[sloanka]

Hi! About a month ago, my husband and I adopted a 3 month old wheaten terrier. We started crate training her right away and she really seems to like her crate. Every night she sleeps in her crate and can pretty much make it the whole night (10pm-7:30am) with the exception of maybe 2-3 nights per week where we have to let her out to pee (she'll start whining.) I primarily work from home so I am with her throughout the day and she is un-crated. On the occasion I have to leave to go to the office - maybe 2-3 hours at a time - I put her in her crate with a frozen stuffed kong and leave. I always come back to a pee mess! I don't know why she can't seem to hold it for the 2-3 hours I am gone when she can basically hold it the whole night. Is this a separation anxiety thing? If anyone knows wheaten puppies - it is not a pretty sight when they pee and lay in it (they have thick, long hair that gets matted and crusty when wet with pee). Not to mention she stinks! I feel like I'm giving her a bath almost daily. How do we make this stop? I'm starting to have anxiety when I leave the house. She is about 4 months old now. I've tried walking her right before I put her in there to tire her out, leaving the radio on, putting my shirt in the crate, putting a fake heartbeat stuffed animal in the crate- nothing seems to stop her from peeing in there! And yes, she has basically done this since we got her. In fact, she used to pee and poop in there until we trained her to go outside - now she just pees in there no poop (thank god.) It's odd that it only happens when we physically leave the house. My husband is against the idea of putting her in a room with her crate and laying down papers. He thinks this will ultimately train her that it's ok to pee on papers in the house. Any other advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Kérstan]

Some things to consider.

How big is the crate? Is it properly sized to fit her?

-If the crate is too big, she may urinate in a corner of it. Make sure it's only big enough to allow her to stand up, turn around, and lay down. COMFORTABLY. Dogs don't soil where they sleep, in this case, her crate, or "den".

She is also still very young. Since she is four months, she should be able to hold it for four hours.
Make sure you thoroughly clean the crate each time she does have an "accident" so that she cannot smell the urine[which would compel her to continue urinating in the crate].

I don't think it is separation anxiety. Usually when a dog is suffering with it they will howl, bark, whine, scratch, etc. to get out of the crate.

And on the contrary. Many people housebreak their puppies inside using pee pads or newspapers first before they transition them to the outside.

In fact, you could try that. At least until she gets older and can hold her bladder for longer periods of time?

Also, speak with your veterinarian about this. Have the vet check to see if there is any underlying problems. (=

 

[doxiemommy]

I would side with your husband and advise you NOT to use pads or newpapers. We did use pads for our first puppy but regretted it. We were in an apartment and quite far from an outside potty area. But, our pup ended up thinking it was ok to pee on anything remotely pad like, like throw rugs, door mats, bath mats, etc.

Your puppy is still quite young. Puppies don't gain full physical control of their bladder til 6 months of age. So, when you leave, she is more anxious and stressed, and doesn't have great control to begin with due to her age, so she pees.

Also, the reason puppies are better at holding it at is because at night their bodies go on "sleep mode". Heart rate, breathing, digestion, everything slows down, so less urine is produced.

Plus, you've only had her one month! That's not much time for a young puppy to settle in. She's new to your home, she sees you as a good thing (you give her food, shelter and love!) and she gets worried when you leave.

Does she spend much time in the frate during the day when you ARE home? Or, just at night and then when you leave? If it's mostly at night and when you leave, you might want to start conditioning her to spend more time alone in the crate when you ARE home, so she doesn't just associate the crate being shut when you leave. Startvwith just minutes at a time, as many times throughout the day as you can, then gradually increase time.

And, clean the crate with an enzymatic cleaner. Don't put bedding in the crate either, until this issue resolves.

 

[Kérstan]

I would side with your husband and advise you NOT to use pads or newpapers. We did use pads for our first puppy but regretted it. We were in an apartment and quite far from an outside potty area. But, our pup ended up thinking it was ok to pee on anything remotely pad like, like throw rugs, door mats, bath mats, etc.

Your puppy is still quite young. Puppies don't gain full physical control of their bladder til 6 months of age. So, when you leave, she is more anxious and stressed, and doesn't have great control to begin with due to her age, so she pees.

Also, the reason puppies are better at holding it at is because at night their bodies go on "sleep mode". Heart rate, breathing, digestion, everything slows down, so less urine is produced.

Plus, you've only had her one month! That's not much time for a young puppy to settle in. She's new to your home, she sees you as a good thing (you give her food, shelter and love!) and she gets worried when you leave.

Does she spend much time in the frate during the day when you ARE home? Or, just at night and then when you leave? If it's mostly at night and when you leave, you might want to start conditioning her to spend more time alone in the crate when you ARE home, so she doesn't just associate the crate being shut when you leave. Startvwith just minutes at a time, as many times throughout the day as you can, then gradually increase time.

And, clean the crate with an enzymatic cleaner. Don't put bedding in the crate either, until this issue resolves.

I have to agree here with doxiemommy[although I know many people and breeders who say they do fine with housebreaking their dogs on pee pads/newspapers first. Personally, I just go straight outdoors].

Great tips.

 

[wvasko]

I also have started all pup in crates with newspapers and not had a problem. But our setup is not an apartment, when I take a pup outside it has plenty of area to run around like an idiot and get duty done. I've never used the divide crate up by blocking part of it off. The big thing is that there is success with different methods. It also does not hurt to have a little luck on your side hoping the method you choose corresponds with the pup you're dealing with.

 

[Canaqua]

Both our dogs (BC mix and ACD mix) were extremely easy to house train. Both HATE to get pee on their feet and our floors are all hardwood or linoleum. If they pee on a hard floor, it runs across the floor and gets their feet! Ack, they hate that! We didn't use crates for training, put down a couple of pee pads at the very beginning, until they learned to ask to go out, all done. Neither ever goes in the house. Maybe you could try having no bedding or papers in the crate when you go out during the day to give the puppy a little more motivation to hold it for that short ime?