 04/11/2011 5:36 AM |
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How long is he in the crate?
Does he hold it all night?
He may have a negative association with the crate?
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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MainCreeksRemi
Wisconsin
MH
Posts:824
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| 04/11/2011 8:39 AM |
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First, make sure you are cleaning the area well with an enzymatic cleaner so he can no longer smell it.
Second, make sure the crate isn't too big as suggested above.
Third, make sure you are taking him outside to potty right before you leave for work. Also do not let him drink for an hour before you leave in the mornings.
Are you able to come home at all during the day to let him out?
Remi had a few potty accidents in his crate as he grew up but he was still pretty young with a little bladder. If the problem persists, maybe have him checked out for a UTI. |
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Loved by Kelley:
Remi (7/3/2010) GSP
Morgan (5/17/2008) Choco Lab
Nallah (8/6/2006) Black Lab |
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JoeyBean
Albany, NY
MH
Posts:315
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| 04/11/2011 9:54 AM |
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Second everything mentioned above. They don't like to soil where they sleep, but if they have to, well then they will.
It happened a few times to us during potty training as well. If you follow the suggestions above and keep working at it , it should stop |
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niqole
Harrisburg PA
MH
Posts:140
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| 04/11/2011 2:13 PM |
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Levi to this day pees in his crate every single day!!!! He will be a year old on 26th. The vet said seperation anxiety....because he'll go the entire night without going out to pee, he can hold he...he just chooses not to!
It doesn't matter if we allow him to have a small area or large area of the crate he'll pee and roll all through it....EVERY DAY! So if anyone has any advice i'd love to hear it too!!!! PLEASE! |
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"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive."
- Gilda Radner |
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kristen
JH
Posts:24
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| 04/11/2011 2:39 PM |
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| I think bowser has the same problem as levi. He's super attached to me, follows me around like a shadow literally. When we first crated him he would bark for a few hours straight. The crates not too big for him,I clean it well, never used it for punishment. The only time he spends in it is for five hours when I'm away at work. I tried restricting his water before going in there and take him out to go pee all the time. And I also know he can hold it because when were home sleeping we let him have access to all areas besides our bedrroom and we will sleep for seven hour and he doesn't pee in the house. That's why its so frusturating. I don't want to be cleaning pee out of that crate everyday and have to bathe him all the time. I can't see what the problem could be. |
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JoeyBean
Albany, NY
MH
Posts:315
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| 04/11/2011 2:47 PM |
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| I'm not an expert, but are you guys using an enzymatic cleaner like natures miracle? As someone mentioned above the pee smell can't really be removed unless you use a product designed for it--and they will think its ok to pee where they already have. I would scrub everything down, wash all bedding, and really keep water from them before leaving. |
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tnbndr
New Berlin, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:115
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| 04/11/2011 4:05 PM |
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He's super attached to me, follows me around like a shadow literally. When we first crated him he would bark for a few hours straight.
Both my dogs followed me around for almost 6 months. You are their new pack leader. They used to follow behind me while I cut the grass, back and forth. Eventually they figured out that I walk a lot of extra steps during the day and now they lay on the couch or floor and watch me go about my way. Our second adopted dog pee'd in the crate a couple of times but she was used to being in a kennel where she could pee whenever she wanted. There are always problems with bringing dogs into a new home situation but they should work themselves out.
You say it is a puppy so I would limit the length of time you leave him in the crate. Puppies don't have the greatest control over their bladders or anything else for that matter. Be patient |
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Dennis |
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EMack
Toronto, Ontario
SH
Posts:54
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| 04/11/2011 4:25 PM |
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| I just posted a few days ago about "Crate Games". I'm not sure it's the solution for you, but if he is having a negative association with his crate, this might help. I've been playing these games with Stanley and he is really loving his crate as a result. The idea is to transfer value to the crate for the dog. I bought the DVD from here http://www.clickerdogs.com/crate_games.php |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 04/11/2011 5:55 PM |
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| I think you need to make sure the cage is cleaned with stuff that will remove the pee....then work on separation anxiety stuff...it is a hard thing to over come...but can be done... |
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niqole
Harrisburg PA
MH
Posts:140
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| 04/11/2011 6:02 PM |
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The thing with Levi is...it doesn't matter if you put him in his crate for 20 mins or 5 hours..as soon as he hears the front door shut he pees. I've tried cleaning it with everything I can think of. What do you suggest I try...because at this point i'm willing to try anything. Some people say once we have him neutered it will get better, but i'm having my doubts.  |
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"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive."
- Gilda Radner |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4452
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| 04/12/2011 4:12 AM |
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I have a possible solution for Levi.
Put him in his crate,have one person leave the house while the other is in the room with him. Then that person can leave and a minute afterwards the other person can come home. I would do this in/out several times a day mixing it up and extending the time and I would expect to see results within a week.
What I have found to work with all the dogs I have done it with is to teach them to stay in the kennel with the door open. We had one dog who was a boomerang. If you told her kennel she would go in,turn around and come right back to you. It was this dog that taught me to teach the dogs what kennel actually means.
