I can't get my dog to stop peeing in her crate

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KLEJA
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Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 7:22 am

I can't get my dog to stop peeing in her crate

Post by KLEJA »

My mini dachshund is 10 months old. We've been trying to crate train her since she was 2 months old. 3 three months ago we noticed that she would pee in her crate during the day even when she went potty in the morning (6 am) then at 12 noon. We discovered that even though she pees at noon she goes in the crate sometime between 2:30 and 4:00.

We've decreased her crate space, taken away blankets in the crate (sometimes not all the time because she gets cold), I let her out at midnight, and 9 times out of 10 she pees in the crate during the day. She'll even pee at night if I don't let her out at midnight. She pees on her blanket and sleeps on the dry part or if there is no blanket she pees on the bottom of the crate and then stands there and barks until I come and clean everything up.

This has made it difficult to potty train her. She knows she suppose to go out side and 90 percent of the time she asks but if it's raining she won't go. I end up having to place a dry potty pad outside for her to pee on or she won't do anything.

I'm geting very frustrated. If I can just get her to stop peeing in her crate I know I can get her to stop peeing in the house the other times. I also know that she doesn't have seperation anxiety. We've done things to check and she's fine when left alone.

So can someone help me and little Cheetoh?
-Kimberly and Cheetoh
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Mattie
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Re: I can't get my dog to stop peeing in her crate

Post by Mattie »

KLEJA wrote:My mini dachshund is 10 months old. We've been trying to crate train her since she was 2 months old. 3 three months ago we noticed that she would pee in her crate during the day even when she went potty in the morning (6 am) then at 12 noon. We discovered that even though she pees at noon she goes in the crate sometime between 2:30 and 4:00.
you are expecting far too much from her to go 6 hours without going to the toilet, I can't do that and wouldn't expect any dog to let alone a 10 month old one. No wonder you are having problems training her.
We've decreased her crate space, taken away blankets in the crate (sometimes not all the time because she gets cold), I let her out at midnight, and 9 times out of 10 she pees in the crate during the day. She'll even pee at night if I don't let her out at midnight. She pees on her blanket and sleeps on the dry part or if there is no blanket she pees on the bottom of the crate and then stands there and barks until I come and clean everything up.
How much time is she spending in her crate? From what you are saying she only comes out to pee then not often enough. When she can't hold it any longer and relieves herself you punish her by making her crate smaller and take away her blankets.
This has made it difficult to potty train her. She knows she suppose to go out side and 90 percent of the time she asks but if it's raining she won't go. I end up having to place a dry potty pad outside for her to pee on or she won't do anything.
Take her back to the beginning and retrain her, you need to take her out as soon as she wakes up.

Before and after she has been fed.

After a training or play session.

and EVERY HOUR in between.

You need to take her outside so you can see when she goes and lots and lots of praise so she knows that is what you want her to do.

If you do all this with her she willl soon become toilet trained as long as you don't expect her to hold it for 6 hours at a time.

I bet you go more often than every 6 hours so why expect your pup to do this?

I'm geting very frustrated. If I can just get her to stop peeing in her crate I know I can get her to stop peeing in the house the other times. I also know that she doesn't have seperation anxiety. We've done things to check and she's fine when left alone.

So can someone help me and little Cheetoh?[/quote]
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KLEJA
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Post by KLEJA »

She has opertunity to go out 6 am and then again at 7:30 am and shes fine. Then at noon she won't pee unless we get her water. Then she is only in the crate for 4 to 4.5 hours longer. even if we can get her to pee at noon she will pee during that 4 hour period.

We took the blanket away in hopes that she wouldn't pee on it thinking it was a potty pad. It is only that time between noonish to 5;00 that she pees. Then we let her out plenty of times at night and she lets us know she wants out. When it rains she won't tell us she has to go, and she won't go outside to save her life. Thats when she goes in the house.

We really want to be able to trust her to be in house and out of her crate.

Don't think I'm not giving her chances to pee. She has them. I'm trying to set her up for sucess not failure so don't think I'm expecting her to hold it for 10 hours or more.

I just don't understand why she holds it for 6 hours even when given the chance to pee, but she can't hold it for the remaining 4 hours.

How do I break the cycle?
-Kimberly and Cheetoh
mj702002
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Post by mj702002 »

Yes, retrain her like Mattie said.
I have done what she has suggested with my now 6+ month old pup, I got him when he was about 12 weeks old, and he can be trusted in the house. (I actually stopped locking him in the crate after the first 2-3 weeks.)

