[ezracurrier]

I have a 3 month old lab cross, he whines for a while when he gets in the kennel, then sometime throughout the night poops in his kenne and still whines periodically, I don't think he actually ends up sleeping at alll. I make sure to feed him around 4 oclock, take him for a late walk, let him out before he gets in his kennel, he doesn't go poop until the night when he's in the kennel. I've made sure that he doesn't have enough room to poop one place and sleep another, so he gets it all over himself, which is bad because he's supposed to associate this as his den, but I guess he's so upset about being there that he doesn't see it that way, I reallly need help!

[Alty]

Is he in the kennel every night? I'm asking because you said;

he doesn't go poop until the night when he's in the kennel.

Are there nights when he's not in the kennel?

If so, this may be the problem. Consistency is very important with dogs, especially at this age. If you're going to kennel train then you have to stick to the kennel.

Now, for the pooping. He's 3 months old, his system isn't full grown yet and like a young child, he can't hold his bladder or bowels for long stretches of time. At this age it's most likely that you'll have to take him for a potty break in the middle of the night.

If he really has to go, he's going to go, regardless of not having a place to go in the kennel. Most dogs will not go in their kennel unless they really have no choice.

Does he whine at night, after being asleep for a few hours? If he is, he's probably telling you that he has to go out.

Patience, it can take a while. He's still a baby. Just be consistent, make sure that you're always calm, no matter how much the kennel training is getting on your nerves. You want him to associate the kennel with a safe place, his place, not a place that he's put in by force.

You'll get there.

Congrats on the new addition. :)

[Lucky098]

This is the starts of separation anxiety.

Where do you keep the kennel? Is he alone somewhere or is it some place where if you need to, get up with him?

When house training puppies, or any dog for that matter, you're not only training his mind, but the bladder too (or in your case his bowel movements). I always keep puppies in my room with me during training. It comforts them to know they're not alone and also helps you know when its time to go out.

When I got my new puppy two years ago, anytime she woke up we went outside. The first two weeks were tough, but those late night potty runs became less and less each night until she no longer woke up in the middle of the night.

You need to keep in mind this is a baby who just lost his entire family. He's not sure what to do and is probably pretty lonely right now. He's going to require a little bit more from you for the next four to six months. Try not to leave him alone as much as possible. Take him with you everywhere... even if it's a 5 min car ride to the grocery store. Every outting is socializing him. Social dogs do not need to meet, or necessarily be nice to other dogs or people. A well behaved dog is judged on how well behaved they are in public. Taking him everywhere will ensure is socialized well and hopefully he will feel confident enough to not develop separation anxiety.

The puppy cries in the crate... how many hours a day is he locked up? That is a very important question that can have many different answers.

He's pottying in his crate for a couple reasons... he may need a late night potty run. It very well could be the beginning stages od separation anxiety. Or.. his mom could have been a very dirty mama dog and didn't teach him how to be clean. If that's the case, you're going to have to put him on a tight schedule and never venture off it, even for a day, untul he understands. This could take weeks, months or even days.

Everything he is displaying is fixable. Its up to you to fix him.

Good luck

[Alty]

When house training puppies, or any dog for that matter, you're not only training his mind, but the bladder too (or in your case his bowel movements). I always keep puppies in my room with me during training. It comforts them to know they're not alone and also helps you know when its time to go out.

Same here. They can hear you breathing and it comforts them, after all, they just left their litter, their mom, they're used to the comfort of having other bodies around them. If they can at least sense you in the room then it helps them relax. I'm glad you mentioned it. I completely forgot.

[shazamataz]

Yep, my pup cried all night at first, then I moved him into the bedroom with us, put his crate right next to my side of the bed, I now use that as my bedside table lol

At 3 months old your puppy can hold his poop in all night. I have a 4 month old here who at 3 months was quite capable of sleeping through the night with no accidents.
I think it's just a case of him being a little stressed out.

[Aurora_Bell]

I have a 5 year old dog who sometimes can't make it through the night. Very annoying. But I think of this way, sometimes I can't either.
But like everyone here said it takes time and patience.

They will catch on to the behaviour you like and expect.

One thing I do want to mention is sometimes when they are puppies, and you take them everywhere with you, it becomes a bit of a shock to them when you have to leave them home alone. This can start un wanted behaviours. Like Lucky mentioned... Separation anxiety... I do agree with spending as much time with your puppy as you can, but it's also important to give them alone time, this will help them understand that you WILL come back. This is a great time for kenneling as well. Make sure that when you are letting him out for the night or day, or for how ever long you will be gone for, that he is out side long enough to do his business. This may mean you have to spend a few extra minuts in the morning/evening waiting for him to potty out side.

Make sure you reward with lots of attention when he does go out side. What's your reaction when he does poop in the cage at night? What do you do then?

[ezracurrier]

Is he in the kennel every night? I'm asking because you said;



Are there nights when he's not in the kennel?

If so, this may be the problem. Consistency is very important with dogs, especially at this age. If you're going to kennel train then you have to stick to the kennel.

Now, for the pooping. He's 3 months old, his system isn't full grown yet and like a young child, he can't hold his bladder or bowels for long stretches of time. At this age it's most likely that you'll have to take him for a potty break in the middle of the night.

If he really has to go, he's going to go, regardless of not having a place to go in the kennel. Most dogs will not go in their kennel unless they really have no choice.

Does he whine at night, after being asleep for a few hours? If he is, he's probably telling you that he has to go out.

