I recently got a mini pinscher from a friend of mine. She said she just didn't have time to take care of him and wanted him to have a home that had time for him. I stay home all day so I have all the time in the world. When he came here she said he was house trained, but I'm starting to wonder. He is on a schedule of eating twice a day, but has water all day long. His last meal is at 5. I take him out every hour and he normally relieves himself. I have been keeping him in his crate, with the exception of play times when he comes out and gets to play which is right after going outside. My problem is this, he goes out for the last time at around 10 at night. I put him in his crate and put him in my room with me. Every night I awake to a horrible smell. Between the hours of 3-5 he poops in his crate. Should I be doing something differently? Should I feed him earlier? My mother had a mini that got used to getting up in the middle of the night to go outside which lasted for 12 years. I don't want my puppy getting into the same habit. By the way he was just at the vet and given a clean bill of health. He is 5 months old. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Moving the feeding time up may help. If it doesn't help, try a later feeding. Make him move around when you take him out. Movement stimulates the body to relieve itself.

I am not one to insist on expensive dog chows. However, the concentrated, meat based ones do produce smaller stools, which might help.