Crating at night problem

[Guest Anonymous]

I have a 7-month old St. Bernard. She is pretty good about not elimating in the house. The problem is when she is in her crate at night. I stop giving her water at the same time each night. The majority of the nights she barks to go out every 1-3 hours and I'll take her out and she will tinkle a little. Some nights she'll go 4-5 hours and a couple of nights she's gone for 8 hours. So I know she can make it. If I don't go get her at the time she barks she will go in her crate. Sometimes I don't think she really sees the crate as her den.

She has toys. She spends a lot of time with us. I'm not sure what to do next. Any suggestions are appreicated.

[Daisysmom]

That is exactly what I was going to ask. I think crate size is a very big factor.

[DogPaddle]

Yup, could be the size of the crate. Should only be big enought for the dog to lie down, turn around, situp or standup, any extra room and it gives the pup an option to sleep in part and piddle in another part. If that doesn't work I would advocate putting Heidi on a shedule.

[behle]

Hi heidismom!

I wish I had some magical advice for you about saints and housebreaking, but for the past 10 years I have always had rescued adult dogs. The advice others are posting sounds great. I have dealt with this problem, but YEARS AGO. I'm just so happy to see another saint owner on the board. My neutered saint, Ben, would love to see pictures of your sweet girl. And so would I! :D

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks to all of you for replying back. I'm glad to know you are out there. At first I did give her too much room in her crate. I put the divider in so she had enough room to turn around. She couldn't stretch out or get too comfortable. So, I think I had it small enough. But maybe I should try even smaller. She does really good during the day. It's a night that she doesn't seem to like being in her crate. Every time she barks to go out during the night she will actually urinate when you take her out. I thought by 7-months she wouldn't need to go out every 1-3 hours. If she really needs to go, I don't have an issue with that. It's the little tinkling she'll do that could have waited. It's more like she knows somebody will come get her and she wants to go outside just to get out of the crate. If you wait awhile and don't immediately get her, she will go in the crate (no matter if it's a little tinkle). I stop her water around 7pm. She gets fed around 7am and around 4pm. She poops a lot too (4 times aday). She doesn't poop in her crate. I've heard other people say that their pups will go in their crate and play or nap and Heidi's not like that. She will go in if you tell her to. I didn't know if my problem was common or not.

Sometimes I think she's training me better than I'm training her. :D She's such a sweet girl. I'll get pictures to you in the next few days. I've got some great ones. Her best buddy is my 2 year little girl. They are a pair.