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-   -   My new 3 mo old puppy poops in his crate and doesn't seem to care. Help! (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=555050)

  • Feb 16, 2011, 04:40 PM
    clespe
    My new 3 mo old puppy poops in his crate and doesn't seem to care. Help!
    My new 3 mo old lab mix pup is from a rescue. He is very well adjusted and happy,but since he has lived in a cage prior and had to poop where he sleeps- he has no problem pooping in his crate at night and walking in it! Any ideas of how to break this?
  • Feb 16, 2011, 04:56 PM
    Alty

    Patience and positive reinforcement.

    The fact is, he's still very young. At 3 months of age potty accidents aren't unusual, they're the norm.

    How long is he in his crate during the day? At 3 months of age he should be in his crate no longer then 3 hours a day. He may need a potty break during the night as well.

    Do you free feed, or do you have a set schedule for feeding?

    Do you go outside with him when it's potty time, and do you praise him for doing what you expect?

    How many times do you walk him each day?
  • Feb 16, 2011, 04:58 PM
    tickle

    He hasn't been housebroken, clespe. Do you know how to do that ? You get him out to do his business. Because he spent time in a crate before you got him why does he have to now ? Change his behavior into a dog who doesn't need the crate to survive a night time without the crate.

    He doesn't care because that is all hey knows for now and you have to change his behavior. If he feels he has to do this, then he hasn't been treated as he should be.

    Tick
  • Feb 16, 2011, 04:58 PM
    joypulv
    Some of this is just a matter of time, as he realizes that he gets tons of praise for going outside.
    That is the key, praise for when he goes where he is supposed to.
    You could reduce his crate area to just a blanket and water bowl size. Let him sleep near you for comfort. Some of that night pooping is nervousness and loneliness.
    60 years ago we used the soothing tick tock of a baby ben clock to help our puppy get through the night - and it worked!
  • Feb 16, 2011, 05:03 PM
    tickle
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Altenweg View Post
    Patience and positive reinforcement.

    The fact is, he's still very young. At 3 months of age potty accidents aren't unusual, they're the norm.



    How many times do you walk him each day?

    Sorry, alty but three months old dog should be going outside and doing his business before he goes to bed. At three months old his bladder should be big enough to hold urine for at least five hours.

    My dogs were out and about and no accident in the house at 2 months. Of course that was diligence, little sleep and putting the little rug rats out when they started biting my ears, and new carpets put a spin on it too.

    It worked.

    Tick
  • Feb 16, 2011, 05:08 PM
    tickle
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by joypulv View Post
    Some of this is just a matter of time, as he realizes that he gets tons of praise for going outside.
    That is the key, praise for when he goes where he is supposed to.
    You could reduce his crate area to just a blanket and water bowl size. Let him sleep near you for comfort. Some of that night pooping is nervousness and loneliness.
    60 years ago we used the soothing tick tock of a baby ben clock to help our puppy get through the night - and it worked!


    Had to spread the rep, sorry, joy, but yes whatever happened to that suggestion about the clock. I used to use that al lthe time, only the pup was in the bathtub with a blanket and a clock !
  • Feb 16, 2011, 05:21 PM
    Alty
    Quote:

    sorry, alty but three months old dog should be going outside and doing his business before he goes to bed. At three months old his bladder should be big enough to hold urine for at least five hours.
    Five hours? No. Each dog is different, but at 3 months of age the majority of pups can't hold it for 5 hours. Yes, he should be going outside before he goes to bed, which I never said he shouldn't. But at 3 months of age he should not be in his crate for more then 3 hours during the day. Five hours is not advisable. The recommendation by dog experts and vets is one hour for every month of age. Five hours shouldn't be attempted until he's 5 months of age.

    Quote:

    My dogs were out and about and no accident in the house at 2 months. Of course that was diligence, little sleep and putting the little rug rats out when they started biting my ears, and new carpets put a spin on it too.

    It worked.
    You got lucky. All of my dogs weren't reliable in potty training until around 4 or 5 months of age. Our border collie was a rescue, and a former abuse victim. We got him at 4 months of age and two weeks later he was potty trained. The bigger breeds seemed to potty train easier and younger.

    Our last little bundle, the beagle, wasn't reliable until 5 months of age. Of course I didn't crate train him, he was allowed access to our home from day one because I'm at home.

    I respectfully disagree. Based on vet recommendations, breeder recommendations, and having volunteered at the Humane Society and working with the best trainers I ever met, I have to say that a 3 month old puppy shouldn't be in a crate more then 3 hours a day without a potty break.
  • Feb 16, 2011, 09:03 PM
    Lucky098

    Some dogs can hold it for a lot of time. But a puppy having issues in crate training should be taken out more frequently.

    Alty is right.. 3 hours max for this puppy. He is obviously having problems, help him out a bit!

    Also, might want to check for worms and any other type of parasite. Parasites make house training harder.

    Type of food is a biggie, too! If you are feeding low quality puppy food, then its harder for the pup to hold it over night.

    When I first got my pup, she got a potty break in the middle of the night. About 2 weeks of that and it was over and she could hold it until the morning.

    Potty training is just a process. There is no exact process, but follow the basics. No water after 7pm (or if you go to bed late, 2 hours before your bedtime), Last feeding at 5pm and last potty break minutes before its time for bed time. Monitor all water intake. If your pup drinks A LOT OF WATER, then be prepared to go outside more.

    Since he is soiling his crate, clean it real good.. Clean with an ezyme based cleaner to kill the scent. Clean him up real good, too, and start from scratch. The wonderful thing about puppies is that you can start over.

    Just keep in mind that you are not only training his mind to stay clean, but also his insides. His muscles are not trained to hold it.

    Good luck!
  • Feb 17, 2011, 04:05 AM
    tickle
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Altenweg View Post
    Five hours? No. Each dog is different, but at 3 months of age the majority of pups can't hold it for 5 hours. Yes, he should be going outside before he goes to bed, which I never said he shouldn't. But at 3 months of age he should not be in his crate for more then 3 hours during the day. Five hours is not advisable. The recommendation by dog experts and vets is one hour for every month of age. Five hours shouldn't be attempted until he's 5 months of age.



    You got lucky. All of my dogs weren't reliable in potty training until around 4 or 5 months of age. Our border collie was a rescue, and a former abuse victim. We got him at 4 months of age and two weeks later he was potty trained. The bigger breeds seemed to potty train easier and younger.

    Our last little bundle, the beagle, wasn't reliable until 5 months of age. Of course I didn't crate train him, he was allowed access to our home from day one because I'm at home.

    I respectfully disagree. Based on vet recommendations, breeder recommendations, and having volunteered at the Humane Society and working with the best trainers I ever met, I have to say that a 3 month old puppy shouldn't be in a crate more then 3 hours a day without a potty break.

    Hi alty, I got lucky, Taffy was a big breed. I had her at five weeks because she was a rescue by myself and my son. She had to be gotten out of that house along with litter mates. I never use crates. Plus, her housebreaking had to be done on the dime because I was looking after my mom at the time. I never ever have any trouble housebreaking a pup. You just can't be lazy about it.

    Tick

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