Still peeing in her crate

Ellinorianne · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:48 pm Post subject: Still peeing in her crate

Well, we survived the poop fest that Sophie had over two days and now it's peeing. We take her out often and then find that as soon as we've gotten her in her crate, she goes.

I have a theory that she does this because she knows we will take her out to clean her up. Oh, okay, smelling like poop was bad, but her smelling like urine is bad too.

My husband is getting fed up and talking about getting rid of her. My response? Hell no. If I have to I will sleep on the futon in the spare room with her. I Have her out in the family room when I can, but I can only watch her so much, I do need to get things done etc.

I know this is going to sound stupid, but I wish there was a site that tells me what life with my puppy SHOULD be. She's so good at listening to me but not my husband and he's getting frustrated and he's being an *bum* as well (another story).

So any advice would be good, typical day with puppy per se? Is it unrealistic to want her to stay on her bed when we have her out in the family room? I am trying to keep her in a small space for now so I can keep an eye on her at all times.

I can't believe how hard this has been, I'm not getting enough sleep, I've been sick, my four year old is regressing oi. I had no idea it would be this hard! But I'm willing to do it on my own if I have to because this is the commitment I've made in taking her in, oh, I love her too Smile

It doesn't help that my husband and daughter are undoing the training I'm doing, such as giving her a treat when she goes outside but doesn't actually "go". Petting her when she jumps! Just reinforcing bad behavior in general and then they whine when she does it! I feel like I'm living with the insane.

*deep breath*

Okay, I feel a bit better. Thanks.

weimdawgs · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject:

Well, your family certainly isn't helping the situation but...I have the same problem with John. While the dogs were slightly easier to train, he impossible.

When she goes in her crate, have another area where you can put her temporarily until you can clean it, maybe a bathroom. Just lay a towel on the floor for her. That way, she is not being rewarded for going in her crate. And right back in the crate she goes.

kamfam · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:49 pm Post subject:

Ok, I'm definitely out of practice when it comes to a small pup, but what about starting from scratch??? I'd go back to the basics, leash tied to your belt around the house, praising when going potty outside, laying down the law with the family...I've recently had to retrain my family (and still in progress) because we're squirting Kam with a water bottle when he plays too rough and tries to steal food right off the dinner table (when we're sitting right there!!!). They think it's fun to use the water bottle just because, and it's not! It's a training tool and should only be used as such. I told them that when I catch any of them doing it, they will in turn get a squirt Mad

!

Anyway, back to your problem, don't give up just yet. How old is she? It seems that when they hit about 4 mos., they start to try your patience, seeing how much they can get away with. Really, they are not much different than kids (remember how around 9mos, they start dropping a toy over and over again just to have you continually pick it up, over and over again???), very similar Wink

!

Good luck, and remember, you have all of us to lean on!

Ellinorianne · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:57 pm Post subject:

Sophie is 15 weeks old, so right at that four month mark.

I just went down a bit ago because she was whining (I'd taking her for a walk mid-morning and then she helped me clean up the back yard and played with my daughter. I put her in her crate and she crashed, she was wiped out.

So, she's whining and she's peed in her crate, not a little bit, BUT A LOT. I constantly praise when she goes outside and she knows that when she whines we will come and let her out to go. She was upstairs with us where I could see her but now she's downstairs.

I'm thinking of being that lazy person and getting a pen for her upstairs so she can be with us and potty pads, but I know that just teaches her to go inside.

She knows she is supposed to go outside. I've stopped her in mid pee and she's looked at me like, oh damn and I take her outside and she finishes.

I'm just tired and whiny, as usual and I don't have anywhere else to go with it unfortunately.

anne · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:00 pm Post subject:

Every puppy is different and has different experiences so there's no point in asking what "normal" puppy is like at this age...

2 things struck me.... one that she is dowstairs when you are upstairs... and her stopping mid-pee... does not mean she knows where to go. You probably startled her and she stopped and got her outside. Which was the right thing to do, but I don't think you can interpret it to mean that she knows. It seems to me like she thinks that there are 2 acceptable palces to go, outside and in her crate.

Have you tried using a different type of crate?

Ellinorianne · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:15 pm Post subject:

I think I figured it out. I had a talk with the DH and we moved Sophie back upstairs in the family room and baby proofed it even more. She right now is sleeping on her bed outside of her crate.

We took her for another walk and Gary wore her out with some rough play. I am going to just put her in her crate for when we are not home or sleeping. I think it was separation anxiety since it started when we moved her downstairs because of the poop fest.

She went downstairs in the middle of her play, I took her out and she prefers the best part of the yard, where we have rocks down, she went there! She knows what she's supposed to do and I think we'll be happier with this set up.

Although she's got some bad gas Sad

Thanks everyone.