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I thought dogs were not supposed to "go" where they lay?!
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HoneyBadger
YourWorstNightmare.
Member since 10/06 15979 total posts
Name:
BahBahBlackJeep
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I thought dogs were not supposed to "go" where they lay?!
Ugh...Crate training is HARD stuff!!
We have had a few "ruff" days with Arnold and I just don't know what to do.
Here's some background info...We haven't been crating Arnold b/c he was paper trained and it was working out well. But then a couple of weeks ago he started shredding the newspaper and a week ago, I came home from work during lunch to find that Arnold had a paper shredding party - think newspaper and pee and poo ALL OVER my kitchen and into my living room.  I spent my whole lunch hour cleaning and decided we need to crate him. So from that point forward that's what we've done when we're not home.
So here's the problem, everytime we crate him he poos in the crate! In the beginning I thought maybe it was because we gave him too much room in there; so I put up the divider. Now that the divider is up, he's still doing it!
I keep just the bare minimum in there with him which is bascially a bone or two and that's it.
In the very beginning (when I tried crating him the first time) I used to keep his blanket in there so he had something comfy to lay on, but he was going on it and I was constantly washing it so I figured he normally lays on our wood floors, he wouldn't mind the plastic tray.
He's in the crate very long at all... No longer than 4 hours max and I know he can hold it longer than that b/c he sleeps through the night which is like 8 or so hours, even longer on the weekends!
I know we haven't been very consistent with the crate training (I did it for like 2 days when we first brought him home but then caved b/c he cried) but now we're better so do you think it's just a matter of time?
What can I do???
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Posted 3/12/08 2:30 PM  |
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Goobster
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Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
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:)
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Re: I thought dogs were not supposed to "go" where they lay?!
Hmm, tough one. I am not sure what to say, b/c my dogs we did crate train but my male dog only pooped once in the crate as a baby and he was traumatized by it.
Here is the thing I would say....are you taking him out after he eats, about a half hour to relieve himself? Most pups have to move their bowels about a half hour after they eat.
This is where I say you have to start taking him on a leash (are you doing that) and walk him so he learns the routine (I eat, then I go to poo/pee).
I am sorry, it is so tough!!! But I do believe crate training is the better way to go. You can't have him ruining your house, plus it really does help with boundaries and learning to respect and behave.
I agree, he can hold it overnight, but when awake and having eaten, he may not have the same control as when in the resting stage (at night).
He needs a strict routine (eat, then walk, then crate) that needs to be consistent then I am sure he will not only learn, but age will help in gaining control. What is your routine and how old is he now?
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| Posted 3/12/08 2:42 PM |
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PotofLuck06
Our Baby Boy Is Here!!!
Member since 11/06 13241 total posts
Name:
Betsy
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Re: I thought dogs were not supposed to "go" where they lay?!
A few questions:
1. Do you leave food and water for him in the crate?
If so, don't!
2. When he is put in the crate when you leave for work, do you take him outside to do his business in the yard? If not, start this, and maybe he'll do his business before you leave so you don't come home to it.
3. Do you reward/praise him when he doesn't have an accident in the crate? If not, start doing so with treats, rubs, kisses, etc
Just be patient, it gets better over time.
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| Posted 3/12/08 3:14 PM |
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HoneyBadger
YourWorstNightmare.
Member since 10/06 15979 total posts
Name:
BahBahBlackJeep
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Re: I thought dogs were not supposed to "go" where they lay?!
Posted by PotofLuck06
A few questions:
1. Do you leave food and water for him in the crate?
If so, don't!
Nope. All he gets is his bone to chew on and a knotted rope occasionally.
Posted by PotofLuck06
2. When he is put in the crate when you leave for work, do you take him outside to do his business in the yard? If not, start this, and maybe he'll do his business before you leave so you don't come home to it.
Yes, we do. He's walked when we get up, then he's given breakfast. I then get ready for work and before I leave he's walked. Sometimes he goes, other times not.
Posted by PotofLuck06
3. Do you reward/praise him when he doesn't have an accident in the crate? If not, start doing so with treats, rubs, kisses, etc
All the time!!!
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| Posted 3/12/08 3:24 PM |
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HoneyBadger
YourWorstNightmare.
Member since 10/06 15979 total posts
Name:
BahBahBlackJeep
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Re: I thought dogs were not supposed to "go" where they lay?!
Posted by Goobster
Here is the thing I would say....are you taking him out after he eats, about a half hour to relieve himself? Most pups have to move their bowels about a half hour after they eat.
