toilet training

[hotdog 8]

hi sam is 8 months old lurcher we crate him at nite but he is still weeing and pooing in there at nite ,what can we do

[Annmarie09 5]

Start at the basics, are you making sure you feed him early enough so that he is empty before bedtime, are you letting him out as late as possible before bed and are you making sure he goes? Is the crate near enough your bed so you can hear if he asks to get out? Is he distressed in his crate at night? If so you may need to start getting up at a set hour during the night to let him out, perhaps he's a late developer as far as control goes.

[hotdog 8]

he goes out last thing at nite about 11 and then im up at work at 5 and he goes out then to, he is as good as gold in the house all day and i have even started giving him his last feed about four in the afternoon so he isnt eating to late, it must be something to do with the crate as he will wee in it if i have to put him in there during the day, but i dont have any where safe to leave him other than the crate so we will have to persiveer! thanks for your advice

[Annmarie09 5]

Sounds like it is the crate, is there not a room you can make dog safe, at least until he is out of the puppy stage? Some dogs don't like the enclosed feeling, some love it. Make sure you don't ever use the crate as a punishment area for being naughty (ie putting him in it for "time out") you want him to enjoy it. Try a filled kong or something else safe to keep him occupied and happier.

[skycat 6,173]

If the dog was shut in the crate for too long as a pup and was forced to use it as a toilet then he will most likely continue to see the crate as such: I'd either kennel the dog at night or leave him shut in a room with a washable floor: at 8 months he is well able to hold his bladder and bowels so get rid of the thing that is causing a problem. If you then find that he is crapping in the room look at what you feed the dog: dogs fed on complete manufactured food need to crap more often and do more when they do go: consider switching to a raw diet and feeding the dog last thing at night: making sure that he has emptied himself before you feed and go to bed.