Puppy still pooping in crate?

Question

I have tried everything that you all suggested, and my puppy is still pooping in her crate. She is now 17 weeks old, her crate has become so small it's getting cruel. She is doing great potty training outside of the crate. We only crate her at night. I think she's pooping delibrately to get attention, she has held it all night for 2 weeks straight in the past.

When school starts, we can no longer clean up after her and give her a bath every morning. I am going to resort to making the crate larger and letting her poop in it. We'll have to clean the crate, but at least we won't have to give her a bath everyday.

Has anyone else resorted to this, and did your puppy eventually get better?

The reason why I'm inquiring again is because I have tried all your suggestions. Even waking up at 2am which was a waste because she still never went poop. Her crate is so small now she can't even turn.
I have nothing to undo because she held it all of 2 weeks when we first got her and for the past 4 weeks she's been pooping in it.
We stopped feeding her after 4pm, I only give her dried food at night, she poops around 7pm, and we take her out until we put her to bed at 11pm and she won't poop. An hour later she'll poop in the crate!!

Won't let her roam the house at night, that's why we crate her at night. Also don't want her to get used to pooping in the house if I don't crate her, she's done so good during the day.

Just thought that maybe somone else had given up and when the dog got older and was able to hold it, you tried again successfully.

I decided to make the crate larger, and she's no longer pooping in the crate. She just really hated it small!!!
When I let her out in the morning, she poops and pees, which means she was holding it!! I think we're home free. Thanks for your answers.

Answer 1

I had the same problem. And i have raised a lot of puppies . she is now about 8 months old. She does it less,but still does it. I think Im going toask my vet if there is a physical problem that can cause this. good luck. Oh yea iVe tried staying out longer with her the last time I take her out before bed It's helped the most

Answer 2

The only thing I can suggest is you make absolutely sure she's 'gone' between her last meal, and bed-time. From what I gather, she's now on just 2 meals a day, the last one being at mid-day? If so, she shouldn't really need to pass a normal stool more than 3 times in a day. Mine are fed at 7 am, and again around 4.30 pm. They both go first thing - they are let out as soon as they get up, one goes on his daily morning walk again, the other doesn't. Both go again either during the late afternoon, or early evening. And that's it. Some food seems to produce more 'output' than others however, so you might consider whether she's in fact making too much - some with loads of cereal filler are the worst. Find a food that lists meat as the first ingredient, and you'll know it's not one of these perhaps cheaper versions that does use filler. I'd caution you about switching however because if she's normal now, changing could upset her tummy. And any change should always be done gradually. Digestion in the dog normally takes 4 hours, so if her last meal is at mid-day, that should give her plenty of time to empty before overnight. Her lying in what she does can be avoided, if you get her a bigger crate. I hate all this 'confine to a small area so they don't mess'. Fact is if a dog needs to go, they will just go, especially with a puppy and if in a small area, have no choice but to lie in it. She's only young yet too. And in that case, she may well not be able to go right through the night yet. I've always given a puppy of under 4 months, the chance to go out once overnight, around 3 am. And 4 hours is too long to leave a puppy of this age in a crate during the daytime. 2 hours for 8 weeks, extending perhaps to 3 hours, but no longer, on a regular basis. Puppies need to be able to run around during the daytime, so their bones, joints and muscles develop properly. Only use the crate, overnight apart, for the times you have to do other things during the day, to keep them out of harm. If you leave a dog/puppy in a crate for too long, much as you say you have her on a schedule, they tend to just empty because they know they are stuck in there, and not likely to be going to get out any time soon. I am concerned that you say 'her living space'. Her crate should only be her bed - her home, even if restricted to where she can and can't go, should be her living space to be honest.

Answer 3

They do have crates with the trays on the bottom of them that are removable that you can easliy clean. You could also put those potty training pads for puppies on the tray to make it easier for clean up.
If you have already tried this there is a spray called Wee Wee, YOu can most likely get it at any petstore, petsmart, petco. etc.
You spray it on the spots that you WANT your dog or puppy to do its business at.
If niether of these work, just make sure that you take your puppy out 15 mins. after they eat all the time and make a certain time at night to not give your dog anymore food after.
That has really helped with all the puppies I have trained.
Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Look at your pupp when she sleeps if she curls up and there is area that she is not lying in then the crate is not too small.

I had a toy poodle and kept her in the smaller travel kennel available at night. Now she could stretch out in this kennel. But she would always curl up. She eventually realized that she could still sleep and not lie in poop... so she would poop in one end and curl in the other.

I took a box big enough to occupy one end of the crate and she could still curl up and sleep like she always did and as long as I had that box in there she would not poop in the box. Take the box out and she would starting the pooping again.

Answer 5

You need to start setting your alarm clock and taking her out at night. Puppies need nighttime outings sometimes.

Don't let her have access to food all day long, give her 3 meals a day with the last one several hours before bed. This way she has a chance to eliminate before bedtime.

Even so if she needs a nighttime outing, she needs a nightime outing. She will outgrow the need to have to go in the middle of the night.

If you make the crate bigger and let her "go" in it, you could very well undo any progress you've made this far.

Answer 6

A dog should be able to turn a round in it's crate and lay down. Thats it. Your crate may still be too big.

Answer 7

you are leaving her in there way too long... she needs to go out every 30 minutes..... you also need to keep her on a set food schedule, then walk her outside 15 minutes later.... always reward her when she goes outside, and DO NOT PUNISH HER when she has an accident... crates should be big enough for a dog to stand up and turn around.... dogs do not do this for attention either....

Answer 8

If she is doing great potty trainging outside of the crate, maybe you should leave her out for night. My puppy is only eight weeks old and she sleeps in my bed. She always wakes me at night if she needs off the bed to go outside.

Answer 9

Why crate at night? Sounds like she's about old enough to last all night w/o having to go outside.

Answer 10

make sure taht the crate that you have for your dog is small beacuse it sould only give them room to walk in, turrn around, and lay down!
hope that helps!