# 5 months old - crate help please



## CatK (May 29, 2013)

I have a 5 month pup who still regularly pees in his crate. We work full-time, please bear with me as I know this is a bugbear for lots of forum users, but this pup gets loads of love and attention, he has a dog walker at lunch twice per week and the other 3 days per week I cycle back from work at lunchtime to let him out and play with him. I know it’s not ideal to work and have a dog, but we wanted him well trained before kids came on the scene. He gets *at least* one walk per evening, all off leash through woodland and the Peak District which is on our doorstep. This is a happy, healthy puppy who we adore.

He does occasionally make it through half a day or a whole day without peeing in the crate but it’s the exception rather than the rule, he has never pooed in there. He sleeps 9pm-6am every night, totally dry. I’m looking for tips to help me get him dry in there during the day as I know we’re getting to the point where he could now hold it, and if he doesn’t start holding it he’s never going to. That’s my worry. 

What we’re doing so far: trying to get him up earlier for breakfast, taking him for morning walks (although I don’t want to feed then exercise, and if I walk first then he has less time to get the food back out before he goes in his crate for the day), lots of feeding/treating in the crate, leaving surprise treats in the crate for him to find when he passes, cleaning the crate really well with proper cleaner after every ‘accident’, and I’ve started playing games and doing training in the crate. He goes in there out of choice when we’re in the room and chews/eats/plays in there so he doesn’t hate it. I’ve started using his wobble kong in there because he loves that and it scatters his food through the crate.

I love him so much, and he’s never going to go under exercised as at the moment we have to hold back until he can keep up, I just want to get him dry for his comfort and so he can get more house space.

Advice, suggestions, tips all welcome… have I gone really wrong letting it go on this long? I love my boy SO MUCH, and you can tell it upsets him, and I think he’s old enough to crack this problem, he is incredible and I just want to repay all the love he gives to us by sorting this.


----------



## Watson (Sep 17, 2012)

Don't be so hard on yourself! I'm sure you're giving your pup the best life you can. 

I work from home, and even being home to take Watson out whenever he needed to go, he would still pee in his crate and inside from time to time. I for sure thought I had a broken puppy who would never get it! He was checked for a bladder infection and a UTI, and had neither. Have you had the vet check him for these? 

I have potty trained dogs in less than a week before, so this felt like a failure to me. At around 7 months, Watson either just got it, or he finally started to gain some bladder control, probably the latter.

Just keep doing what you're doing and as long as he is cleared by the vet for a UTI, he'll be fine. 
Also make sure you're cleaning out his crate with something like Nature's Miracle after he pees in it.


----------



## MCD (May 4, 2013)

When I do have to put Dharma in her crate she poops. She only has a 4 hour span of time if even. She is the same age as your puppy. We still occasionally have house accidents too. I feel like I have failed at times. But I guess it isn't totally me.


----------



## CatK (May 29, 2013)

Definitely not just you MCD!

Thanks, I just know he hates to do it and am/was worried if I forced him to pee in there he might never figure it out. I'm just waiting for that day that it clicks like nighttime dryness did. Yes I have a proper cleaner but wonder if I'm missing somewhere that the wee is getting. 

I haven't checked for a UTI, I'll do that just to be sure. Thanks for the kind words.


----------

