Guest Anonymous Posted February 21, 2003 Posted February 21, 2003 Hello, this is my first post here so I'll try to explain my situation. My family recently adopted our first family pet, a 5 1/2 month old male Beagle from a rescue organization. I have owned dogs before and have always crate trained and house trained fairly easily. This dog however, is proving to be a bit of a challenge. He was with the same foster family since he was 8 weeks old, along with his siblings where they were pretty much in their crates or outside. The family did not attempt to house train them so he was used to urinating and pooping in the crate on newspaper (or just on the crate tray). We brought him home and have been feeding him on a schedule and taking him out on a schedule as well. I am home all day and can devote lots of time to him so that is not an issue. The problem I am having is that he doesn't care if he urinates or poops (but mostly urinates) in his crate and will even lie in it. The time that I have the most problems with this are in the early morning-even though I get up, get my shoes on and get him leash on him, he usually has already just gone. He is crated at night for about 7 hours or so and he doesn't have anything to eat/drink for about 2 hours before he goes to sleep. He also does this when he wakes up from a nap. We have only had him for a short time (6 days) but I want to be sure that I am doing the right thing and teaching him properly from the beginning. Anyone here have some suggestions or insights into this situation? If you can offer some advice it would be greatly appreciated! Also--anyone know of a good cleaning product (whether homemade or commercial) to clean up his urine messes? They are either on hardwood (sealed floors) or vinyl but occasionally he has an accident on the carpet-only happened once or twice. TIA! :P Quote
Guest Anonymous Posted February 21, 2003 Posted February 21, 2003 I'm having a similar issue with urinating in the crate before I can get there. Hopefully we'll figure it out. I have used Simple Solution and it has worked well for me. I have also used Oxyclean (but I just started using it). Good luck to you.. :D Quote
Malamum Posted February 21, 2003 Posted February 21, 2003 Welovedis, sounds like you are doing the right thing. It might take a bit of time though. The only other thing I can suggest is to give him LOTS of praise and fuss over when he goes outside. Quote
Black GSD Posted February 22, 2003 Posted February 22, 2003 Do you feed him in the crate? If not then I would try that. He may be more opposed to going where he eats, since he obviously doesn't care if he goes where he sleeps. Another thought is to get up in the middle of the night to let him out (for a while). Maybe you can get him out before he goes in the crate. If this works, them you can gradually increase the time he is in there. This way maybe he will learn that he does not HAVE to go in the crate. Good luck. Quote
Guest Anonymous Posted February 24, 2003 Posted February 24, 2003 I appreciate everyone's reply so far. Over the weekend he was great, when I got up each morning I went right down and took him outside. I think it is a matter of him getting used to us and used to a routine. He did not soil the crate at all each night, but when I go to get him out I think he is either scared or excited and starts to urinate a bit before I can get him out of the house and to the yard. That is the only time he is going in the crate now. I was wondering what we should be doing about giving him water during the day. I have heard that when he eats he should have access to water, then once he is done drinking he shouldn't get anymore until he has his dinner feeding. That doesn't seem right as I would think he would need more water than that. I realize that once he drinks more he would need to go out, but I don't want to keep water from him if that is what he needs to be healthy, KWIM? I am making sure to use the same words over and over when he is going outside and giving him lots of praise and a treat each time he goes. I'm hoping the crate soiling is just more of a "getting used to us" issue. He was in a foster home for his whole life with lots of other dogs (like 2 dozen) so hopefully over time things will improve even more. Thanks again everyone! Karen Quote
Black GSD Posted February 24, 2003 Posted February 24, 2003 NO, that is NOT enough water. I would let him have access to water at all times during the day. Only removing it an hour or 2 before bedtime. By the way, glad that he is doing better about not going in the crate. Keep up the good work. :D Quote
Guest Anonymous Posted February 26, 2003 Posted February 26, 2003 I appreciate the info about the water. I have been letting him have as much water as he wants during the day and then removing the bowl about 2 hours before we go to bed at night. I guess I just need to "read" him better about when he needs to irinate. I was trying to take him out about every 2 hours but sometimes he just urinates an hour after I take him out and other times doesn't go for 3-4 hours. Just something I'll need to figure out I guess. Quote
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