# Peeing in Crate



## Baileysmom (Aug 5, 2006)

My puppy did not pee in his crate at night, but we had made the crate small enough that he didn't want to pee in his bed. Yes, we took him out every time he cried during the night until he slept through. We took his water away at 8 pm. If you let him in your bed, just be prepared that he might continue to cry to be let out earlier and earlier because he will figure out that going out and peeing at 4am means getting into bed with you. My dh let ours out at 6 am and then put him in bed with me when he took his shower. The next morning Bailey asked to go out at 5:30, then next day at 5. We had to start letting him out and putting him back in the crate..... Now he stays in the crate until after my hubby's shower.


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## Molly's Mom (Jan 1, 2007)

To the best of my knowledge, Molly has never peed in her crate. We had it partitioned off so she only had a very small space. I think it was her 4th night ... she got over the partition and pooped in the back of the crate. We took the partition out the next night. 

The first week, I set my alarm for 4 am and took her outside for potty. I gradually increased the time. Now I take her out at 11 pm and put her in the crate for the night. Today she only made it till 6 am, but she's usually good till about 7:30. She's 8 weeks old now.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Abbie peed in her crate , but that was because she didnt want to be in there and she didnt care if she layed in it..... it was only during the day she did that..... The 2.. 8 week old puppies I have right now go in there around midnight and they hold it till 6 am..... I dont let them have any water after 8 tho


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## Maile's Mom (Dec 12, 2006)

Maile peed in her crate several times when we first brought her home at 7 weeks. She has had no accidents since and she is almost 5 months old. Don't know how old Rocky is but by a few months, Maile was in from 9-6 with no accidents. 

We actually found out Maile had a bladder infection because as a little pup, she had to go out so frequently during the day (every 1/2 hour) I didn't think she had one because many books said that was normal and she could still hold it 4-6 hours at night. My vet decided to check the urine and discovered the bladder infection. 

I agree with Baileysmom that they figure out really quickly that crying/whining will get them out and then it starts a pattern. They don't forget! If you determine there is nothing medical, you may wish to try taking Rocky out with very little interaction. Once he goes, put him back in and let him whine/cry a bit. It's hard but don't get him out. Pretty soon, he will learn to settle himself and not bother you to go in the night. 

You probably know this but make sure you are cleaning out Rocky's crate with a cleaner made to remove the urine odor so he won't be encouraged to go in there again. Good luck!


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

Thanks to all that have replied.
Here is what we do.....
He gets no water after about 7pm at night. 
His crate is divided and he only has enough room to lay down in it. 
He goes in his crate anytime my husband goes to bed (anytime from 10pm-1am).
He gets let out one last time before he gets in his crate.
He normally wakes at 4am to go out, no matter what time he is crated at night.

We have tried to just let him out quietly and put him back in his crate, but for a full week straight he would cry for almost a full hour every night, then every 30-45 mins after that. I couldn't take it anymore. So, we started just putting him in bed with us (which I know isn't a good thing to start). A couple times when I have just let him 'cry it out', he has pooped in his crate.

I do clean out his crate with that Nature's Best cleaner, along with his bedding.

Eventually, once he can be trusted in our room, he will not be crated at night. This is only temporary until he can hold his urine through the night. Maybe I should just try letting him sleep in our room at night and see how that goes?

Thanks again for all your input. I was just trying to see if this has happened to other pups and what you did. Looks like my pup is the abnormal one. I just have to figure out what to do about it now. 
If I let him 'cry it out' during the night, he wakes up my three little kids. That is why I stopped letting him cry at night. I couldn't take the puppy and three crabby kids from lack of sleep.

Maybe I need to be tougher on the little pup? I don't know.....At this point I feel like the situation is hopeless.

Thanks again for all your suggestions


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

*Night One.....just venting*

Just needed to vent about our night....
I decided that we would stop letting him in bed with us at night(thinking maybe that is why he keeps getting up at night). So, when Rocky woke up at 3am to go out, I let him out and then put him back in his crate. He went back in quietly without much fight. But, at 4:30am, he was up again. I thought that I would just let him whine and cry a bit and see if he settles down. Well, at 5am my hubby decided to let him out again. Well, this time he did not want to go back in the crate, but we did it anyway. There he cried until we got up between 6-6:30am.
I really hope it gets easier. Last time we tried this, this went on for a week and no better. Now that he is older, I hope it works.

Last night, while we couldn't sleep due to the crying. My husband and I tried to brain storm some other ways of dealing with Rocky at night. One was maybe putting the crate in our room and having him sleep in there with us? Or just continuing to try letting him cry until he finally gets it. Or just letting him sleep in our room without the crate and on his doggy bed (and pray he doesn't pee on our carpet during the night).