Patience, it can take a while. He's still a baby. Just be consistent, make sure that you're always calm, no matter how much the kennel training is getting on your nerves. You want him to associate the kennel with a safe place, his place, not a place that he's put in by force.

You'll get there.

Congrats on the new addition. :)

Well its difficult to keep him in my room because I have a 5 level split and my room is on the top floor, so when he does have to go, he never makes it into the backyard and he was making a habit of just pooping in my room a lot (Seeing as wherever I keep him I have to spend a ton of time there) he stays in the livingroom so I can just go out into the backyard in a matter of seconds with him and he's made great strides with not going in the house during the day, he's even starting to go to the door. At night I take him out several times but he seems so preoccupied with going back into the house and walking around and not being in his kennel that he doesn't even bother going to the washroom. I also make sure to walk him at least twice a day and give him tons of exercise. I also try to feed him at 4:30 and put him to be at 10:30 so he has enough time to get everything out.

[Lucky098]

Like Lucky mentioned... Seperation anxiety... I do agree with spending as much time with your puppy as you can, but it's also important to give them alone time, this will help them understand that you WILL come back. This is a great time for kenneling as well.

I totally agree and forgot to mention the separation of puppy and human.

Along with taking him places, you do need to make him be by himself. It teaches him that yes, he is part of the pack.. but it also shows him to respect you. Dogs that never leave people alone and are attached to the hip don't respect their people. Not allowing time to yourself is teaching the dog that he cannot live without you be his side. Not forcing the pup to cope with being alone will also develop separation anxiety.

[Lucky098]

Well its difficult to keep him in my room bcuz i have a 5 level split and my room is on the top floor, so when he does have to go, he never makes it into the backyard and he was making a habit of just pooping in my room alot (Seeing as whereever i keep him i have to spend a ton of time there) he stays in the livingroom so i can just go out into the backyard in a matter of seconds with him and hes made great strides with not going in the house during the day, hes even starting to go to the door. At night i take him out several times but he seems so preoccupied with going back into the house and walking around and not being in his kennel that he doesnt even bother going to the washroom. I also make sure to walk him at least twice a day and give him tons of exercise. I also try to feed him at 4:30 and put him to be at 10:30 so he has enough time to get everything out.

He's 3 months old.. What kind of dog is he? If he's a moderately sized dog, grab him and CARRY him outside. Having your baby sleep out in the living room is not a good thing. He's feeling alone and in result is displaying behaviors that you don't like.. Such as.. pooping in his crate. If his house training is going good, then this issue is based on the dog being alone.

His last potty break for the night, you might need to check to see if he potties... that means you need to go outside with him. I taught my pup a very valuable command... "GO POTTY". Anytime I took her outside, that's all I said... "go potty" When she went potty, she got lots of praise. She is now trained to go potty on command. You may want to introduce that to your puppy.

Also.. since his potty training is going good. You may want to consider the fact that maybe your puppy grew up in a dirty environment. Puppies that grew up in dirty environments don't know how to stay clean. He's doing a good job while you're there... but when you're not, he's failing. Which is why he needs you by his side. You NEED to put that crate in your room. The min you hear him moving around or wimpering... out you go. If you catch him before he starts, he will quit. You may also want to clean his crate out real good. Don't use bleach, bleach doesn't get rid of the smell... Use a enzyme based product, such as Nature's Miracle. It kills the smell so that the dog cannot smell its own potty in its den. If it smells like he can go potty in the crate, he will continue to do it.

[ezracurrier]

He's 3 months old.. What kind of dog is he?? If he's a moderately sized dog, grab him and CARRY him outside. Having your baby sleep out in the living room is not a good thing. He's feeling alone and in result is displaying behaviors that you dont like.. Such as.. pooping in his crate. If his house training is going good, then this issue is based on the dog being alone.

His last potty break for the night, you might need to check to see if he potties... that means you need to go outside with him. I taught my pup a very valuable command... "GO POTTY". Anytime I took her outside, thats all I said... "go potty" When she went potty, she got lots of praise. She is now trained to go potty on command. You may want to introduce that to your puppy.

Also.. since his potty training is going good. You may want to consider the fact that maybe your puppy grew up in a dirty environment. Puppies that grew up in dirty environments dont know how to stay clean. He's doing a good job while you're there... but when you're not, he's failing. Which is why he needs you by his side. You NEED to put that crate in your room. The min you hear him moving around or wimpering... out you go. If you catch him before he starts, he will quit. You may also want to clean his crate out real good. Dont use bleach, bleach doesnt get rid of the smell... Use a enzyme based product, such as Nature's Miracle. It kills the smell so that the dog cannot smell its own potty in its den. If it smells like he can go potty in the crate, he will continue to do it.

The only problem for me with that is my roomates rooms are on either side of me, and his whinning would keep them up all night, by having him in the downstairs I can hear him if he's whinning, buts its not extremely loud. I also noticed he's started to whine less when he goes to bed, and he barely whinned at all for a long portion of the night, but because of how many stairs I have, when I was keeping him in my room, he would just start to poo and pee in my room or a couple landings down, he never got to the backyard. And I make sure to clean his Kennel each time and I make sure not to throw the paper towel with his poo out in the house, it always goes in a garbage bag outside.

One thing I'm wondering is how much food I should be giving him? I feed him one cup of food twice a day, and I try to walk him twice a day as well, he goes poop in the morning and goes poop in the evening, but then he also goes again at night. Is it just going to be a case of when he gets used to the kennel and routine he stops?