15 week old puppy pooing in crate

[SpookilyDoodleydoohoohoooooo]

I am hoping someone can give me some advice, have a 15 week old puppy who is pooing in the crate overnight, I was advised to keep her in the crate overnight as this would encourage her to not poo/wee in the house. But not only does she poo but she spreads it around and squishes it in and out of the crate too.

She did have a bed but I am going mad trying to keep it clean so resorted to newpaper.

She is put out anytime between 10.30 and 11.30 and then put in the crate (she cries allllll night) then dh or I are up and she is outside by 6.30am. I don't know what more I can do but I am feeling quite fraught and am slightly regretting the decision to bring her home (she didn't have one so we fell for it!). She is very sweet and we do like her a lot and don't want to get rid of her obviously but I need some help and support from someone who can help me sort it out in the long term because it is easier for me to not bother crating her and let her go on the newspaper on the floor (for cleaning purposes!). Would like to point out that she can go for 7 hours without doing anything but seems to not do this overnight!

Is she going to the toilet last thing or just going outside? I would wait outside until she goes and then give lots of fuss on doing so.

What time is her last meal in the evening, and how many times a day do you feed her?

How long have you had her?

Has she been trained to wee and poo on newspaper outside of the crate?

What breed is she?

Sorry all those things I should have put in my op,all of it is made worse by sleep deprivation from a 10 week old and a non sleeping 3 yo because of the baby......bit off alittle more than I can chew - however I love dogs and really do want to succeed with this puppy more than anything as I think she will be the bees knees and has a lovely temprament.

So...

She is going out and is out until she has done a poo & wee, with either of us. (usually dh as at bf time!)

she is on 3 meals a day, 8/12/5 as instructed, however I am going to start possibly 7/11/4 and make the 1st to slightly larger and the last one smaller.

We have had her 8 days and she has been used to being in a pen outside (so only had her from 14 weeks)

She is quick to learn I have to admit, she wasn't wee/pooing on the paper when we brought her home, we put paper where she was going and she quite happily will go there (and actually it is easy to clean up and almost would prefer to do that BUT will she learn NOT to poop inside?)

She is a labrador

how big is the crate?

i have read that having a crate thats too big can mean they poo in it as can poo away from where they sleep iyswim.

I suppose it is quite big but not huge, bearing in mind she is probably half the size she will end up being, it is about 100cm?

You poor thing you must be knackered.

She does need a small crate so there is only a sleeping area and not space to go into another side to poo.

Although tempting if she has been pooing on paper I would not put paper in her crate at night as this will confuse her.

How soon after eating does she poo? If it is quite soon I would actually be tempted to feed her later not earlier - mad as it seems!

Most labs can go through the night and as you have found out can go 7 hours without needing to wee. If you can tire her out give her a meal, give time to wee and poo and then into her crate hopefully she will be tired and sleep through.

Also work hard to get her to wee and poo in the day, exercise helps to get things moving!

Alternatively if you would rather clear up the poo get a puppy playpen and put a bed in one side and paper in the other and let her poo and wee. It may take longer to get fully housetrained but with a 10 week old baby you need all the sleep you can get!
Good luck you certainly have your hands full

Thanks minimu - will look into puppy playpen, have to say she is doing probably 6 poos per day on 3 meals.

Its also the smell that is getting to me, too chilly to have all the windows open when there are accidents!

It is still early days so it easily could be more than just her digestion. Maybe a bit of anxiety etc. As she settles into your household things may improve but certainly not making a big thing out of it and never ever tell her off for having accidents indoors certainly helps. Just praise like mad when she performs in the right place.

I always try to get my new puppies in May time so ok to have doors and windows open and not so bad standing out in the garden waiting for them to poo

Do you have help in the day? - I admire you - you must be run off your fet

mini, I wish! Well I do kind of, once per week we have someone to help clean but it costs a blinkin fortune (£12.50 p/hr)and she cleans around NOT under sooo I have been stressing about tidying the house up prior to her arrival when really i want someone to straighten the sofa(she doesn't) make my bed (she doesn't make it/ or fluff pillows) and clean the bathroom as we aren't really that filthy. Instead she buggers off cleaning windows (don't care about them!!!) for three hours but leaves corner cobwebs. Arrggh, dh and I have decided it would be cheaper to put dd in nursery an extra DAY than the 3 hours she comes and I get off my arse for 3 hours on that day and blitz or not if am knackered.

