[jeff218]

Just before Christmas we rescued an approximately 2 year old beagle/poodle mix from the local no-kill shelter. We also have a 9 year old English springer spaniel.

She was reportedly potty trained and initially seemed to make good on that promise. Despite that, she did not come without baggage. There was a clear pack leader issue that required some effort on our part to rectify. Those issues are no longer present in any way, shape or form and were resolved without violence of any sort.

At some point a couple months into our ownership, we started to notice accidents. She would leave pee spots on our tile as well as the occasional accident on our carpet. We had been crating her during times when we'd be gone, never more than 2-4 hours, with success. But when the accidents started, we noticed that she'd also started messing in her crate both while the door was closed and when it was open. Baffled by the behavior I set up a webcam on the crate and immediately noticed she was going in there strictly to pee, often times lapping up the mess in an apparent effort to hide it.

This brought on a visit to the vet who checked her for a bladder infection. He also ran a urinalysis to check for any other potential issues. Everything came back normal.

After the vet visit we decided to really concentrate on retraining her. I started by letting her out every 90 minutes, using a timer for consistency, during the day. She rarely, if ever, would pee when in our back yard. When she did, she was praised a great deal and offered a treat. She was still messing all over the house, except even more frequently. We pulled up all our rugs (the entire main floor of our home is ceramic tile) and to our horror discovered literally 50-100 pee spots we didn't know existed, probably due to her licking them up so they dried very quickly.

We called the vet and were advised to start over from scratch using an appropriate sized crate to re-train her. She is crated all day with frequent (every 2 hours) periods where she is let out to pee. We exercise her twice a day by playing fetch for 30-45 minutes each time. She is also permitted to roam the back yard with our other dog for several hours each day. When she does pee outside, we bring her in and play together, doing everything we can to reward her good behavior.

Yet through all of this, she pees in her kennel at least once a day. Today she was out at 7am, 10am, 11:30am, 1pm, and 3pm. She peed at 7 but not again all day. Then, as I she sat in her crate (which is right next to my desk, so we are together all day), she peed about 15 minutes after we had come in. She sometimes pees her crate at night, but often makes the 5-6 hours without an issue. Very oddly, she *always* pees when I let her out before bed at around 2am. That is literally the only time we are guaranteed she will do so outside.

She does not hate her crate at all. She actually goes to it voluntarily and will even sit there with the door open. She doesn't whine or cry and shows no signs of stress or anxiety with being crated.

We are very much at wits end - this has been going on for 6 months. She is a wonderful dog with a great personality, but I am starting to wonder if either she is scarred psychologically from her life prior to us or if we are just ill-equipped to handle this unique situation. So, please, if you have any advice to offer, we are listening!

[Wondergirl]

You said, "I started by letting her out every 90 minutes, using a timer for consistency, during the day." Does someone always go out with her, or do you just open the door to let her out, watch to see if she goes potty, and then praise her when she comes back in? Does she get walked during the day? How do they go?

[jeff218]

I go outside with her when I let her out to watch and see if she goes. I do not follow her around or leash her, I just hang out on our patio and observe. So, to be clear, all of the letting her out entails us going to our back yard - not for walks around the block.

We do not do walks very often but play like crazy in the yard. Usually we play fetch until she calls it quits and takes a break in the shade.

[Wondergirl]

Do you have a word for potty when you go outside?

Why no walks?

[jeff218]

Potty is the code word!

Because of my work obligations and the fact that we have a young daughter, walks are not practical during the day.

[Wondergirl]

Well, I'm a cat person who reads the Dog board religiously, so now, after trying to find out more information (and I thank you for providing it), I toss this into the capable hands of all the dog experts on the site (and anyone who knows dog behavior). Stay tuned!

[jeff218]

I love cats but am wildly allergic. :(

Thanks for the hep thus far!

[Alty]

I see one major issue with your post, and the responses to Wondergirl. That's the "no walks" part.

You have a beagle poodle mix. I urge you to research those two breeds. I've had both breeds.

As a beagle owner (I have a purebred beagle), I can tell you that being crated all day, with a bit of exercise in the yard, but no walks, is most likely the main issue here.

Beagle's are scent hounds. Poodles were bred to retrieve. They're both goal oriented. Actually, even if they weren't, they're still dogs. Dogs need to walk. It's in their nature.

I'll try to put it into perspective. As a human being, how would you feel if you were secluded to only your home, bedroom, and yard? Would that be okay? No trips to the store. No trips to get gas. No trips to get coffee. No trips to see friends. Just your house, mostly your bedroom, and the yard. Other then that, nothing. Would you be okay with that, or would it drive you batty?

That's what you're doing to your dog by not walking it. Walks are very important to a dog. Sniffing, seeing new places, meeting other dogs, and humans. Seeing the world that isn't enclosed in a fenced in yard or crate.

A dog should be walked at the bare minimum, twice a day, for an hour each time. Especially a scent breed like a beagle.

I think this may be the main reason why you're having issues.

[jeff218]

I appreciate your advice and think that walks may help, if for no other reason than to break her daily pattern with a new, fun wrinkle. That said, I had a purebred beagle for over 13 years before she passed in early December and we had zero issues such as this with her. I am embarrassed to admit, but in my younger, less experienced days we were also much less active with our dogs than we are now.

The main reason I suspect that there is something else going on here that walks may not help is that she had these issues for months before we tried crate training her per our vet's advice.

In any event, thanks so much for taking the time to help. Starting tomorrow, I'll get her out at least once a day for a walk and will see if that makes any difference.

[Alty]

I appreciate your advice and think that walks may help, if for no other reason than to break her daily pattern with a new, fun wrinkle. That said, I had a purebred beagle for over 13 years before she passed in early December and we had zero issues such as this with her. I am embarrassed to admit, but in my younger, less experienced days we were also much less active with our dogs than we are now.

The main reason I suspect that there is something else going on here that walks may not help is that she had these issues for months before we tried crate training her per our vet's advice.

In any event, thanks so much for taking the time to help. Starting tomorrow, I'll get her out at least once a day for a walk and will see if that makes any difference.

I am an advocate of crate training. I believe it's a good idea, but I'll tell you a little secret. Of all the dogs I've had in my life, the only one that was never crate trained is my beagle. The little bugger actually pulled a houdini on me, got out of not only the crate, but a dog enclosure around the gate, and he didn't even open the door to either. To this day I have no idea how he did it.

I tried a few times to crate train him, to no avail. I gave up. He sleeps in my bed. :(

I do think the walks will help, but, maybe crate training isn't for this particular pup. If it's causing that much grief, not only for you, but for the dog, then maybe you should reconsider it. Not something I say lightly by the way.

Do start the walks though. Very important, crate or no crate. :)