Also during the first weeks I kept a leash on him attached to me so I knew where he was and what he was doing, so if he had to go I knew it right away and could get him outside.

When we are at the house and it is raining out - my dogs look at me like I am crazy for wanting them to go out in it...I grab a ball or one of their outside toys and go out with it, it doesn't take long for them to be enjoying it (and have gone potty).
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

When it rains, put a coat on her and take her out and walk her. Or put up a roofed area outside where she can potty under cover.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Mattie
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Post by Mattie »

KLEJA wrote:She has opertunity to go out 6 am and then again at 7:30 am and shes fine. Then at noon she won't pee unless we get her water. Then she is only in the crate for 4 to 4.5 hours longer. even if we can get her to pee at noon she will pee during that 4 hour period.
Do you take her out or put her out? If you are putting her out you don't know if she goes or not.
We took the blanket away in hopes that she wouldn't pee on it thinking it was a potty pad. It is only that time between noonish to 5;00 that she pees. Then we let her out plenty of times at night and she lets us know she wants out. When it rains she won't tell us she has to go, and she won't go outside to save her life. Thats when she goes in the house.
I get the impression that your dog spends all day and night in her crate and only out to potty, I do hope I am wrong. I don't see any point in having a dog if it is in a crate all the time. Even when not house trained I have my dogs out with me so I can watch them, I take them out every hour and stay out with them. If it is raining I put waterproofs on myself and my dog and have an umbrella. If my dog does have an accident in the house I just clean up after them, it is much easier cleaning up after a dog than a husband and 3 sons. :wink:
We really want to be able to trust her to be in house and out of her crate.
She won't be unless you teach her to go outside and she should only be in a crate for safety reasons like when there is nobody there to supervise her. Having a dog in a crate while you are there, there isn't any point in having the dog.
Don't think I'm not giving her chances to pee. She has them. I'm trying to set her up for sucess not failure so don't think I'm expecting her to hold it for 10 hours or more.
Giving her chances to pee isn't enough, you have to teach her were to go.
I just don't understand why she holds it for 6 hours even when given the chance to pee, but she can't hold it for the remaining 4 hours.

How do I break the cycle?
Maybe she is stressed, and it sounds like it, holding it from 7.30am to 12 noon is still too long to expect her to hold it. How often do you go 6 hours before going to the toilet? It is unreasonable to expect her to go this long and could be the reason why she is doing it in her crate.
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KLEJA
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Post by KLEJA »

Cheetoh doesn't spend all day and night in her crate. As soon as someone is home she doesn't spend a single moment in there until midnight when we all go to bed.

I always watch her pee. We don't just put her outside. I will try to use an umbrella to get her to pee during the rain. I think that worked in the past when she was only like 2 months old before winter came.

When we are home and the weather is good we can trust her in the house with us all day long and she will ask us to let her out 99% of the time.

I'm just upset because she had no problem with this crate schedule until she hit 8 months of age.

I'll try retraining her to go out and start from the begining. I'm just disappointed because we really though she was getting to the point where we could leave her in the house without a crate.

And it's been really confusing for me since everyone I talk to contratdicts someone else. Half the dog trainers/ owners are like 'your crate is too big,' 'get rid of the blanket.' And then it doesn't work, and they tell the crate is still to big(even though I KNOW it's too small.) Then everyone else is telling me to punish her for peeing and yell at her for peeing in the crate.

There are so many 'techniques' out there, and it's like everyone wants to tell you you are a bad owner if you are not doing it their way or if it doesn't work like it worked for them and there dog because you must be doing in wrong then.

I hope other people can know where I'm coming from. Anyways I'll get off my soap box and let everyone know how Cheetoh does in the next few weeks.

Thanks for the help. :D


[/quote]
-Kimberly and Cheetoh
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

Anything that happens suddenly like that is worth a vet. check just to make sure she doesn't have a urinary infection.


Thank you for the extra information :) we have to build up a picture in order to help you, and can only go with what you tell us, so it's useful to have the gaps filled in.

I'm sure she'll be back to normal soon.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Mattie
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Post by Mattie »

KLEJA wrote: I'll try retraining her to go out and start from the begining. I'm just disappointed because we really though she was getting to the point where we could leave her in the house without a crate.
It is disappointing when you thing you have got it right then find you haven't and not always easy to pick yourself up again, so a big hug on the way. :D
And it's been really confusing for me since everyone I talk to contratdicts someone else. Half the dog trainers/ owners are like 'your crate is too big,' 'get rid of the blanket.' And then it doesn't work, and they tell the crate is still to big(even though I KNOW it's too small.) Then everyone else is telling me to punish her for peeing and yell at her for peeing in the crate.

