Soiling the crate

I have a new 9 week pup and we have been trying out crate training for the past week.

1. We try to make it a fun place for her by throwing in treats, food etc. so she can feel that it is a good space for her but she won’t stay in it for very long.

2. When we do have her confined in the crate for a short period of time, she cries, whines & barks (which is expected and we can handle that) even if we are in the same room but without fail, she soils the crate immediately out of distress.

We have taken all the tips of purchasing the correct size crate where she can only move around in it enough to lie down and turn around but she still winds up soiling the crate out of anxiety.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Hi naomi,

You seem very concerned about your puppy, and rightfully so. Did you look at this product? www.puppypenz.com (click link)

Understood. Hopefully, someone here will have some ideas for you. Best of luck.

Hi Naomi,

Sometimes training a puppy can be really frustrating. It’s hard to know just what to do—and if you’re doing things just right.

You’re on the right tract with your puppy. Crate training is a great way to house train her. The basic idea is that the crate becomes “her” special place. It is a dog’s instinct to keep their den or home clean. As time goes on, and your pup is able to be outside her pen for longer and longer periods of time, she will be able to spend time with the family outside her pen.

I’ll assume that you are at home and able to take your puppy outside frequently. Otherwise, it gets a lot more complicated. Here’s how to make the process work: Place a clean pillow in the pen, along with your puppy’s favorite toys. Also make sure that your puppy has a clean bowl of water (ceramic works nicely, because it won’t tip over easily). Every time your pup goes into her crate, she gets a treat and you should praise her enthusiastically. Eventually she will see this as a positive thing. Dogs don’t think ahead—just in the present—so she’ll just be concerned about the treat that she is getting.

Now for the part that is more difficult. Keep her on a schedule. At first, you might want to take her out every hour (You will extend the time as she starts to “get” the program.). Wait until she pees AND poops. Puppies like to do a little, play a little, do a little, play, etc. This could take up to 20 minutes, but make sure that she has done her business. If you give up too soon, she’ll go into her pen and finish—just what you want to avoid. Praise your puppy enthusiastically—when you are sure that she has finished, not when she is just starting to go. Reward her with a treat and tell her how good she was—each time. If you do this faithfully, she will not go in her pen, because she won’t have to go anymore. It’s important that you stick to the schedule, or she won’t be able to wait.

Now, for the “anxiety” part. You are right that the crate will help your pup to feel that she is part of the group. Talk to her and praise her—when she is being quiet and good. Ignore her when she is making a fuss. By talking to her when she is whining or barking, you are rewarding her for this behavior and you will just reinforce the behavior that you don’t like. But, one additional word of caution—pay attention to your pup if it is time for her to go out again. She might be trying to tell you that it is time to “go”.

Hope this helps you. Good luck with your new pup. It WILL be worth the effort for you!

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