Crate Training

[Alysa09]

I have a 5 month Yorkie Terrier that keeps peeing and pooping in his crate at night We had him since 8 weeks old Some nights are good and others are not We have the right size of crate just big enough for him to turn around in I take him out side right before bed time to elimate He is feed at 10:00am and @ 4:00pm after his feeding I usually take him out to eliminate which he only pees and not poop He seems to be holding his poop for a longer period of time He eliminates after his second feeding at usually around 5:30pm Is this normal? I keep him in one area of the house to prevent him from peeing and pooping all over the house Im home all day so I take him outside to potty threw out the day He still has accidents here n there So fustrated Dont know what to do anymore! Please help!

[ggreg]

Alysa, I'm going to give you some good advice, altho you my be against it.  First of all, why in the world are you putting your pup in a crate???  You're home all day, you can put a little doggie bed in your bedroom at night.  If he gets restless and has to potty, he'll let you know.  

Now, take some of his doggie doo, and take it out, put it under a shrub or tree that seems a likely place for a dog to do number two, and at his late-night go OR around lunch, take him directly to that spot and use some words that suggest he poop there.  I'll bet you the smell of his own stool will get him to go!  

I just do not agree with crates, and I personally think your dog is protesting his situation, or even more probable, he's unsure how come you don't let him stay out long enough in the yard to "get ready" (turn around and lots of smelling) to do number two.  The trick is (a) finding out when he likes to do that (obviously sometime at night or early morning), and (b) encouraging him to do number two in a particular spot by "marking" it with his own waste.

Get some toys for him to play with in the house, a couple beds to lay on, and also spend some time with him playing with a ball, inside and out, altho some dogs won't play with one outside (but not many).  Let us know what you decide to do in the end that works!  LOTS of people have problems with crated dogs.  ALL of our dogs have been housetrained except one, so at night we kept him in the basement, so occasional cleanup wouldn't be a big deal... he came from a strictly tied-up outdoor environment for  a couple years of his early life, so he simply did not "get" that going inside was incorrect.  GG

[og1chacha69]

Great post and wonderful advice!

[og1chacha69]

I solved similar problem
  You probably have the wrong crate.
I had to buy another crate at modern puppy.com. it's a 2 room crate
They have a video. Inexpensive and so worth it.  My puppy is a year old now. He's so good.  I leave the 2 of 3 doors open and he helps himself.
Too cute.

[JanisM13]

Has he been neutered yet,if he weighs over 2
pounds he can be neutered,BE SURE your vet
USES GAS for the neuter and not a general
anesthetic!! Neutering can also help in house
training,you want him neutered BEFORE HE
IS 6 MONTHS OLD because he will start to
get male hormones when he is 6 to 7 months
of age. The boys heal very quick,you will need
to carry him out to potty the first 3 days so avoid
pulling on inside sutures,no going up or down
steps,no jumping for 3 days.( you vet should tell
you how long)
I CAN NOT BELIEVE some,"breeder" let him
go to his new home at 8 weeks old,he should
have been with litter mates and his dam( mom)
until he was minimum 3 months so he could have
learned normal puppy/dog behavior...I best not
get on THAT whole thing..."responcible breeding"
band wagon.

BE SURE you clean and wipe out his crate each
time he has an accidnet,use vinegar,wipe it out
then dry it inside,this kills urine and fecal odors,
if you do not clean it inside he can still smell where
he went potty.
Almost all dogs will not potty where they sleep,he
may not be able to hold it all night(?) so you may
need to get up around 2:30 and take him out to potty
then put back in his crate.
REWARD HIM each time he goes potty,does he get
any treats during the day? GO OUT with him,when
he goes potty WAIT UNTIL HE IS DONE,then give
him a small piece of dog food,GOOD BOY,praise him
so he thinks potty time is the greatest thing he did all
day..LOTS of praise but BE SURE IT IS AFTER he is
done or he will stop before he is finished and go inside
to finish.
What kind of dog food is he eating,dry,mixed dry &
canned,just canned?
First a 5 month old Yorkie is still a small "baby" they
don't usually get full control of their bladder until 8
to 10 months old( toy breeds have tiny bladders
it's hard to hold it long)some are a year old before
gaining control fully. I have ADULT Yorkies who
only poo once a day,usually right after breakfast
meal, I have 2 who go twice a day,moring and at
night...good he is confined to one area until he is
more in control...he gets out of this area during the
day to play with you in the house?
Since you are home all day,get in a SET ROUTINE
of taking him out every 3 hours,YOU must be very
consistant,does he have a fenced backyard or do
you walk him on a lead?(leash?) Housetraining a
puppy is much like teaching a child to not potty in
their diaper and move to toilet use,solid routines
every few hours through the day,every day with-
out fail on your part is needed.
Do NOT give him water after 7pm  for right now
until he is older,has more control.
WHEN IS BEDTIME for you,what time??
Also PLEASE ALWAYS use a HARNESS when
you take him walking NEVER A COLLAR,collars
put pressure and stress on the throat,can injure
the throat over time if they pull,puppies usually
all pull,also use a retractable leash so he can
wander around ahead to explore,smell things
and help him potty easier.
You can start walking him to get him to relieve
himself,take a cheap plastic bag to pick up his
poo if her goes,walking stimulates a dog to go
potty.
Feeding has to remain on a regular set routine,
going out to potty is on a regual set routine,dogs
LEARN BY ROUTINE,same time for everything
every day. They usually need to eliminate around
10 to 15 mintues after they eat( but not always) so
after each meal take him out to wander,smell and
potty.he does not go right back in even if he does
go let him smell around a bit.
I have taken puppies out when it is snowing or raining
and they DO NOT go inside until they potty,I am right
there with them,now as adults they go out no matter
what the weather is,go potty and race for the dog door
to go inside,if I can be out there they can be there too.
"He seems to be holding his poop" you said,then WALK
HIM on a lead to stimulate him more,it should help him
to learn...leave your home and go for a little walk.
PATIENTS is the hardest thing when teaching a puppy
( or a child little difference really) patients and routine
is needed for both,you can do it or you would not have
brought a puppy home to love to be part of your family.
If you see him squat to pee,pick him up right away do
not say anything,take him right outside,even if he does
not finish outside,take him out...take him out of his
I have always told my fur kids,"let's go potty" and then
go outside with them,now when we go out,I still tell
them the same thing thing and 8 out of 10 will go potty
right away when I say that....be consistant in every-
thing,get a set routine,I can not say this enough,YOU
must be the one,YOU set times to feed or go out.
When you set a routine/time to take him out,this also
means if he is in his "confined area" you pick him up,
take him out to potty...
Hope this give you some ideas...
Jan