my dog is crate training and still has accidents inside his crate, how do i stop that?

Question

hes been crate traing for about a year, and i started to notice that he pees in his cage, i take him out four times a day, morning before work, luchtime, when i get home and before we go to sleep. if im at home on the same schedule he doesnt have any accidents

Answer 1

At one year of age, your dog should be able to handle the potty schedule you describe. There may be other problems. I would have the vet check for a urinary tract infection. If it is medical, obviously scolding is inappropriate so please don't take that route until you have ruled out other issues. Another problem may be that the dog is suffering from stress while crated - separation anxiety. This can result in dogs going in their crates as well.

If the crate is not too large and you have been working at this for a while, I would suggest consultation with a vet first to rule out medical issues and a trainer second to determine what else might be going on.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

You've had some great advice. It should not be living in the crate. That is just wrong!

Now the other problem is "you started to notice' so how long has that been going on? If you didn't notice before you have taught it to do this. Make sure you clean out the cage well with a cleaner like Get Serious or Nature's Miracle to remove the remarking scent completely, they leave behind a smell we can't detect but tells them it's okay to go here. Puppy pads only teach your dog it's okay to go in the house, but at this point this dog already thinks that.

Consider dog training an eduction for yourself and your dog, please.

Answer 3

Try adding an extra block to your morning walk. See if you can get him to empty out his bladder a little more by marking everything he sees.

In his crate, place a box in the back of the crate. You need to make the interior space smaller. He should have enough room to stand up, turn and lie down.

Make sure he is getting plenty of attention when you are home, he could be doing it from stress or loneliness.
Just try to reestablish the crating rules and get him more exercise. You should start to see better results.

Also, dogs typically regress at ages 10-15 months, it is like a teenager rebelling. He may very well get better in a couple more months.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Your dog may have a urinary infections, stones or something else going on that is causing this. If your dog was fine for so long and then started this I would be concerned there is an underlying medical reason. Bring the dog into your vet have an examination done, a blood test and a urine sample to see if there is something else wrong. If there is nothing wrong then start over with your dog, pretend like it's a new puppy and you are house training again. Bring the dog out every couple of hours to go potty and when your not home confine the dog to a smaller area of the house such as a kitchen or bathroom (make sure there is nothing your dog can get into or hurt on). The best way to potty train a puppy is confine them to smaller area's until they learn where to go. Good luck.

Answer 5

most dogs really need to go out more then four times a day. Our dogs are also crate trained and we have to take them out at least six times a day.
Also try adding comfortable bedding to the dogs crate, and if needed making the crate a lot smaller so the dog is unable to go pee because he will not want to lay on the wet spot.
There is also a chance that the dog is getting excited from being locked up all day when you either get home, or he hears you pull up and is unable to control himself. This is common in some breeds like cocker spaniels, find out if your breed is one of them.
It sounds like more then anything though, the dog needs to be out of the crate more often. and needs more potty breaks during the day.
Try twice or a longer break in the morning, a small walk at lunch and then when you get off work another good walk. this might be able to get the need out, and make him happy to wait for that walk.

Answer 6

If the crate is to big and he has a large sleep area he will find a spot in the corner or where doesn't lay and pee or poop there. Another reason why he may be peeing in his crate is if you have his water bowl in the crate all day with him it makes it harder to control his bladder. By keeping his water in the crate with him he will sit there and drink small amounts of water throughout the day even if he isn't really thirsty but out of sheer boredom. It's OK to feed the dog in the crate but don't leave his water in there. Also it sounds like you are leaving him in the crate for a good period of the day even when you are at home. If you are home he needs to be out of the crate except when it's time to eat or time for bed.

Answer 7

It could possibly mean that the crate is to big. If your dog has enough space to be able to pee in the crate and have a dry place to sleep then it is to big!!! You need a crate big enough so he is comfortable and can stand up in but not so big that there is enough space to use half of it to pee and half of it to sleep. There maybe the occasional accident but not often. I had the same problem when crate training my bull terrier. She is a pro at it now. Try a smaller crate!! Goodluck!

Answer 8

Are you taking him *out of the crate* four times a day, or *outside* four times a day? He should not be in the crate when you are home, until it's bedtime.

If he's uncrated while you're home and four bathroom breaks a day just aren't doing it, you may need to get someone to come by and take him outside more often, or he may just be having a bit of separation anxiety. It stresses them out when you're gone.

One more concern, why a year of crating? After three months I could trust my dogs to stay in the house while I'm gone, and they'll wait till I get back to go outside...

Answer 9

Create a place outside of the crate for him to go.
Surround the crate area with one of those puppy fences that hook together and leave the door to the crate open so he can go in there to sleep. Put papers or pads outside the crate for him to relieve himself.
The crate is a "safe" place for him not a potty training tool.
He is probably anxious when you're away from home...which is normal...and that makes him pee more often.
When you're home...he's not anxious.
So glad you asked about this, now your puppy and you can both relax a bit more.
PJ

Answer 10

You need to spend some good training time with him. Spend more time with him period. Let him know you care, and REWARD him for going to the bathroom outside better or more often. Dogs respond very well to rewards NOT punishment.
I have had Labs, mix breeds, collies, German shepherds, retrievers all the same.
I have a beagle that's going through the very same thing right now. It's the time you spend WITH him thats pleasing him. Dogs are people pets, not crate pets! The more time in the cage means more problems outside the cage. He is doing it for ATTENTION!