Need help with crate training

[Erika & Perry]

Perry is 12 weeks and 4 days. He joined our family when he was 11 weeks exactly. For his first 9 nights, he slept successfully in his crate. He did not have any accidents at all.

Then something happened this past Monday. We were going to be away from home for about 3 hours in the late afternoon into the evening. We were delayed out of our control for about 5 hours and didn't think of calling anyone to let him out. He ended up pooping in his crate which I totally understand and take responsibility for.

But now, the next two nights (overnight that same night and last night) he has also pooped in his crate. He did poop three times outside yesterday throughout the day.

He has a large crate and we have the puppy divider in it. How do we keep him from pooping in it again?

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

if you aren't already, you need to be sure that you are using something like Natures Miracle or an equivalent to clean the crate to neutralize the smell from the poo or he will forever go in his crate.  I would also try and get the evening feeding done at a time where you can ensure that he poos before bedtime as well so that the opportunity isn't there for him to need to poo.

[Erika & Perry]

I used http://www.bissell.com/enzyme-action-pet-stain-and-stink-remover/

Do you think that is enough?  I guess not because he's still going.

 

He doesn't get food 2 hours before bed.  Our breeder kept food out all day for the puppies so we've continued to do that, but we remove it 2 hours before we go to bed and he goes in his crate.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I would remove it much much earlier at this age. Maybe take the food away around 6pm. That's just me, i'm sure you'll get better advice from the experts here. Good luck!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Erika, Is his crate somewhere at night where you can hear him? Maybe you need to set a timer and take him out during the night until he gets back on track. Good luck!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

How small of a space do you have divided off?  It should be made so small that he can only have enough room to lay down and sleep.  If it is larger than that - it is too large.  Unless ill a dog will not poo and lay in it. 

[Stella]

When Chase was a puppy he pooped in his crate all the time, and would roll and sleep in it!!  He just didn't care!  We would go down one or two times during the night to take him out, but he still pooped in his crate.  He was just a dirty boy!  Because he didn't care, it took us so long to house train him.

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

I crate trained both my dogs and never had any issues except if they had the runs. My suggestions is to try different things and find something that works for you and your dog. I had great success with my dogs in crate/house trining. I would feed them when I first got up in the morning, both dogs ate their food immediately. I would take them out as soon as I got up, I would keep them on a leash and made sure they peed and pooped. If they did not poop I would keep a real close eye on them and as soon as they would pace back and forth I would take them out immediately. Usually running around would get their bowels moving :) With Oliver he always poops about 20 minutes after he eats and Sasha is just a a.m. and p.m. pooper - LOL Both dogs are different but are pretty much on a schedule. The key to the pooping and peeing is what they put in must come out... You dog food bag may tell you the average time it takes to pass thru their system. I would feed my dogs as soon as I got home from work between 5-6 pm. With a scheduled feeding time you will kind of know when your dog will poop and by feeding them to "YOUR" schedule it will work. Its very time consuming but well - well worth it. I would also limit the water as well. I would pick up the water about an hour before I left for work and about 8 pm in the evening. I would take them out right before I left for work and right before I went to bed at night.
Both my dogs had their share of accidents and your dog is very, very young still be after a while it starts to sink in and as they mature and grow they are able to control their bowels.

Good luck :)

[Erika & Perry]

Jane-It is about half of the large crate- 22x26.

If this was the problem wouldn't it have been the problem since the first night, not on the 10th night?

I will make it smaller if you think it needs to be.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I think it should be made smaller for a bit. Gradually moving if no accidents.

[Carol Brand]

The reason you are having this problem now is because your puppy learned that going poop in the crate was an option.  Now you are going to have to go back and retrain him.

 

I would put this puppy on a 3Xs a day feeding schedule with the last one being no later than 6:00p.m.   The food should be picked up by 6:15p.m.  You should have a final poop in the day, typically between 9:30p.m. and 11:30p.m.   If you don't, you need to "match" him.

 

Next, as others have said, you need to make the crate space so small that your dog can only stand up, turn tightly around and lie down.  I would also remove all bedding from the crate.

[Erika & Perry]

Thanks.  That makes sense.  We did remove his bedding a few days ago when he just kept eating it.

 

I will try all these suggestions tonight.

[Jane Smith]

Something else you might try.....dogs won't go to the bathroom where they eat.  I fed Lucy in her crate or on occasion would just throw a handful of food in there.  She never pooped in there again, unless it was out of her control and she had diarrhea.

And about the feeding.  Little puppies feed on demand.  Yours shouldn't be eating whenever he feels like it.  Mine eat at 5:00 and whatever is left by 6:00 gets picked up.  This guarantees I get a bowl movement before our 9:00 bed time. 

 

And when I was feeding them 2 or 3 times a day, they had 30 minutes to eat, and it got picked up.