new puppy pooing at night.

[newpup]

Hi we have just got a 9 week old labrador puppy. We have had her for 2 days now. During the day, she is confined to the kitchen with frequent toilet breaks outside. She goes for both wees and poos outside during these breaks. I give her lots of praise. At night we confine her to a puppy cage in the kitchen. She howls all night but obviously I was expecting this. On advice I ignore her. We let her out at 11pm to go to do her business and then shut her up until 5.30am . Both nights she has pooed and weed all over the cage. It is awful, dog poo all over her and her bed. I realise that 11pm to 5.30 am is a long time but I do not want her to get into the habit of crying to go in the night. Both days I have had to go out for an hour and have put her in the crate she is fine then. What should I do? Will she just stop on her own or should I be doing something else? Please help!

Ours did this for a little while, then she would be so pleased to get out of the crate in the morning she'd emerge with her great thwacking tail covered in poo, just at ankle height. Nice.

It will get better, the crates work really well. They don't like pooing where they sleep/eat so she'll soon get the idea. In the meantime buy acres of kitchen roll, that special odour removal spray from the vet (it'll make the crate smell better and there'll be no reminder for her that she's previously used it as a loo), we also put newspaper down on the floor of the crate for easier cleaning. Make sure she's got a nice bit of bedding/toy to make it feel homely overnight.

It will get better!

We didn't shut our puppy up in his crate at night for this reason - we left it open so he slept in there but when he needed the toilet he could come out and go the opposite end of the utility room where he was.

We used puppy training pads, you can get them from big pet shops, with a frame to put them in so they don't 'dig' them up. They have a smell, or you can spray a smell on them so he always went on there, very little cleaning of floor needed unless he 'missed' slightly

We just used them overnight until he was clean, gradually they can go longer and longer.

Thank you so much. I feel really awful. She does seem happy in her crate. She goes in when I put her head in and snuggles down in it. I think perhaps I should try and put her in it for short periods of time in the day so really gets used to it being hers. Obviously I do not want her to be shut in the cage for hours at a time if I am home but need her to feel it is her place to sleep? I am feeling really anxious all the time . I knew getting a puppy would be hard wok as my parents have dogs and I grew up with them. However I am shattered and feeling guilty for having second thoughts. I would never get rid of her and accept that it is early days but just needed someone to understand. I am supposed to be in love with her and although she is lovely I am not jumping over the moon with happiness at my new puppy.

Thank you so much. I feel really awful. She does seem happy in her crate. She goes in when I put her head in and snuggles down in it. I think perhaps I should try and put her in it for short periods of time in the day so really gets used to it being hers. Obviously I do not want her to be shut in the cage for hours at a time if I am home but need her to feel it is her place to sleep? I am feeling really anxious all the time . I knew getting a puppy would be hard wok as my parents have dogs and I grew up with them. However I am shattered and feeling guilty for having second thoughts. I would never get rid of her and accept that it is early days but just needed someone to understand. I am supposed to be in love with her and although she is lovely I am not jumping over the moon with happiness at my new puppy.

sorry, computer blip posted twice!

don't worry at all - I know that it was quite a shock to the system when we got our puppy, I'd never realised how much looking after my mum had done!!

Definitely get the puppy into the crate in the day, she should feel like it's her safe place. Leave the crate open in the day and put a toy and her bed in it so she can go in and out. Maybe try putting daytime food in it too so she gets used to going in and out.

hasten to add that I'm no expert and my dog is a total handful (while very lovely and good with my toddler etc). I had moments of regret too, but wouldn't be without her. All the puppy pooin' and chewin' seems to go quite quickly, they have an awful hormonal phase just before their first season when I could have cheerfully given her away but apart from that it does all work out. Promise.

It is really hard, especially at first but it gets better. They're really needy at this time and need so much attention, but the more time you can spend with her now, the quicker her daytime toilet training will be, and the quicker she'll get trained generally and be easier to handle.

Have you looked into training classes? I highly recommend them.

I would also definitely recommend you consider the pads. I'll see if I can find you a link in a minute. They certainly made clearing up in the mornings very easy.

I think crates are great for toilet training during the day, for an hour or two at a time, and for a 'den' for them to go in when they want peace and quiet, but I have to say I think being shut in it overnight is an awful long time for a puppy. They're not physically capable of going that long without the toilet at that age, so are forced to go where they sleep.

When ours was a puppy we left the crate open with his bed in it, and he slept most of the night in there, moved about the room a bit as well, but definitely used it as a bed, but was able to go to the toilet the other end of the room. He was doing at least 2 poos at first overnight, plus wees, then gradually less and less until none at all.

pads

holder so they don't dig them up

Thank you both so much. I could cry with relief that you understand where i am coming from. I was really worried someone would say 'you should have thought of that before you got a dog!' Of course I did but thinking about it and reality are a bit harder! I really appreciate your supportive advice. I fed her about an hour ago then took her outside for a bit and then settled her in the crate I have shut the door to it. I went upstairs to get the hoover and she whined for about 5 mins and then settled down to sleep . That was 30 mins ago and she is zonked out in her crate. Legs in air having Doggy dreams!! Will wait until she wakes and take her in the garden then let her potter about the kitchen until I have to fetch the DDs. Hopefully she will soon see it as her place. Thank you for the puppy pad link. My mum suggested these so DH will get some on the way home tonight and will put one in the corner of the crate tonight. I will let you know how we get on if you are interested. Thank you both, am sure I will return here for more advice. Oh Yes,we will definately go to puppy classes when she has had her second vacination in 10 days.