I am knackered though and beginning to crack so lots of tears at the moment and hoping not taking it out on dd or the puppy!

OK,please, please more suggestions - shall I get a smaller crate? I have already been out this morning and cleaned the crate with a power washer AND had to wash the dog - by 6.45am. It is very difficult not to be bloody fuming, I took her out last night at 10pm where she performed, then dh took her out at 11pm when I believe she performed, he was then down there at 6am and she had crapped in the cage and got it all over herself. I can't do this every morning AND not have screaming children and frankly not collapse! I thought by not getting an 8 week old puppy my life would be slightly better as it would have a little more control. I hate to say it but I am finding it very hard to like her let alone love her, and I know she isn't doing it on purpose.

Definetly get a smaller cage, you could even look on freecycle so that you dont have to pay for it and when you are done you can give it on to someone else.

I would possibly think about making her cage more comfy too, then she might just sleep better, plus maybe a big old teddy bear for her to cuddle into, it's odd for puppies to go from sleeping with their sisters and brothers to being all on their own, may give her some comfort? In the end you really want her cage to be her den, somewhere that she feels safe, my dogs chose to sleep in their cages during the day sometimes as that is their own place.

Good luck, am sure she will be a brilliant dog really soon :)

You poor poor thing - I am not surprised that you are finding it hard you have got way too much for one person to have to do.

Baby, toddler and puppy. Any chance OH could take a few days of work to help with the puppy and get her sorted.

To be honest I expect it is a bit of a vicious circle. The dog is a little unsure and poos you understandly are fed up and the dog sees your reaction. Next night is anxious and worried re your reaction and then more poo etc etc.

The less stressful you can make this situation for the dog (yes I do realise that it is you that really has a lot of stress!)the quicker it will stop.

Whereabouts are you - wondered if I have any doggy trainer friends nearby who could pop by to help you a bit.

spookily I know that it must be so hard and that you will feel resentment at times, the first step is to make the crate smaller. You can actually buy crate dividers to section a portion for her to sleep in and the other section just stays empty, then move it back as more space is needed and then remove when she has outgrown it. I agree with making it as comfy as possible. I used vet bed, easy to wash and tumble dry, a warm, fleece covered hot water bottle at night, to mimic warmth from siblings or mum, and some of her mums blanket if you have any, then after a couple of weeks replace it with a sweatshirt or t shirt with your smell on it, wear it for a couple of days, then give it to her. My cockapoo is 16 weeks today and for the last couple of weeks I have been feeding her at 7am, 1pm, and 7pm. She poos quite a lot too, about 6 a day. I did have to change her food gradually over the last week, so maybe if you try everything else and it doesn't work, think about that too, but try the rest first.
We all love our pups but they are hard work for the first number of weeks. Maybe if someone could come in, family maybe, and lend a hand a couple of hours in the evening, it would help. Let us know how you get on.

hi OP, you are one crazy brave lady!

I promise it will get better, but I would like to know what you are feeding the puppy? Is it a dry food or BARF diet or wet food?

Where are you in the UK? You can PM me if you dont want to say on thread.

Thanks ladies, right:

Food - she is on dry food - Arden Grange? that she was used to at her breeders but she has been eating some suspect things in the garden - have been getting things out of her mouth (mice etc!!) but not sure I have always got to them in time! She has got quite loose bowels which am not sure is right.

Spoke to my parents, my mum came straight over as obviously I am having a small meltdown! She took the dog out on a lead and she was beautifully behaved, she then went straight into her crate and behaved perfectly (flipping creatures!)

Also spoke to the breeder who has very very generously offered to take back to try and house train her for a couple of days which if it is no better by friday is something I think we shall take her up on (even if we have to pay loads for it I think it will be worth it from a less stress factor!)

We have moved her crate away from the radiator and she is FAR happier to get into it now.

