# Confused and need advice-crate issues and housetraining



## lea Noel (Jan 14, 2009)

Hey everyone! Fairly new here, so not sure if this is the right spot to post but here it goes!

I have Noel, a 12 week old female golden.....I am totally new to the whole puppy thing, and tried to do my research...books, internet, breeders, etc. It seems everywhere I turn there are conflicting stories and methods to train a puppy!! 

We sleep her in her crate at night, she was waking us up at night to let her out to potty, and then recently she started sleeping through! We were thrilled until we started realizing that she was wetting her blankets in there, and not telling us......

This seem to happen at the same time we started trying to use the crate to put her in while we were going out briefly to the store or when I couldn't watch her the whole time. She of course goes crazing barking and whinning while in there, and its so hard to listen too! Then we get her out, I try to time it so she is quiet when I let her out....and she has either peed in there or pees as soon as she gets out....

I exercise her and potty her before going in, and same before bed......

I seem to read everywhere that they won't go where they sleep, but that seems not to be the case her.... also, it seems as though I shouldn't be letting her have free rain of the house, but if I crate her she cries and barks the whole time......whats the right thing to do......? Ugg!


----------



## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

How big is her crate? It should be big enough for her to turn around and be comfortable but not so big she can pee in the corner and be able to get away from it.


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I'm going through the same issues as you, except that it's poop, not pee. 

I think maybe your girl just needs to pee a little more often than you're letting her out for, OR she has a UTI.

I am just as frustrated as you, so I'll be interested in the replies you get.


----------



## ggdenny (Nov 2, 2008)

This seems to be a growing club. We tried leaving Connor twice yesterday - once for 90 minutes and once for 2 hours. Both times we took him for a walk beforehand, and each time he peed and pooped before being crated. Both times we gave him a kong with baby food. When we came home after 90 minutes we didn't hear him whining, scratching or screaming when we walked up to the door, and he waited patiently for us to let him out of the crate. He was dry - no pee or poop in the crate. Unfortunately, later in the day after his 2 hour stint he had peed some in his crate.

We think the bathroom accidents in the crate are more about stress than anything else. We can't tell if the Quiet Moments herbal pills are working, but we are trying everything.


----------



## Bogart'sMom (Sep 16, 2005)

I put up the water dish at 7 pm in the evenning. Then last time out was around 11 pm (I always fell asleep on the couch:yuck and my hubby would let Bogart out at 5 am. I was fostering a female Boxer puppy for about 6 weeks and in the time she had a bladder infection and peed all the time. So maybe take in a urin sample to the Vet and have it checked. You can't get a puppy housetrained with a UTI. The crate size could have something to do with it also, that she can pee in one side and sleep in the other corner. Then the crying, Bogart cried for a week straight. It was very unnerving but we got through it. When I left the house he went in the crate too and I pittied my ZsaZsa girlie, she had to listen to him. He did get over that also. I never really crated him while I was home, I didn't have the heart but what I did was I put him on tie down so he learned to settle down. He was a good puppy all in all. Just try to be patient.
all the best,


----------



## lea Noel (Jan 14, 2009)

See thats the thing, I feel awful crating when we are home, whats tie down? just using a leash inside? Her crate is a good size I think, in fact, I am worried that soon she will be too big. It is not one with a movable wall as I have heard others talk about.....it is the one with hard plastic sides, and the metal door at the front.......

Thanks for the replies......anymore?


----------



## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

I also never leave blankets in with a puppy who poops or pees in his/her crate-it makes it too easy for them. My pups would go and then use the blanket to cover it up or push it all to the back or the front  This works for them even in a small crate.

It's definitely worth checking out the UTI also, just in case.


----------



## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I do not put blankets, towels etc in there crates. I would take the water up at night. I wouldnt let him out of the crate until hes been quite for a few minutes. When you put him in the crate while being home give him a kong filled with something yummy.


----------



## lea Noel (Jan 14, 2009)

So perhaps I should be taking the blankets out even at night? That makes sense! And so the general thought is if you HAVE to crate them and they bark......ignore?!? Sorry for the silly newbie questions! 

But I am so worried I am going to screw her up ya know?! I want to be a good little doggy owner! Ha!


----------



## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Lucky had a couple of accidents while in a deep sleep and on a towel. This was before the crate. I must say it bothered me alot...but I think it was because he was just a baby. he never did it if he didn't have a towel he was sleeping on.

As far as crate-time during the day, I think she just needs time to adjust to that time period. Lucky was in the crate several times a day for short periods. This was when I was home.

Try just putting her in the crate for 10 minutes a time several times throughout the day _while you are home_. In time it becomes a secure place for her and she shouldnt fret when you leave. She doesn't yet see the crate as a safe-haven...


----------



## Susan6953 (Jun 9, 2008)

As far as the whining while in the crate I bet she stops if you are not around. The first night with Jamie he whined all night but the next day I took him with me in the crate in the car doing errands. After a few stops I noticed that all was quiet as I approached the car but as soon as he heard me he started whining.

I should mention that we have a mild climate and it was not sunny or I would not have left him in the car. The breeder actually suggested putting the puppy in the crate in the car at night (she had a garage) so he wouldn't wake us up but I couldn't do that. (Jamie is my first puppy, maybe when I have raised as many as she has I will be more blase'.)


----------



## WolverSyr (Jan 9, 2009)

My boy pooped in his crate once and peed a few for the first two weeks. He is only 4 months and pretty little for his age. I changed crates to a smaller size and that worked somewhat alright - still a pee here & there. 

For the past two weeks we've been good though - no accidents at all. I discovered the wetness I feel on his towel is actually from him chewing it rather than pee. It seems (hopefully,) that the issue has resolved itself.

The crying, howling thing when I leave for work though just breaks my heart. I know he must eventually stop because he's quiet when I get home, I just wish he'd see his crate as a safe place and not a bad place.


----------