I'll let you know how tonight goes and what we decide to do.
Thanks for listening....


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## daisy&jack (Oct 5, 2006)

Hi,

Just wanted to let you know that you're puppy is not the only one! We had the same kind of nights you are having with our second puppy - my husband slept with earplugs!! Jack would cry on and off all night and get so upset he would poop in his crate. But our breeder did give us some suggestions that helped - make sure that he is not warm (no bedding in the crate and make sure the crate is not near a heat vent). We were a little skeptical about this being the problem - but we moved the crate and took the bedding out - sure enough the first night he stopped crying! She also said never take him out of the crate at night if you know he doesn't have to go to the bathroom - let him cry (that's why we bought the earplugs). It may be worth a try. Good Luck


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## Baileysmom (Aug 5, 2006)

My first dog was crated in the kitchen. We spent many nights listening to him cry and his waking up the kids. I used to go sit outside of his crate and wait for him to go to sleep before quietly going back up to bed (it was really like having another baby!). This time we put a second crate in our bedroom so that he would be by us (kids were teenage and older). He did much better at night. If you are going to let him sleep in your room anyway, why not move the crate into your room so that he can be by you but still in the crate. It is worth a try.


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

*Night Two.....*

We put the crate in our room last night and it went better. Right when we put the crate in our room, he went right in (which he usually does not). He did wake up once during the night to go to the bathroom, but he did not pee in his crate at all! He got up at 1am to go out, but I really don't think he slept at all before that. I think he was confused about where he was. But, once he settled down after going out, he slept until 630am (he even slept through our 6am alarm)! So, I am assuming tonight will go even better.
I just wanted to give you all an update and thanks for all your advice and help. It seems to be working and I see a light at the end of this tunnel!
Thanks!


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## LaurJen (Aug 10, 2006)

Yippeee  That sounds like progress already!


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## Baileysmom (Aug 5, 2006)

I am so glad that you had a better night. Hopefully Rocky will be able to hold it longer and longer and just be happy to be by you.


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

Baileysmom said:


> I am so glad that you had a better night Hopefully Rocky will be able to hold it longer and longer and just be happy to be by you.



That is what I am hoping! He seemed to be so much happier last night being with us. He even went right back to sleep after my son got up to go to the bathroom at 3am (so, if you are counting....we were up at 1am with the dog, 3am with my son, and 6am with the alarm.....we don't get much sleep around here  )


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

*Night Three....*

I work one night shift a week, so hubby had Rocky all night. He got pretty good reviews. 
He went to bed around midnight, got up once around 3:30am to go potty and then back in until wake up time around 630am. Hopefully, that middle of the night potty time will get later and later. The one good thing is that NO peeing in the crate for the second night in a row! I call that progress!

On a side note......When I got home at 6am, no one was up yet, so a snuck into the rec room and went to sleep on the futon. Well, when Rocky was finally able to access me, he came running onto the futon and licking me all over. You can totally tell he was happy to see me. What a great way to wake up! Dogs show so much love.


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## Katiesmommy (Sep 10, 2006)

Katie has not pee'd in her crate at night. The first couple nights were rough for us all because she was going out at 10 pm, 12 pm, 4 am & 6 am. 

Now Katie's last feeding is at 5 or 6 pm and we bring her water up. Her last potty break is now at 11 pm every night and she can hold it from 11 pn til 7 am....with no accidents. 

Hope this helps you  

Oh since I work at home I am able to take Katie out every 2-3 hours if she needs to go.

Please keep us updated


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## Hali's Mom (Oct 5, 2006)

Maile's Mom said:


> Maile peed in her crate several times when we first brought her home at 7 weeks. She has had no accidents since and she is almost 5 months old. Don't know how old Rocky is but by a few months, Maile was in from 9-6 with no accidents.
> 
> We actually found out Maile had a bladder infection because as a little pup, she had to go out so frequently during the day (every 1/2 hour) I didn't think she had one because many books said that was normal and she could still hold it 4-6 hours at night. My vet decided to check the urine and discovered the bladder infection.
> 
> ...


I have to agree that I was thinking the same thing,"fuss and I get to go to bed with Mom and Dad." I would try putting him back in the crate after you are SURE that he has pottied and let hom fuss a bit until he settles down. I realize its hard to listen to him but it will probably be worth it in the long run.


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

*Night Four....update*

Last night we went to bed early, since I was up for about 40 hours with 2 hours of sleep. So, Rocky went into his cage around 10pm, around midnight one of the kids got up, so I took him out, too, since he woke up. Then he slept until 6:30am!!!! Wohoo!! 6 hours straight and no peeing in the crate. I am so glad we put the cage in our room. It has made things so much better and I think Rocky really enjoys it, too. 
He is growing so much that we need to move the divider for the first time. I can't believe how fast he grows! He is 20lbs already!!!

