[CogswellUSMC]

I have looked everywhere on this forum and can't seem to find something to help my situation. Here's the thing: I have a 7 month old Husky. He gets plenty of attention, excercise, and I housebroke him just like any other dog. Since I got him around 3 months old, he has yet to pee/poop inside the house... with an exception. He still goes in his crate. Not often mind you, but enough to really annoy me. He'll go a whole month with no problems, then (like this morning), I'll return to poop all over him and the cage, despite having let him out before I left and only having been gone for maybe 20 minutes. He'll chill inside with us for hours during the day, and simply place a paw on us or whine to go outside. He NEVER goes in the house though, just his kennel, which is his size and everything. It's not that he even tries to avoid it. He just goes and gets it everywhere. I had a dog who, if they did go in the kennel on one of those random emergency days, they went in the corner and avoided it. Yet my dog will do it and get it everywhere. Any insight into why hes doing this or how to make him stop will be gladly appreciated.

 

[Analogdog]

I am going to say that I do not have a magic bullet to end this problem. I have thought thought about it, and want to see what you think. Dogs usually poop or pee off the main track. And they especially do not want to defecate near where they rest, so there is no good reason for your dog to do his business in the crate.

I am wondering if this happens when you leave the dog in the crate for a longer than normal or extra long time. This might lead the dog to have to defecate in the crate due to the amount of time it has spent there. Also does the dog defecate in the morning before being crated?

 

[CogswellUSMC]

I try my hardest not to let him in for long times, and I'd say that the most he's in there is maybe 7 hours... But even on those days I'll come home to nothing wrong. For example the last time he went in his kennel was just a few days ago, I put him in there (after taking him out) so my wife and I could get breakfast. We were gone maybe 20 minutes tops. Yet I came home to a mess. I just haven't heard of dogs his age continuing this, and don't know why he does.

 

[chubby]

1. Did you properly clean the entire kennel with enzymatic cleaner designed for dog urine? If it smells like it's a toilet, then he's gonna think it is.
2. The crate should only be large enough for him to stand, lie down and turn around in. This is actually a lot smaller than most people would think.
3. Did you crate train him? Does he only have accidenst in the create when you're away? If so, he may be stressed in the crate, and defacating as a result of that. It could possibly be taht he doesn't see the crate as his den, and thus spoils it still. Try to make his crate a comfortable place for him and also feed all his meals and treats in the crate. That way, he'll have fewer incentives to poo in a crate where he eats and sleeps. Also, don't just put him in the crate when you're leaving him alone. You don't want him to associate crate to being left alone.

 

[CogswellUSMC]

I clean the whole thing with Nature's Miracle, and let it air out outside. I'm working on getting a new one now (the store is out of his size).
He has enough room lengthwise, but probably a bit more than he should widthwise. He is currently in one of the open steel kinds, but we're getting him a plastic travel kennel which should fit better.
I most certainly did crate train him. The command "cage" has him go right to it and lie down, at night it's his bed even with his door open, he uses it to hide from the vacuum, and he'll occasionally bring his nylabone over to it and sit inside. I think he's quite comfortable with it and it isn't linked to being alone or discipline in the least. He goes in it at night, and we're in the same room so he isn't alone those times either.

My thought was just that he somehow can still smell his accidents, and a new kennel will fix this. Since this is one of the metal foldup kinds, its much harder to clean. The travel ones on the other hand are much easier to clean. Thank you both for your insight and help.