# Peeing in the Crate



## Romeys Dad (Jun 24, 2012)

I just searched older threads but only found 1 pertaining to this subject and it was from 2009, so we'll see if there's any new info out there.

I work from home so I'm with my 10 week old pup all day long. She's only in her crate overnight or if we're running out and leaving her alone. I've been diligent about taking her outside after naps, meals, etc. and she seemed to be picking up the potty training quickly. 

Over the last 3 days, we will take her out, she will pee, and then come back inside and pee again within the hour. I'm assuming this is some sort of marking behavior and can deal with that. The problem I'm having is that, for instance; last night we took her out before bed at 11pm and put her in her crate. At 12:15am, I woke up to crying, put my fingers in the crate, and her bedding was soaked. 

She slept the rest of the night, but when I woke up to take her out this morning, her second set of bedding was wet again. This was the 3rd day in a row she has went in her crate. Any ideas on why this is happening? Her crate is wire and it is divided off so it's snug. I look forward to your responses  Thanks!


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## dmp (Jan 23, 2012)

How big is 'snug'? Generally, dogs won't pee where they sleep - if there is room for her to pee then move away from it to a bed-down place, she'll do just that. Lots of pee? A little frequent pee = UTI sometimes. 

Try a smaller division?


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## Ddfred28 (Jun 26, 2012)

Hey

Do you have a 'trigger' word for when she wee's/poo's, we use 'clever', our trainer uses the word 'empty', and everytime we take Brian out we ask him to be clever , and then praise him big time for doing it(both number 1's and 2's), it seems to work -- he almost appears to take a drink before going outside as he knows we're going to ask him to be clever! lol ;D

Maybe telling you something that you already do, so sorry if I am, but it might help!


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

At 10 weeks they pee very frequently and more often than not can't hold it for too long.

As dmp says they really don't like peeing near their beds. This is why crate training encourages/forces them to try and hold it. This didn't work with my pup he just got very upset and screamed at night so we left the crate door open so he could pee on a pad by the door until his bladder was strong enough to go through the night. If you pup at previously been going through the night this probably isn't the case.

So is she going more frequently during the day? It might be worth having your vet check her for UTI?


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

Penny is also 10 weeks and we go out 1-2 times during sleep time and she CANNOT make it the 4-5 hours in her crate while I'm at work. So I change the towel and wash the plastic every time she comes out.


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

When Miles was that little he went out at least every hour and notified us by sitting at the back door, so I think it is normal she is peeing this much during the day. Even now that he is 6 months and can hold it for 4-5hrs in crate and all night, during the day he still likes to go out every 1-2hrs. We had difficulty with the crate during the day as well. The smaller divider didn't seem to help, as he would just wedge himself in the corner and avoid his pee. We ended up getting a very small puppy crate and blocking the back of it with a blanket to make it smaller, and he never had an accident in it. We took the blanket out at about 13 weeks, and he stayed in the puppy crate until almost 4 months old. We then gave him his full adult crate without a divider and he has been fine. 

Good luck! I totally understand! We were frustrated for a week or so and then the puppy crate really helped us. We also didn't give him water in his crate until he was about 4 1/2 months old, and took his water away 1-2hrs before bed time and that seemed to help.


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## Romeys Dad (Jun 24, 2012)

Thanks so much for all of the thoughtful responses!

The divider in her crate makes it quite small - very cozy for her - so I don't think I can make it any smaller. I do take her out every couple of hours; after every meal, every nap, etc. and she generally is very good with being "clever"  outside, however just over the last couple of days, she seems to have taken a liking to going in the comfort of her crate. If she cries at night, my wife or I always wake up and take her out, however these last couple of nights, she seems to not cry until after she soaks her bedding.

She'll be getting her second set of shots soon so I'll talk to the vet about a UTI if she continues the trend  

Thanks again for the help!


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## elliesmom (May 21, 2012)

Ellie pees in her old kennel. Shes 4 months old and gets up once or twice rarely in the night butt she sleeps in bed and now howls when shes gotta be "clever". Patience n persistence. Ellie was put on antibiotic for uti. But im almost certain she didnt have one. Just a pea size bladder


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## Romeys Dad (Jun 24, 2012)

Alright, I'm at a complete loss. Romey just woke up from a nap, I took her outside, she peed and pooped. I came back inside and placed her into her crate for no more than 10 minutes while I showered. She started to whine, I jump out of the shower, let her out of the crate, and ofcourse, her bedding was soaked... What the heck is going on??? She's gone through 3 sets of bedding in 24 hours.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Sounds like a UTI for sure - a trip to the vet is in order! Poor baby


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## Emily1970 (Apr 21, 2011)

It does sound like a UTI. But when Riley was that little, he went thru a period of time where he actually peed in his sleep. We even watched him do it a few times. No UTI, nothing, he just outgrew it.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

And while you are getting the cause sorted out, remember you have to THOROUGHLY clean the crate and bedding so it doesn’t smell like pee. 

If she’s going through that much bedding, you may want to switch to bath towels until you are out of the constant laundry phase. She will chew them to shreds, so pick some towels that will forever after be ‘hers’.


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

I second the towels recommendation. Penny has about 8 towels and 4 hunks of fleece. One in at a time. All are easily laundered and bleached.


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## kristen (Oct 18, 2011)

Silly question, but what have you been using to clean up the crate?
Soap and water will not remove the smell of urine completely. (it may to your nose, but not the dogs). If they smell pee, they will likely pee there again. Specialized pet mess cleaning products work wonders.


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## cooper (Sep 23, 2009)

cooper is three years old.
If we have any type of bedding in his crate he will pee on it.
No bedding no peeing.
We have tried all types bedding at different times during the last three years with the
same outcome. I hate not having bedding for him to lay on but he won. No bedding.


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