OK....I think I have made enough updates for a little while anyways.
Thanks for listening...uh..reading..


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## erinw (Jan 13, 2007)

Thanks for this thread! 

I'm having similar problems with Comet.

I've been taking him to bed with me at night... and Lizzie sleeps in there with me, too (it's getting very crowded, lolol).

My DH works a second shift, so when he comes home around 3 or 4am, he takes Comet out... after that, Comet will only sleep for another hour or MAYBE two... and he wants to be up for the day by 6am (WAY too early for me, lolol). 

We have a crate set up in our kitchen, which works great during the day... if I need to, I can crate one or both dogs for whatever reason. 

I tried putting Comet in the crate the other night... but he didn't like that AT ALL. As soon as I went upstairs to bed he was whining and crying like a fool, lol. So, back in the bed with me he went.

I was wondering if moving the crate upstairs at night would help... seems like you guys have had good experience with that... so I'm going to try it tonight!!!!!!


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## LaurJen (Aug 10, 2006)

Rocky said:


> Last night we went to bed early, since I was up for about 40 hours with 2 hours of sleep. So, Rocky went into his cage around 10pm, around midnight one of the kids got up, so I took him out, too, since he woke up. Then he slept until 6:30am!!!! Wohoo!! 6 hours straight and no peeing in the crate. I am so glad we put the cage in our room. It has made things so much better and I think Rocky really enjoys it, too.
> He is growing so much that we need to move the divider for the first time. I can't believe how fast he grows! He is 20lbs already!!!
> 
> OK....I think I have made enough updates for a little while anyways.
> Thanks for listening...uh..reading..


Woo-hoo! Here is you, doing the happy dance:

:artydude:


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## greg bell (May 24, 2005)

I have raised a number of pups and have found that after putting them in the crate for the night, I cover the crate with somthing.. blanket or such.. seems to work like magic.. 
and, yeah... when the wake up in the night to go pee, they need to learn they just get to go pee..then back to bed... don't give in.. stay the course..


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## njb (Oct 5, 2006)

If it is any comfort--I am having the same problem with the 'vet dog' right now. You would think it would not be, since he grew up in a crate essentially at the vets office and is about 8 months old. It drives me nuts---as soon as I put him in the crate at night--he pees. He can't be out of the crate because he destroys the house while I am sleeping. Julie just hops in bed with me and snores--once she did have an emergency 'gotta go right now' moment around 3am--so she just hopped in the bath tub--lol. I guess she had watched a cat try it and thought--how fun? 

I am being patient with Vet dog while he learned the ropes of living in a house--not a vet office--but right now I am feeling like if he does not have better sense than to pee in his crate, he is the one who will suffer. I have learned to make sure the door to outside is open before I open the crate--other day opened it and he speed to my son's room, jumped on the bed and pissed right on it...brat. This is going to be more work than I had planned.


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

LaurJen said:


> Woo-hoo! Here is you, doing the happy dance:
> 
> :artydude:


Too Funny!!!!
LMOA!
Thanks


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

njb said:


> If it is any comfort--I am having the same problem with the 'vet dog' right now. You would think it would not be, since he grew up in a crate essentially at the vets office and is about 8 months old. It drives me nuts---as soon as I put him in the crate at night--he pees. He can't be out of the crate because he destroys the house while I am sleeping. Julie just hops in bed with me and snores--once she did have an emergency 'gotta go right now' moment around 3am--so she just hopped in the bath tub--lol. I guess she had watched a cat try it and thought--how fun?
> 
> I am being patient with Vet dog while he learned the ropes of living in a house--not a vet office--but right now I am feeling like if he does not have better sense than to pee in his crate, he is the one who will suffer. I have learned to make sure the door to outside is open before I open the crate--other day opened it and he speed to my son's room, jumped on the bed and pissed right on it...brat. This is going to be more work than I had planned.


A friend of mine at work said that her dogs do not like being in crates, so at night or when she leaves she 'ties them up'. she says she has these hooks (that to my understanding was made for dogs) that she installed down by the baseboards of the wall and she hooks the dog up to it with his leash. She puts the dogs bed right next to it and he is happy as a clam to sleep there calmly. Maybe something like this would help, since this dog is so used to being 'aloud' to pee in his crate, maybe this would help break the habit?


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## njb (Oct 5, 2006)

I will sure think about that idea--I am hoping he will catch on soon by watching the other dogs how things are done....something has to give because he ate a few hundred baseball cards the other night--a sin in this house. IT is not like the cards were laying around they were in a plastic box under my bed. First he ate the plastic...etc. 

Good news is that he got the pooh outside part down!


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