would 'proper' crate training help him?

[AnAngelWithin]

We got chihuahua x jack russel about 2 months ago. He is 2 years old now. He is a totally different dog to when we first had him temperament wise, he isn't as hyper and doesn't bolt out the door as soon as we open it now having trained him to sit and wait. He has stopped jumping up at everyone. His previous owners were out all day every day doing shift work so he never knew when anyone was going to be home or what time he was being fed. I have fed him at regular time every day since we have had him. He is walked at the same time every day and DH takes him out at 11pm every night and makes sure he has a wee and a poo. BUT....every single morning I come down about 6.30am, and he has pooed. He has his bed under a worktop on one end of the kitchen and he poo's the other end of the kitchen. I started putting paper down and he usually does it on that and i clean the floor properly as well but he always goes in the same place. He seems ok when left in the day (apart from jumping up on the table and chairs and licking everything..but I haven't caught him doing it so can't tell him NOT to do it!..just the tell tale dog hairs that show he has been on there and the increasing amount of scratches on the tabletop!) but overnight he just can't seem to do it. I don't know if he genuinely just can't hold it or if it is a nervous/dominance thing. The people who had him before put him in a crate but he was in it all day every day and then all night as well, so I am worried that he has been 'scarred' and won't take to a crate, or even if it will have any effect? When i took him on i did ask for his crate but was refused, she said no as he hates it anyway and cries in it (though i would if i was locked in it up to 18 hours a day!!) Some websites I have read say the bigger the crate the better, some say it needs to be just big enough for the dog to stand up and turn around, or the length of the dog plus 20cm. If it's too big he might just mess furthest away from the bed anyway? Either way they all do say that it needs to be made a pleasant experience being in the crate, feed them in it etc. Do you think it might help at night?

Really hard to advise on this one without seeing the dogs reaction to the crate.

usually I would recommend it however having a history or being locked up in one for 18 hous it may be hard for him., However he may actually need to reassurance of the crate.

If I had loads of money I would buy one and see his reaction to it. Put it up feed him in it and leave him for literally a few minutes and see the reaction.

If there is a negative association it is still usually quite easy to make it a positive one but does take time.

It would usually stop the pooing though however if he was in it for 18 hours did he get let out to poo and wee if not and he pooed in his crate it will probably not help at all.

He needs one big enough to be able to sit up in and lie down and turn around.

But go gently with it.

Can you borrow one to see his reaction.

my thoughts exactly minimu1. I certainly don't want to stress him! But maybe it is possible to try and turn a crate into a 'safe' place for him. I don't know how often he used to get let out. They said he used to have occasional accidents when he was on his own a long time.

I don't know how much of his behaviour, including the pooing, is an issue or if he is just nervous etc, as we seem to have improved on so much in the time we have had him. He does seem quite a nrevous little thing, but he is also very friendly and happy now he knows us. I don't think he has been socialised or anything, he barks like mad at other dogs then hides behind us, and he hates noises like the whisk, hoover, drills etc, really starts shaking bless him!

I have 2 Dalmatians that sleep in a crate (cage) and they view it as there safe place.

Buy one, then get the little one used to it by allowing it to go in there on it's own. don't shut the door at all until it's used to it. Then at night it will go in there on it's own and you can close the door.

Make sure you get the 'vetbed' bedding to go in the bottom of it, my 2 girls prefer the pink bedding (or is that just the other half who prefers that....)

the past 4 nights i've actually had a thought and left a light on for him overnight and he has been fine!! no poo or anything! poor thing! never heard of a dog scared of the dark though!! unless it's just coincidence?!