Hello,

I'm the owner of a four month old italian greyhound. We've had him almost three weeks and his housebreaking is coming along fairly well - accidents in the house are becoming infrequent - however he is still consistently messing in his crate!

We generally stay up until midnight and I try to get the pooch to do his #2 outside before bed, but he won't always go when he needs to go... which results in him holding it until he goes in his crate, and generally after he goes in his crate he gets it EVERYWHERE. It's becoming really unpleasant cleaning up after him, and it's hard to understand why he feels it to be necessary to spread his poo literally all over his surroundings until one of us gets up in the morning to clean him and his crate.

Is there anything we can do to try to curb this behavior? It is my understanding that dogs will naturally try to not mess in their crate, however our dog seems to care very little.

One suggestion I know I've heard is to get up earlier in the night, because the little guy can't really hold it all night yet. I understand this and I'm willing to try, but it still doesn't help me try to get him to go when he should go. What times should I feed him at to get "during the day" bowel movements?

Thanks,

Greyhound Troubles

Yes dogs will instinctively not foul their quarters. I think problems like yours come from a couple of things. Some breeders force dogs to live in their own filth. Maybe the wood shaving the pet stores use would reduce the mess until he catches on to waiting until he is allowed out. I think the other cause is the stress of being shut up by its self. You could try giving him a Kong filled with peanut butter. Some people have had good luck with medication from the vet.

At that age he should still be getting 2 meals a day through 6 months. Try the first thing in the morning and late afternoon. Once I cut back to one meal, I feed in the morning, hoping I won't have problems if I take the dog some place in the evening. If the early afternoon doesn't help, try just before bed time. Confined in the crate over night, his body may not process the food in time for a bowel movement before morning. When you do take him out, make sure he walks around. I have learned to never make a short trip to the grass, and then go in somewhere. Although I always carry clean up materials, I prefer to use them in the grass at the far side of the parking lot rather than in the store.