peeing and pooing in crate

[BunnyBunnyShihTzu 0]

Hi! I'm new to the board and this is my first post besides my introduction post. I'm having a little trouble with my new dog Firenze and him pooing and peeing in his crate. Firenze is about 1.5 years old (maybe a bit older) and he really is a sweet boy.

We have had Firenze since Friday and he is crate trained. We also thought he was house trained. At least that's what I was told from the previous owner at first. We're having a problem with him pooing and peeing in his cage though. I was told by a number of people that dogs didn't like to soil thier crate b/c they don't like going where they sleep.

When I talked to the previous owner another time she said that was trained to go on a towel in his crate so I guess he is used to this. I'm just getting conflicting stories and I don't konw what is going on. I'm confused b/c the first day he did not poo at all but he did pee outside on a telephone pole. I was really exicted when he peed outside so I prasied him. The next morning we went for a walk right away and he peed again outside and again he was praised but at this point he still did not poo. then throughout the rest of hte day he started marking our house. We put him back in his crate while we went grocery shopping and when we came back, he pooed in his cage.

Sunday it started raining and he hated it outside when we went out for a walk. When we came back, I dried him off with a towel and after that the towel must have fell to the floor. When i came back from the kitchen, he had peed on the towel. then later he pooed on a blankie that he's been relaxing on. Yesterday while he was in his cage he pooed while we were out and last night he pooed both times in the crate. I've had the towel down and he didn't poo on there at all. He also didn't pee in his cage last night but didn't pee this morning either. I don't think he shoudl be holding it for that long and I dont know what to do.

We take walks a few times a day but it's still raining. I think he hates the rain and also the other dogs' smells are not on the telephone pole so he doesn't want to go.

Also he was a show dog previously and the owner said something about him using belly bands. I dont want him using belly bands anymore but mabye that's why he thinks he can go anywhere he likes b/c using a belly band he could?

My husband and I are jsut confused and feel like the previous owner really got him all messed up if he was doing his business in his crate. I know this may take a while to train him to stop using the crate as a potty. I jsut hate that he is sleeping with poo. And since he's used to being crated, I dont want him to have free run of the house yet, though I plan on doing so gradually. Any advice you can give us?

Thanks so much for any help!

[Little Molly 0]

I feel sorry for you!

I am still a work in progress here. I tried using newspapers, and the litter box, but to no avail. When she would go outside on our balcony, she would crouch down so low that her fur would get wet when she peed. And she pooped...wherever she could get away with it.

I have trouble when it rains also. BUT, I found something that has worked for me. First of all, I started using one of those urine repellants in the home for a few days to keep her from peeing "wherever". That seemed to work, but the stuff smelled! Then a friend told me to use an old throw rug and let her go there. I didn't really want to do that, because I was afraid that she would think that all the rugs would be her place to do her thing. But I decided to put it out on the balcony (no yard here) and finally when I saw her pee, (she didn't pee on the rug) I hurried over to the rug and wiped her pee on it. Next time did the same thing. Each time I praised her when she got "close to it". When she finally understood that she was to pee ON the rug, we had a major celebration! It really didn't take long at all for her to learn this. And now she's really happy because she is not geting wet (thus washed) each time she pees! She also poops on the rug! That can sometimes be a little messy but hey...

I have a couple of old rugs, and just wash them at the end of the day. Saves money and believe me ...it is MUCH better than what I was doing before.

By the way, mine peed in the crate also. Maybe you could confine Firenze to one room and put a rug down there?

Hope you find what's right for your pup. They can be stubborn!

Pam

[Carolina Girl 2]

I feel your pain! I have 2 that will pee if crated. They actually don't like being in a crate. They go into the laundry room during the day while I'm at work. Mowgli has been crated since day 1 and has never peed or pooed in his crate. I think that every dog is different. Maybe you should take out his blanket/towel. He'll have nothing to pee on that way. I don't know what else to tell you. I know that it is very frustrating....

[FairyTail Josette 14]

You will have to start all over with Firenze and the potty training...go back to square one. It sounds mean, but, you will need to remove all towel, blankets, etc. from his crate. Nothing in the crate, except him, everytime he goes into the crate. Take him out every hour on the hour to do his business to begin with. Don't let him have run of the house until he's fully potty trained down the road. When you're home and can closely supervise him, keep him gated off in the same room with you or you can even tether him to you while you're training. So, he's never alone. Three C's in potty training...consistency, confinement, and clean up. Take him to the same spot outdoors, get him into a routine. Praise and treat when he goes outside, just like you have been doing. If he has an accident in the house, clean up with an enzymatic odor neutralizer. Follow the instructions closely for clean up. Otherwise, on rainy or humid days, the odor will reappear, coaxing Firenze back to that spot to mark again. Good luck. :)

[tzuhouse 4]

Agreed to the "square one"....I would also make his crate very small....barely room to stand and turn around. Then he will most likely NOT go in the crate or he will have to lay in it and most dogs do NOT like that. Hopefully, if the previous owner was truthful with you, it shouldn't take long for him to learn that going IN the crate is NOT a good thing but going outside IS....and he will get loads of praise and treats for doing so. Good luck...

[BunnyBunnyShihTzu 0]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

FairyTail Josette and Tzuhouse - I guess it's back to square one like you said. He actually has a big crate so I'll have to find a way make it smaller. It was given to me without the peice to shorten it so I'll see what I can do.

Little Molly, maybe I'll try the rug thing too. Thanks for your info!

It's so nice having a place to ask these questions! I know you all understand too, since you have shih tzu. ;)

[Wicket's mom 1]

Looks like you already got some good advice, I also agree with starting over. I adopted a 3 year old brussels griffon who was paper trained and this is what we had to do with her as well. So even if Firenze already is an adult dog, he will eventually catch on but he has to learn what you want from him; the same way a puppy does.

[tzuhouse 4]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

FairyTail Josette and Tzuhouse - I guess it's back to square one like you said. He actually has a big crate so I'll have to find a way make it smaller. It was given to me without the peice to shorten it so I'll see what I can do.

Little Molly, maybe I'll try the rug thing too. Thanks for your info!

It's so nice having a place to ask these questions! I know you all understand too, since you have shih tzu.

I had to do a make shift with one of mine and I just used a thin sheet of plywood, cut to just slip through the bars....it stuck out a couple of inches on each side, but it worked. I first tried a piece of cardboard, but she kept tearing it up....LOL Silly girl...

[BunnyBunnyShihTzu 0]

Hi!

I just wanted to update you all on Firenze's training. I removed everything from his crate and he's been doing his business outside for the past 2 days. He's such a good boy! So smart.

We've been giving him little treats and lots of praise when he goes outside. He got the peeing down first and yesterday and today he pooped outside as well! I'm so happy.

Thank you for all your advice and support!

Here's another pic from this weekend. He's on the couch, relaxing.

[Seastar 44]

Congratulations! :birthday_toast:

[tzuhouse 4]

GOOD BOY Firenze !!!!!