# Peeing in Crate



## Dilsie (Oct 10, 2010)

Recently we have been coming home to find that our 12 week old puppy has peed in her crate. We have a divider in so she only has enough room to turn around. We were hoping that by using the divider that she would not want to mess where she slept.

Any ideas as to why this is happening? This had not been a problem for the first 2 weeks we had her.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Do you pull her water bowl 2 hours before crateing? Do you use a cleaner that will remove all urine smell from the entire crate and crate area? Is she rewarded for peeing outside?


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## Cavedog (Oct 21, 2010)

If your pup had been staying dry in the past and now does not seem able to hold it, you may want to check with your vet and see if she has a urinary tract infection.


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## Dilsie (Oct 10, 2010)

Thanks - we are taking her to the vet this week and will have her check for a UTI.

The weird thing is that she doesn't pee in her crate overnight...only during the day when we leave her in the crate for no more than 4 hours.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Bingo! He is looking for attention, prob no UTI.


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## skafunkrastapunk (Feb 16, 2011)

HELP! My 17 week old puppy is doing this. 

Here is my weekday routine. Wake up around 7:00, take the pup out, then take my lab out. Let them eat and drink if they want, which they do a little and play for around 15 minutes. Then crate them, take a shower and get ready for work, take the pup out again to relieve himself and let him play for a little then back to the crate from from around 8:35am, until I take lunch and get home around 1:15pm. Everyday the crate is wet when I get back, so I take him out. Put him in my lab's crate while I take my lab out, come back in and run the pups crate under a shower and soap it up a bit. Take the pup back out to see if he'll go, then back in the crate for me to go back to work by 1:45pm. Then when I return at 6:15pm the crate is again wet. I take my pup out, take my lab out, wash the crate, bathe the puppy... and thennn its a fairly normal and ok night. 

Is it possible he just can't hold it? He seems to do fine overnight, he sleeps in my bed for periods of 6 hours or so before waking me up to take him out.

Is it cruel to keep allowing him to pee his crate and sit in there until I have a chance to come home and take care of it?

Will this get better pleeasse!?


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

skafunkrastapunk:
How big is your pup's crate? You want to make sure the crate is not too large. Large is nice, but while your still housebreaking, the crate should only be big enough to turn around in--think den not condo. I would also take the pup out again before you crate him to take a shower. Then out again before you leave for work. When you get home for lunch, I would take the pup out before the lab, and maybe keep him out with you while the lab has his turn (if possible). Make sure you are thoroughly cleaning the bedding. I know you are soaping it, but sometimes even when we think we are doing well, dogs will pick up the faintest scent. Give it a good wash, hot water, in a washing machine & use back up bedding (even if a towel). Is there someone who might be willing to take the pup out before you come home for lunch & return in the evening? If he is staying dry at night, it may be a little separation anxiety??? He obviously likes the comfort of your bed , so you may want to be consistent with the crate at night. I think there are probably more threads/posts on this issue, so you may want to do a search for more &/or better suggestions. Good luck!


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## skafunkrastapunk (Feb 16, 2011)

He has a proper sized crate, he's been laying or standing over his pee for hours the last few days.

So instead of just washing out the crate, this time I washed it, then thoroughly cleaned it with Nature's Miracle brand cleaner and wiped it down. I also cut back the amount of water I allowed him to drink this morning and took it away fairly early.

Came home from lunch today and... DRY!!!!!! I almost cried. Can't tell you how big of a win this was for me. Hoping to find the same when I get back from work today. 

Thanks for all the suggestions!


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Congrats!! It stinks he stands over his pee (for his comfort anyway); however, I think it's good the pee is uncomfortable for him. Provides basic motivation to stop soiling the crate. Be careful limiting water to a pup though. Hope a dry crate greets you this evening. May all the washing be behind you ;D


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

skafunkrastapunk said:


> He has a proper sized crate, he's been laying or standing over his pee for hours the last few days.
> 
> So instead of just washing out the crate, this time I washed it, then thoroughly cleaned it with Nature's Miracle brand cleaner and wiped it down. I also cut back the amount of water I allowed him to drink this morning and took it away fairly early.
> 
> ...


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## skafunkrastapunk (Feb 16, 2011)

So after seeing him continue to go in the house very very often and tinkling while walking I decided to go back to the vet and check specifically for UTI. He tested positive and is currently on antibiotics for it. Although I feel bad for him, it is quite a relief knowing that something was wrong with him making him go this much and it wasn't just me not taking him out enough during the day, becuase it was really starting to get ridiculous. 

So now he's on antibiotics, and hopefully he gets better soon. He has 2 weeks woth now, and then goes back for a check up. The vet said he will probably need to take it longer than that becuase it seemed like he had had it for so long (at least since I had gotten him). And BOY was it expensive... over $200 for the first check up and meds... and more for the re-check and further meds in a couple weeks. 

But once again I'm happy to know that I wan't just completely failing on the training part, and if I keep it up as he is getting physically better everything should hopefully fall into place.

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement again everyone!


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

Your doing a great job! Sorry to hear your boy has a UTI. It's not as common in boys, but pups are prone. Our Pumpkin got a UTI after we got her, and the 1st round of antibiotics did not clear it. It came back, and we had what seemed like the never ending UTI! It was a pain, literally for Pumpkin, but at least there is a reason. I hope he gets better soon!


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

So, how are these guys doing now?


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## Dilsie (Oct 10, 2010)

Our puppy is still peeing in her crate every day. She does not pee when we crate her overnight, only when we leave her during the day.

We leave her for about 4-5 hours at a time and each time we come back she has peed in the crate. Nothing is working anymore, we wash her bed and wipe down her crate all the time, as well as limit her water intake.

We had her tested for a UTI and it came up negative. Any other suggestions?


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

What are you using to clean the crate with? Is the bottom plastic and odorless? Is there anything else in the crate? Are you rewarding her and making a big deal when she goes and pees in the proper place? I mean like jump up and down and say gooood girl, what a goooood girl!!! Giving her treats and letting her know she is going the the right place?


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## MaggieD (Jan 28, 2011)

I think the problem could that your leaving a young puppy in the crate for 5 hrs at a time... That is quite a while for a young pup.. Puppies need to pee almost every hour or 2 max (especially at that young of an age) so that could most likeley be the issue. You may want to get a neighbor or friend to let the puppy out while youre away because the pup dislikes peeing in his crate just as much as you dislike it.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't buy it. The 4 month old should be fine in the crate for 4 hours. Unless you are leaving her nylabone just outside the crate. It should definitely be left inside the crate with her so she can keep herself occupied.


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## Dilsie (Oct 10, 2010)

We talked to our trainer and we are going to remove her bed and kennel pad and leave her in there during the day like that, so if she pees, she will have to sleep in it and thus figure out that she needs to wait until we get home.

She has ways of peeing on her bed/kennel pad/plastic and covering it up so she doesn't have to sleep in it, so we figured that if everything else was out, she will try and hold it.


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Well; If the bedding and kennel pad where left in the crate, even after washing, it is a problem. Most cleaners will not take out the smell of urine. Some cleaners actually smell like urine to your dog! You need to understand, if there is *ANY* smell of urine, she will think it is OK for her to pee there. The only cleaners that I have found to work are specific for cleaning pet urine. If you try anything else, you are wasting your time and handicapping the dog's success. Sometimes a new plastic crate pan will be required. Understand; if there is *any* urine smell near that crate or on the floor in your house the dog will pee there again.


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