Every time I put in her crate when I go to work for 3 hours, she poops and stomps in the poop. She even pooped when I was gone for 1 hour the other day for an appointment. I made her crate smaller this morning and she still pooped in it. She doesn't sleep in it overnight, she sleeps with my daughter on the end of her bed. Should we start making her sleep in the crate overnight so she would think of it as her space and not her personal toilet?

She doesn't want to be in her crate, that's why she is soiling it. You have given her the bed at night, now she is probably wondering what's up when you go and she in an enclosed space. You know, it wouldn't matter if you took her out for a run before you went, she would still do it in the crate. She has to start respecting you as the alpha (in her dog world), after that she will do whatever you want.


www.howtodothings.com/.../how-to-establish-yourself-as-alpha-dog
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Thank you for your advice. I found a website which gave ways to establish myself as alpha dog. I had been doing it when I take her on walks, but I didn't know I had to do it in all aspects of her life. I started her training today at 2 and have left her 3 times for short periods in her crate, and she has not pooped. I knew she has good bowel movement control (holds it overnight, goes to door when has to go) and did not know how to structure her training. Thanks again for your advice!