Puppy is soiling his crate at night!!! Please Help!?

Question

We just acquired a very intelligent miniature australian shepherd and he's almost 4 months old. My problem is that I put him into his crate (it is not too big) at night. At around 5 or 6 am he has to go potty, but he does not bark or whine untill after he has soiled his crate. How can I get him to let me know when he has to go or to not soil his crate at night? He doesn't have any accidents in the day time. When he is potty-trained for the night and big enough so he won't hurt himself at night he won't be sleeping in the crate anymore. But we want him to be crate-trained just in case he has to get in there if a natural disaster occurs. Thanks!

Answer 1

I did a middle of the night, very early morning trip outside with my dogs until they were at least 8 months old. He is just a baby, my female shepherd is over a year and most mornings she still wakes me earlier than I want to get up so she can go out. She just can't hold it as long as the older two. It's a pain to get up, but it will save you and the dog aggravation in the long run.

Answer 2

The question is, how long has he been in there before he soils the crate? He shouldn't be asked to go longer than 8 hours, and that can even be a stretch for a 4 mo. old puppy. If he soils it every morning at the same time, it may mean he just can't hold it any longer, and you need to wait until he's a bit older before asking him to wait longer. Also, once he soils the crate what happens? Do you put him outside? or do you let him out to play?? If so, he may equate soiling the crate with getting out to play. You could try cleaning the crate and putting him right back in for a few hours, don't let him play at all! If he starts realizing that soiling the crate is not letting him play and socialize he may just stop. Good Luck!

Answer 3

Puppies bladders and control need to develop. You need to be one step ahead of him and get up before hand and run him out. Also do not allow water or food after a certain time so he doesnt have to go thru the night. Run him out right before bed time and then put him in his crate. Make sure the crate is small so he cant walk around and relieve himself in the back and then rest upfront. Dogs normally dont like to sit in their own mess..so if the crate is small enough where he would be stuck in it might get him to hold it long enough for you. Good luck.

Answer 4

Cut off his food and water intake by at least 5 hours before you go to bed for the night, and I'm sorry to have to break this to you, but your going to have to set your alarm to get up about 2 hours after you go to bed to take the dog outside!! It's just like having a baby. You will more then likely be able to sleep the rest of the night after you take him out. Just don't give him any food are water after is "middle of the night potty".
Get a small bell and tie it on his crate. Everytime you take him out of the crate to go outside, ring the bell. Before you know it, he will ring the bell with his nose or paw to tell you he's got to go. Give him a way of telling you. Sounds like he has no interest in vocalizing it, which is common in aussies. But i really can't stress enough that you are going to have to get out of bed and take him out for a while until his intestines and bladder are strong enough to hold it for the night., He's only 4months old and sometimes the muscles don't develope as quickly as we would like them too. But use the bell. Put it on the inside of the crate, hung inside some where, and ring it everytime you take him potty. NOT WHEN YOUR TAKING HIM OUT TO PLAY OR ROAM THE HOUSE, ONLY FOR POTTY TIME!!!!!!! Or he will ring that bell all the time!! Trust me, this works. My dad had a springer spanial that would not potty train, and within a week of getting up at night, cutting off all food and water 5 hours before bed, and using the bell, the dog understood and there were no more messes in or out of the crate. Good luck, and enjoy those quite evenings outside with your dog.!! It makes for great bonding as well. OH, and don't let him play during this time, no matter how cute he is. It's strictly business at that hour. Potty, then back to bed!!

Answer 5

Hi,
To crate train your puppy first start during the daytime and put him in the crate for just 30 minutes. After this take him outside and walk him around and play with him. Do not take him right back inside and put him in the crate. Let him get some exercise. Try playing some with him for about 10 minutes. Then take him back inside and put him in his crate for another 30 minutes and at the end of that 30 minutes, take him outside to see if he wants to go to the bathroom. If he does, praise him to the skies and then play with him and give him a toy or a treat and you might play his favorite game. Then take him back inside and put him in his crate. Continue doing this for the entire day. If you have to leave him in his crate DO NOT LEAVE HIM ANY LONGER THAN 3 1/2 HOURS. This is almost his age. The rule is that puppies should be able to stay inside their crate for one hour times their age. For example, a 1 month old puppy is only able to stay in his crate for one hour and then he has to go to the bathroom. He can't hold it any longer so you should let him out. When he becomes a 2 month old puppy, he should be able to stay in his crate for 2 hours, then when he is 3 months old he should be able to stay in his crate for 3 hours and when he is 4 months old, he should be able to stay in his crate for 4 hours. THIS 4 HOURS IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HE SHOULD BE LEFT IN THE CRATE NO MATTER HOW OLD HE IS.

Now, for teaching him to stay in his crate all night, right at first he will not be able to because he simply can't "hold it" that long. You should let him out to use the bathroom before he and you go to bed. Make sure that he DOES use the bathroom before he goes to bed. This is very important. Then let him back in the house and put him in his crate. We are assuming that Puppy has learned to stay in his crate for let's say 3 hours. You will have to get up every three hours and take him outside to use the bathroom. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. PUPPY IS TOO YOUNG TO STAY IN HIS CRATE ALL NIGHT AT HIS AGE. This will not happen until he is much older. Right now, you should concentrate on crate training him just in the daytime and set your alarm and get up every two, three or four hours depending on how he is coming with his crate training. Eventually both he and you will be able to sleep through the night. This will not happen unless you are consistent however. Please don't feed him after 6:00. This will help with his not having to go to the bathroom.

Answer 6

Set your alarm to go off around 5 or 6 am so you can let him out before he messes in his crate. Some dogs never learn to whine and let you know they need to go out.

Answer 7

Part of crate training is to get them outside BEFORE they go potty, then praising and rewarding them. You'll need to begin setting your alarm so you take the dog outside once every two hours.

Answer 8

Puppy's are babys and need to be attended to often. Definitely set you alarm and get up to let your pup out in the middle of the night until his bladder matures. Good Luck! :)

Answer 9

To tell how long your dog can hold his bladder, is to take his age in months and add 1. So if your dog is 4mon. then he can only hold it for about 5 hrs. So take him out about every 5 hrs,or after he has drank water or eaten.

Answer 10

He is shitting in the crate in an effort to tell you "Get me the hell out of this damn tiny crate!"