There are so many 'techniques' out there, and it's like everyone wants to tell you you are a bad owner if you are not doing it their way or if it doesn't work like it worked for them and there dog because you must be doing in wrong then.
Many years ago, far to many to admit to :oops: someone said to me, "When working with animals go with your instincts, if it feels right it probably is, if it feels wrong ignore it." Unfortunately we think trainers and behaviourists must know what they are doing and do what they say even though we feel it won't suit our dogs. Start trusting your instincts, nobody knows your dog as well as you do, all we can do is give ideas what may work, it is up to you to work out what will suit you and your dog.

Something has gone wrong somewhere, it may be a health problem, it could be something you have no control over but is probably very easy to fix like retraining her.

Good luck.
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Pawzk9
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Post by Pawzk9 »

This may have been mentioned and I missed it. Sometimes dogs have a physical problem that causes them to be unable to control their bladder. She might have a urinary tract infection. If she is spayed, she may have spay incontenence. And there are other reasons for incontenence. I'd also talk with your vet., and have a thorough exam including urinalysis.
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deborahmackay
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Post by deborahmackay »

Hello

I also have a mini daschund - who is now 3 years old and still sometimes goes in his crate!

I have tried for 2 years to train this out of him, but he insists on doing it. Which i find weird, as i was always told that a dog will not mess its bed!!

Archie does exactly the same as yours, pees and then sits on a dry bit!!

He is only crated for 3 hours max a day, and most days he is ok, but sometimes he isnt.

I would always crate archie when i go out as he is distructive, but i understand you wanting not to have to do this.

the problem is that now its like a pattern for your dog to do this. So maybe try a different crate, like a new one that has no smells or association to peeing and see if this makes any difference in conjuction with your starting from scratch training.

the way i look at my problem, is that this is one tiny wee problem that he has, and he used to have soooooo many. that i dont really let it bother me.

Sorry i know that this post is not that helpful, but i wanted you to know that you are not alone - daschunds love to pee inthe house!!!!

Deborah and Archie
Thanks

Deborah and Archie
Baylee's Mom
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Post by Baylee's Mom »

Sounds to me like she needs to be seen by a vet and may have a urinary infection or dealing with stress. If you are stressed, the dog will sense that and stress instantly.
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Cracker
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Post by Cracker »

I also agree a vet check should be done FIRST.
Then go back to the retraining and make sure that pup gets AWESOME treats when she goes outside.

Also..if the crate thing still doesn't work after working on the retraining...have you thought about using an xpen with a puppy pad instead. I personally don't like pad training and think that dogs SHOULD go outside..but a lot depends on the dog.
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ckranz
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Post by ckranz »

With all issue of inappropiate pottying:

1. Is there a medical reason? A vet check should be first. You can train out something that is caused due to ones health.

2. How long without a potty break? Depending on your dogs age and small dogs seem to take longer than large dogs to develope control of their bladders. Some can take up to 18 months.

3. When a dog soils an area where they are not supposed to go it needs to be thouroughly cleaned using an enzymatic based cleaner. If you are using bleach, it smells like urine to a dog and basically identifying to your dog that's where the bathroom is.

4. Training. Mattie has provided a good training plan so I will not elaborate further other than to say limit access to areas of your house that cannot be soiled when you are not able to watch. When you are able to watch spend time playing and recreating in those areas.
vanheerden100
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Post by vanheerden100 »

Interesting, about the bleach i never knew that and have used ALOT of it when my Roxy was a puppy.

I was quite clueless when i got Roxy, and spent the first two weeks taking her outside for pees whenever she wimpered, day and night ( i was very tired!). Once i understood her routine, i could then try and stretch out the time between toilets as she got older and mould her into my routine. This seemed to work.

I must say though day time was more difficult as she loves being outside to play/explore etc... so when she wanted to go out it often wasn't to toilet, and that would be back in the house once she had relaxed and settle down - but hey, that is why they have carpet cleaners(?)

We now have a dog door and that has made life sooooooo much easier!

I never used it, but a friend of mine has a spray that will stop them peeing where you don't want them to ? ? ? ? surely this isn't designed for their bed though ? ? ? ? ? does anyone know?
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