Peeing in the Crate when We Come Home

[Olivia & Chanel]

Hello all,

On Saturday we brought our adorable almost 5 month old black miniature Australian labradoodle!  She is awesome and very affectionate.  Doesn't nip, bark and responds well to basic commands like sit, come, yuck.  However, her one issue that we are struggling with is that she tends to pee a little when she is excited or scared--which I know all puppies do and she's still adjusting.  The problems it hat when she is crated at night and during the day for brief periods, she will get so excited that she pees while still in the crate.  We have done the following so far: 

1.  Make sure she goes out before we crate her

2.  Take away her water 2 hrs before bedtime.

3.  When we come home to take her out of the crate, I try to ignore her for a few minutes (but she usually is so excited and in a frenzy that she pees especially since she has a full bladder at that point)

4.  We don't make a big fuss when she does pee in her crate.  We take her outside immediately (but she doesn't usually go cause she just pee in the crate and dribbled on the floor as she comes out).  And we spray everything down with enzyme cleaner and wash the pad (we now own 4 crate pads and rotate them).

Any other ideas that we haven't considered?

Thank you!!!

Read more here: http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/puppymadness/forum/topic/showPrev...

[Brenda Updike]

She may have too much room in her create? try making her area in it smaller ,most dogs (not Harper) <mine will not pee where they sleep. and don't put any bedding in there either. Harper has gotten better . Good luck with your baby.  

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I think she may just be an excited pee-er :) It sounds like you are doing everything right and I would imagine over time she will outgrow this trait. Mention it to your vet next visit. I don't think it has to do with the size of the crate. I think she would do it no matter what. Vern used to pee a little at the vet or when he got nervous. Thankfully, he has outgrown this trait.

[Aaron Brown]

Our 11wk Molly hasn't really had that problem, but our dachshund still goes in the crate at times even though she is otherwise completely housebroken. It might seem cruel. But try removing all bedding and just have her lay/sleep on the hard surface. Some dogs prefer that, others don't like it. Also as Brenda suggested, make sure there is no more room in the crate than necessary. Dogs won't lay in their pee, but if there is something to soak it up (bedding) or if the crate is large enough to not have to lay in it they are more likely to urinate.

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Since she only piddles when she's excited, I don't think bedding or crate size are relevant.  Yarrow's crate was kept right next to the door so that when we returned home I could get her out as quickly as humanly possible.  In her case any excitement dribbles happened outside.  She's 8 months old now and it hasn't happened in a couple of months so I think she's outgrown it (She outgrew the crate about 3 months ago, too).  Also, you're probably already doing this... be as calm and quiet as you can be when you return home, so it's not such a big deal.

Sounds like you've got a real sweetie.  She will outgrow the excitement wees.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Most likely she will outgrow it, but it is a pain now.

[Wendy Waalen]

I'm glad we aren't the only ones. Our "Fozzy" is 5 months old, and he stopped piddling when he saw us, but when friends stop by, or someone is at the door, he pees a little from excitiment. I pray he will also grow out of it! It's embaressing! ;) Fingers cross! (or should I say legs..) haha

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Could be worse.  My daughter has an English Bullmastiff who was an excitement piddler.  His little leakage would be considered a major accident for any dog half his moose size.  I remember one day when my daughter and her family, including 3 dogs, came for a visit.  Bentley decided to go exploring upstairs where the bedrooms were, and he discovered our cats were taking refuge up there.  Fleeing 'for his life' from the cats, he came flying down those stairs as if he had sprouted wings, peeing all the way.

(Note: When they got Bentley, my daughter wanted to call him Lebowski, but her fiancé hadn't seen the movie and didn't get it. It would've suited him perfectly.)