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 04/12/2011 5:45 AM |
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yes what Pixie has mentioned helps alot...I worked with a friends dog that has anxiety issues...she didn't pee but would pant and drool so bad I thought she had peed until I video taped her...she also would break out of the cage so it had to be reinforced...so you teach them to go to their kennel and I did it with and without the door closed, but you stay in the room reading or messing around on the computer or scrap booking just something and not paying attention to the dog...when the dog is fine with being in the kennel with you in the room....then you move to another room but where the dog can still see you...when ok with that then go to a room where they can't see you...slowly you work to being outside and then to actually leaving...this isn't something you will do in one day it will take time...you also build on how long the dog is in the cage with you gone...also when you come home don't let the dog out right away...put your things away first and then go to the dog....only let the dog out when he/she is calm...when you open the door the dog should not dart out the door should open and then when you give the command (whatever word you choose: ok/out/now) the dog can come out....still ignore the dog just let him/her out to go potty....ignore him/her for 30 minutes...then just a nice calm greeting...
as for cleaning someone above mentioned an enzymatic cleaner like natures miracle
http://www.petsmart.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=natures%20miracle&origkw=natures%20miracle&sr=1 |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:4452
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| 04/12/2011 6:37 AM |
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Splat,
that's an excellent description of how to do it.
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3167
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| 04/12/2011 6:43 AM |
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I wish I had advice for you, but I'd like to share our experience with an older dog to show that it WILL get better with time.
When we got Shiraz, we had problems with her peeing in the house. (She was 4.5 yo.) She was used to being out all day and going when she wanted, and wasn't familiar with our routine. Plus she had just had a litter so her bladder was probably a little weak.
She would make it to the back door and would pee on the carpet. After many, many weeks (and us being extra vigilant) we finally got a routine set so that her accidents have disappeared.
I would follow Splat's advice and try to make little changes every day. It's going to take some time. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 04/12/2011 6:53 AM |
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Posted By pixie bee on 04/12/2011 6:37 AM
Splat,
that's an excellent description of how to do it.
Thanx! It was the one thing I researched pretty good when my friend came to me with her problem and was almost gonna get rid of her dog to kepp her boyfriend (long story)...however the month I had her dog I was able to get it where the dog would stay in the cage without hurting her self and my friend was able to keep the dog and the boyfriend! The dog still isn't that happy with the cage but at least it is so much better! Plus this weekend while my friend and her boyfriend are on vacation we will be doggie sitting for them!
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MainCreeksRemi
Wisconsin
MH
Posts:824
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| 04/12/2011 6:55 AM |
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Nature's Miracle is an enzymatic cleaner made to clean up messes from doggies.
http://www.petmountain.com/brands/93/1/natures-miracle.html?gclid=CMuqsK-Cl6gCFcW8KgodlAHEDg
Follow the advice given above for working on seperation anxiety....very good advice and I did have to do this with Nallah. It takes a lot of time, but it works.
Also make crate time a HAPPY time! Whenever our dogs are crated they get a kong with some sort of treat inside, and a nylabone to chew on. I don't put any toys in there they could potentially destroy and hurt themselves with. Every night before bed I make kongs with carrots/banana/yogurt and freeze them overnight. The dogs get those every morning and literally RUN to their crates and wait for me to pass them out now. Remi is the most excited about crate time. 
And Kristen, I guess I wouldn't assume that Bowser does indeed have SA....GSP's in general are pretty clingy dogs. They like to be with you, or ON you.  I can't sit down on the couch without Remi wanting to be on top of me cuddling. He's still very new and he could just be adjusting to his new life.
Another tip for crate time is to put a heavy blanket over the top to make it more "den" like and turn on some soft music or the tv. |
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Loved by Kelley:
Remi (7/3/2010) GSP
Morgan (5/17/2008) Choco Lab
Nallah (8/6/2006) Black Lab |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 04/12/2011 6:59 AM |
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be careful with putting the blanket over the cage....my friend did that cuz it was advised to her and her dog pulled it in and ripped it up and ate it....got sick from the pieces being stuck...luckily though she was able to vomit it up and is fine...
but I have heard the den covered cage solution alot...
my dogs since from day one I always gave them a stuffed kong will eat that in the cage...my friends dog however won't eat anything when in the cage... |
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kristen
JH
Posts:24
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| 04/12/2011 10:29 AM |
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| Thanks for all the great advice. I'm going to start by making the crate seem like a place he would love to go into. I'm going to freeze peanut butter in his kong bone and give it to him right before I leave for work. He does do some other odd things when left by himself. One day he was watching me do my homework in my office and I went to go to the bathroom. He always tries to barge in there so I shut the door on him and all of a sudden I hear him peeing on the wall out side of the bathroom even though I let him out to go fifteen mintues prior. He also did this to my boyfriend when he went into the shower. My boyfriend had just let him out,jumped in the shower and he peed all over the floor. He's a handful but very much loved |
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