I have an 11 month old lab. He pee's and poop's in his crate. He does not go to the bathroom in the rest of the house. We walk him every day. He sleeps in his crate. The crate is just big enough for him to turn around. We leave toys in there and the television on. The most he is in there is for 4 hours at a time. And, he does not have any health issues, especially infections. Does anyone know what I can do about this?

Do you want him to not spend so much time in the crate?

I'd like to keep him in the crate while I'm at work for right now because he is still a puppy. I'm afraid of giving him too much freedom in the house right now. I crate him in the morning for 4 hours. Let him out for lunch and then crate him for another 4 hours in the afternoon.

That is a long time for a puppy to be crated... you should ask someone you know to come and let him out during the day, or he may develop problems socializing with people he spends so much time alone or may develop habits where he feels he cannot use the bathroom outside of his box. You really should not leave a dog crated for 8 hours a day..

I have enough experience to say that a puppy started right, can easily go 4-5 hours in a crate. While some of my puppies have had a few accidents starting at 7 weeks when left 4-5 hours, accidents are an exception. Unfortunately, too many puppies come from breeders trained that they have no choice but to foul their quarters. Even many supposedly ''better breeders'' don't understand how and why they should care for puppies. Retraining a puppy forced to live in its filth, after it is 12 weeks old is tough. In the sticky at the top of the forum, I discuss the use of a grid in the crate. It does little to retrain the puppy, but makes it easier to live with while you solve the problem. One thing that can help, is not just a toy, but a Kong filled with peanut butter and frozen. The puppy can be so busy licking it out, that it relaxes and falls asleep waiting your return.

Many people have never had a problem chewer, and don't understand the absolute necessity of crating some young dogs. I am really struggling with my current 6 month old Xanthe. She follows a long string of puppies I could turn my back on at least for a while.