Puppy pooping in crate

The vet check you did is the first step in any behavior problem. It is only natural that a puppy resists its crate at first. What the puppy wants more than anything else is to be others, you, anyone else in the
Household, and any other pets. In our modern society, even if we are home,
Other things distract us from the attention an uncrated puppy must have. The
Only real solution is to crate the dog when you aren't around. Many books and experts insist that dogs will not deliberately foul their sleeping place. Perhaps some dogs skipped that chapter. Maybe it isn't intentional. You know when people are unhappy about something they can't control, they say ''I could just (word Labman doesn't use).'' You can buy racks to put in the crate, but they work much better on urine than bowel movements. It might be worth a try. Try taking the dog out and giving it a brisk walk just before bed time. The exercise may cause it to have an accident, leaving its bowels empty for the night. It may also be tired enough to fall asleep. Put it in the crate, and lay down by it like you are going to sleep. Speak soothingly, maybe even sing. It may be enough to get it to go to sleep. Might not hurt to repeat at 3 AM. A 10 week old shouldn't need that, but you may have to.

My feeling is that dogs do use fouling to avoid things they don't like. Give in, and you may be doing what the dog wants for the rest of its life. I also think the smaller the dog, the worse they are about this. I would start obedience training now. The dogs see all the
People and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in
The pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
Outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by
Reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
Or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
A treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/.

Well - we've had some progress. We put his crate in our bedroom overnight and he had no accidents. I think it is anxiety related. But this morning I woke up and took him out and then had to put him back in while I got ready for work and he pooped. Is there any way I can make him realize that being in the crate is only temporary? He seems to get really nervous when left alone. We went out for 2 hours the other night and came home and he had pooped all over the place in the crate. It is blocked off to be smaller so that he can't go in one place and sleep in another. He is only about three pounds. I feel terrible about ever having to leave him because he gets so nervous, but I do have things that I have to do. Has anyone else had this problem?

You are right, dogs hate being left alone. Unfortunately most of us have jobs we can't take the dog along. Being left in a crate by himself will never seem right to him, but alone in a crate is better than alone in a big scary room or the whole house. You might try the radio tuned to a talk station, or even a recording of yourself.

Other people have the same problem. None of my puppies have really done it, but my daughter had the same problem with a Lhasa Apso/Min Pin mix. They left him shut in the bathroom while we went out for dinner. Adding insult to injury, we took my German Shepherd monster with us. She had a service dog tag. When we came back, the bathroom was a shambles. He had knocked a ceramic Kleenex holder off the toilet tank, breaking it and shredded the Kleenex. He also shredded the toilet tissue, pulled the towels down, and left a pile of poop. While she cleaned up the mess, my son in law and I went out and bought a rack to go in the bottom of the crate. In a few days the puppy gave up and started keeping his crate clean.

Do you mean a wire rack for the bottom of the crate? Right now, the crate has a plastic tray at the bottom that we put a bath towel on to make it more comfortable for the puppy. How exactly is the rack supposed to help?

They make wire racks to fit the bottom of a crate. I start young puppies on a piece of closely spaced wire closet shelving. Thus accidents fall through so the puppy isn't soiled. I have never tried it, but wonder if the cedar shavings sold for gerbils would help too. One big bag might last until the problem goes away. You are going through a very difficult time, but if you stand your ground, it should go away before too long. Otherwise the dog has learned it can get its way if it wants.

This problem has not occurred in the last five days! We heard of a product called Rescue Remedy - for anxiety and stress - and our vet told us it is safe to use. We have been giving the puppy four drops a day with his breakfast and it has made a huge difference in his stress level. He no longer whines in the crate for more than a minute and has not pooped in there since we started this treatment. It is completely natural and it works! He still has plenty of energy and seems as happy as he ever did. I feel much more at ease when I have to leave him alone now that I know he'll probably remain calm for time we are gone.

I too am having this problem! I have a 13 week old Westie and the last two nights he went to the bathroom in his crate. He also does not seem to like going to the bathroom outside. I am not sure what to do to make him understand that he has to go outside, not inside. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

There are 3 things you need to do. Go out with him. Being put out by himself may be the worst thing that ever happened to him. Rave about what a good dog he is if he does anything. Make him walk around. Keep walking him around and repeating any thing you have chosen as a command for elimination. If he doesn't go, put him in the crate and try again before long. Although some will do it as a protest, most dogs do not like to foul their crate. You can also use a short chain restricting him to a limited area in place of the crate. Crates really work best for most dogs.

A 13 week old may still need a 3AM break, but most puppies can go over night by then.

Thanks for your reply. We always go out with him and we do say over and over again "go potty" (our neighbors probably think we are nuts!). Do you think it just takes time for it to "click in" with him.

For example, this morning I fed him and took him out 10-15 minutes later. He sniffed around, but did nothing. I brought him in and put him in his crate and went to brush my teeth and by the time I got back, He pooped in his crate! We have only had him less than a week, and I know that it will take time. I only ask, because I don't want to do anything wrong and traumatize or make him feel uncomfortable.