I think this is where we're having a problem. We're waiting to see if he starts sniffing around and sometimes we're catching him and other times it's after he's gone on the paper. We're keeping the paper in the kitchen still just in case. Should we not do this?
Posted by Goobster
This is where I say you have to start taking him on a leash (are you doing that) and walk him so he learns the routine (I eat, then I go to poo/pee).
We are doing this currently. However I think we're doing this wrong b/c when we're out there if he goes we then keep him out there to play. Maybe we shouldn't do this... He could be getting confused, no?
Posted by Goobster
I agree, he can hold it overnight, but when awake and having eaten, he may not have the same control as when in the resting stage (at night).
I agree but do you think he's more at rest at night than in the morning/afternoon? At this point, he's getting up, going out, eating (which sometimes he doesn't even do) and then into the crate. How awake could he be? Maybe he is, though... 
Posted by Goobster
He needs a strict routine (eat, then walk, then crate) that needs to be consistent then I am sure he will not only learn, but age will help in gaining control. What is your routine and how old is he now?
Well this is where I think some of the problem lies...
He's 4 months old (tomorrow!!  )
As for our routine... well, in the morning (if I'm the one out last) we get up, DH takes him out and gets his breakfast. If he eats I take him out (which most of the time this doesn't happen b/c he doesn't seem to eat.
Then I come home from work. I take him out immeadiately and give him lunch. Then it's back in the crate and he's there from about 2-5.
DH gets home and takes him out. The rest of the night he's out of the crate and we take him out periodically and when we see him "sniffing around".
At night he chills with us and we go up to bed around midnight. He's in bed with us until the following morning around 7:30-8:00.
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| Posted 3/12/08 3:35 PM |
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Goobster
:)
Member since 5/07 27557 total posts
Name:
:)
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Re: I thought dogs were not supposed to "go" where they lay?!
Posted by Jennie0898
We're waiting to see if he starts sniffing around and sometimes we're catching him and other times it's after he's gone on the paper. We're keeping the paper in the kitchen still just in case. Should we not do this?
We are doing this currently. However I think we're doing this wrong b/c when we're out there if he goes we then keep him out there to play. Maybe we shouldn't do this... He could be getting confused, no?
I agree but do you think he's more at rest at night than in the morning/afternoon? At this point, he's getting up, going out, eating (which sometimes he doesn't even do) and then into the crate. How awake could he be? Maybe he is, though...
He's 4 months old (tomorrow!! )
My motto has always been no paper, no pads. I personally think it's a bad habit to start, esp with a large dog who would make larger poos/pees. I just feel it confuses them all the more, like, I can "go" here in the house, I can go outside, whatever I fee like. I think it is a bad habit to start b/c I have heard it is very hard to break the paper habit. And as you discovered, they will tear up the paper. I could never have left paper or pads for my dog if I even wanted to due to this. I truly believe strong training habits come from hte use of ONLY outside as the only source of relieving oneself.
I also think as you said, keeping him out there to play is not a good idea right now. Outside IMO and the way trained my dogs was strictly to poo/pee then come in and play as the reward.
Yes, when you sleep, your bodily functions slow down almost to the point of shutting down. So sleeping at night, REM sleep, would be way more sedative to the body than anything other time of day/activity.
He's only 4 mths old...ok. My boy dog was almost fully trained at 4mths old but he is very small....your boy will grow and mature for a long time so I would say by 6 mths old he really should be well aware of his urges and ability to hold it. But he is very young yet. My girl dog didn't fully get it until about 6 mths.
We even crated at night...until about 8mths old or so (mostly based on their size, didn't want them to fall off the bed or crush them).
I would say your routine doesn't sound too bad, sounds pretty good...I think you should get rid of the paper. That is definitely not going to help him learn no peeing/pooing in the house. And I think you should take him out on the leash, tell him "Go Potty" and say that when he goes and reward with a treat with "Good Potty!!" Then come in and toss the ball around a while, etc, then put in crate while you go out.
I really think in time, with ONLY going out to relieve himself (no paper inside) he will learn, "OH, this is where I go!!"
Could take a while, but it will happen. Dogs, esp large ones, are very smart IMO.
Hmmm, what else? Oh yes, when you are home, taking him out after any accidents in the house asap! We would literally run them out midstream/midpoop even if it got on us (we were a bit nuts about it!). Books I read said to say "Ah!!!" when they were having an accident in the house so they might stop and you can run them outside. This was draining but I tell you it worked. My dogs are phenomenal about only going outside...never ever have accidents inside.
I do believe with some changes, time, and his bladder/bowel growing he will get it within a mth or two if you keep all things consistent. That really is the key I believe.
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| Posted 3/12/08 4:17 PM |
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