Also we have made a decision for this evening/tonight. the cat has literally just been neutered and we are going to put the puppy and the crate in the utility room (cats domain - but was always going to be shared once neutering achieved!) Cat will come in where the puppy is, utility room has tiled floor and is the same size as a peanut so can cover the whole floor in paper and we will for tonight leave the crate door open (I can't deal with the cleaning of the dog/crate with no where else to put her and the children at sparrow o'clock - am not lazy but 10 week old needs feeding/toddler needs milk and brekkie and that all gets delayed - also I need to have a shower at some point!) Am happy to do walking in the morning on the lead in my dressing gown if ness whilst toddler having milk and baby snoozing etc before his feed.

This morning took the biscuit as she was outside before being washed, I washed her & the cage (took 20 mins or so) walked her around the garden and then went upstairs to take milk to the toddler. Dog poo'd in the kitchen (crate still drying outside), consquential meltdown as cat needed to be at the vet and dd at nursery all by 8.15..... anyway the dog is being an angel now and I have some solutions in the bag, will also look at getting the smaller crate from my parents house where we borrowed this one from, at least then if she does the unmentionable continually then I am able to swap it all quicker iyswim.

thanks for all your help - incidentally am going to chat to the vet about the loose bowels when picking up the cat as I had heard there was something that I might be able to get to sort of harden her up a bit for a short time! Not sure about that though!

(am crossing fingers that the loose stools are nothing to do with me and my meltdown of f*ing/blinding dog of this morning - strangely now melted down I feel far more positive about stuff!)

Good luck. Glad that you have got your head round a few things. Loose bowels could also be because her surroundings have changed. Glad that your mum is at hand, and if need be, I would take the breeder up on a couple of days house training, providing you can do the same as she is, once you get her back. Why don't you pop her in her crate now while you all go for a well earned nap!

You can make her crate smaller by just putting a box or similar in - we did and it seems to have worked a treat. Ours has just been granted a 'full room' now as he sleeps stretched out more often than curled up but most dogs seem to like sleeping in a smaller space.

Nothing really to add to the good advice already on here, but wanted to offer (a) sympathy and (b) admiration. It will get better, it will...

so glad things are getting sorted. I would definately take up the breeders offer of a few days of training.

You don't sound at all lazy to me!!!!Maybe a bit barmy for taking so much on. Call on your Mum and everyone possible to help it really is a temporary thing and will pass but it would be great if you were still sane at the end of it all though!

Just came on to say pretty much what wildfig said.

Stick with minimu's advice and you'll get this sorted. If it helps preserve your sanity remember that the pup isn't being naughty, she just doesn't understand that pooing on paper is okay in one place but not in another. She's also probably picking up on your (understandable) stress.

Sending you a very un-MN hug x

Thanks everyone, all veryhelpful and my sanity will hopefully come back, I think strees/baby etc all got on top of me and I had such a blinkin' rush this morning that I completely freaked out! Have had her on the lead this afternoon and she is being really good, have got some special sore tummy food from the vet when I picked up the cat to make it all a bit more bland and if it continues will take her to the vet to make sure everything is ok but feel much happier about her now. Also have kept her in the crate more today and she seems far happier to be shut in there than she was which is brilliant and I guess good for the over night too. So she is coming out for regular walks, lots of playtime and food and then her choice is to go back in there afterwards.

I am sure we have been doing stuff all wrong, but she seems so eager to learn and picking things up so easily when we are outside in the garden even without any reward but cuddles which is good so fingers crossed for success in the future.

(If it makes any difference both dh and I thought the cat was a huge error when we got him and now we panic if we haven't seen him for an hour and dh even came home early to come and pick him up from the vet post castration. So I think she will fit in quite easily once we crack the pooing! - cat used to pee in the fireplace and poo there too.............)

just wondered how things were a couple of days on?

Jax and everyone else miracles can happen!!!!

We moved the puppy into another room - actually for the simple reason that instead of a wooden floor it has tiles so easier to clean, also a door that shuts off the rest of the house so that we don't have poo smell going throughout the house!

All geared up for taking the puppy back to the breeder for "potty" training but for two continuous nights NO accidents, we are being more vigilent on the walking front/feeding front and generally obviously paying attention. We are all so much happier the puppy included. So we cancelled potty training and are all feeling so much more relaxed. If you had asked me on tuesday if this would happen I would have laughed at you followed by hysterical sobbing!

Aw - that's brill news Spookily [hgrin]

Very very pleased for you [hsmile]