Getting a dog is a life-changing experience. However, there are some extra chores that come along with having a puppy as a pet, such as teaching the puppy how to use the bathroom outside the litter box and how to sleep in a cage. If you’re attempting crate training with your pet and they end up soiling their cage, you’ll quickly learn how irritating the process can be. Do not worry; incidents of this kind are common, particularly in young puppies. Fortunately, there are methods to prevent your puppy from soiling its cage, such as potty schedules, regular cleaning, and good crate training.
Keep in mind that accidents in the kennel are not the puppy’s fault; they simply cannot retain their pee for more than a few hours. You’ve found the proper site if your dog just won’t quit peeing or pooping in their kennel. In this post, we’ll examine why pups urinate in their crates and what you can do about it.
Crate-Training Your Dog: Preventing Accidents
Using a crate to educate your dog on when and where to go pee is an effective way to ease the stress of house training. If your puppy suffers from separation anxiety, a crate may help by providing a quiet, secure place for them to go when they need a break from the activity of the home. Cage training may be beneficial, but it will be difficult to reap those rewards if your puppy has an incessant need to relieve itself within their crate. So, to prevent your puppy from eliminating in their kennel, consider the following advice.
Get them checked up by the vet to make sure nothing serious is wrong
Young puppies often have accidents in their cages when their owners aren’t there to let them out. Even if you’re at home and you’ve tried everything to avoid mishaps, you should be checked out just in case. There are a number of medical issues like as urinary tract infections, that might cause your puppy to pee more often. Dogs may have to go outside more regularly to relieve themselves because certain drugs make them drink more water. 1
Anxiety might also affect your dog
It’s very uncommon for anxious dogs to urinate, particularly young pups who are still learning how to manage their bladders. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety or is too startled by loud noises, you may find that they urinate more often in their kennel. If this sounds like what’s happening with your dog, it’s time to see a doctor for an official diagnosis. If your dog has behavioral concerns, your veterinarian may suggest training classes with a professional trainer to help alleviate the dog’s anxiety.
Some canines have a higher propensity for marking their kennels with urine. The marking of possessions is a common behavior among intact men. 2 Having your pet neutered may lessen the likelihood of marking, but it may not completely eliminate the problem.
Ensure your dog is properly crate-trained
One of the most effective methods of housebreaking a dog and minimizing accidents is to use a crate. Dogs have a tendency to avoid defecating in the same areas where they frolic and rest. 3 Your dog will not want to sleep in a location that smells of pee, so crate training is an excellent way to teach him to use the outside bathroom. Puppies shouldn’t spend too much time in their crate, so keep that in mind. If your dog is peeing or pooping in their kennel, it may be spending too much time there.
It’s important to give your pet a gradual introduction to the crate while starting crate training.
Instead of shoving them in there, praise them each time they go in there. This will help them associate the container with good things. If you introduce your dog to his crate properly, it will become his secure haven. Whether your pet stays in their cage for a few seconds or a few minutes, you should always be prepared to treat them. Keep in mind that your dog’s cage should be a safe haven, not a source of fear.
Make a toilet-break plan
Like people, dogs benefit greatly from routine and appreciate the consistency that routinely provides. Having a potty plan in place will help your puppy learn when it’s time to go outdoors and reduce the likelihood that they will soil their sleeping quarters. Typically, your dog will be able to keep its pee for as long as the number of months it is plus one hour. 1 An approximately four-hour window exists during which a three-month-old puppy may keep its pee without needing to go outdoors.
Unfortunately, most individuals spend more than five hours a day at work, so you may anticipate some accidents while potty training your puppy. Get a pet sitter or have a friend walk your dog while you’re at work so the dog doesn’t have to go to the bathroom in its kennel. A puppy shouldn’t have to learn to retain its pee, but a routine may help you educate it when it’s time to go outdoors. Taking your puppy outdoors for a little pee session right after you release it from its kennel can help it learn its new routine.
Many mishaps with crates occur when they are sleeping. Then, before night and first thing in the morning, take your puppy outdoors. It’s important to keep in mind that young pups can’t control their bladders overnight, so you’ll need to wake up with them often to prevent accidents.
Take care to cage your pet appropriately
An essential part of crate training is selecting the appropriate cage size for your pet. The success of housebreaking and crate training hinges on your ability to choose the ideal size crate. Because they won’t have to sleep close to their waste if the kennel is too big, your dog may start doing their business in the furthest corner. Get an adjustable cage to make sure your dog always has the correct size crate, even as it grows from a puppy to an adult.
The ideal crate size allows your dog to stand up and turn around comfortably. Also, your dog should be able to turn around comfortably. But it can’t be much larger than that. Once your dog learns to use the bathroom outside of the crate, you may upgrade to a bigger crate to provide them more room and freedom while you’re gone. Your first focus should be on preventing your young puppy from urinating in its cage by making sure it isn’t too big.
The crate in which you keep your pet shouldn’t be too tiny, since this might be distressing for the animal. Remember that a cage is only a tool for house training; you still need to do the actual training and give your dog plenty of opportunities to go outside and do his business if you want to avoid accidents.
Decontaminate the scene of any mishap
Do you know why your dog has a preference for bathroom locations? Even when they are indoors, dogs have a tendency to use the same locations to urinate and defecate. 3 Although you may be able to clear the stains themselves, your dog will still be able to detect any lingering odors. Thoroughly cleaning up accidents might deter them from urinating there again. Pet pee stains, particularly those on carpets, are difficult to remove. To completely get rid of pee, including smells and stains, an enzymatic cleaner is your best bet.
It’s not hard to clean up after a puppy has an accident if you have the correct tools. You should have an enzymatic cleanser, a cloth, and some paper towels handy in case your dog has an accident. Finally, use a paper towel to absorb the pee. After the urine has been absorbed, you may clean the carpet or floor using an enzymatic cleanser and then cover the affected area. The length of time you need to let the cleaner soak varies from product to product. If you leave the solution stay for a while, you may then wipe it up with a cloth.
Positive conduct should be rewarded
A puppy’s fear and bad behavior might be exacerbated if you shout at it after it has an accident. If you see your dog misbehaving, take them outdoors immediately. Give your dog a reward within a few seconds of it doing pee outdoors to encourage the excellent habit.
The issue will not be solved by yelling at your dog, scolding it, or rubbing its nose in its own pee.
You should instead just take any accidents outdoors and clean them up there. They should constantly be rewarded with a treat once they have been eliminated.
Consult a specialist about your dog’s behavioral issues
When you’re on your own, house training a dog might be challenging. Consider seeing a veterinarian for assistance if you’re having trouble figuring this out on your own. Your vet can assess your dog’s behavior and help you decide whether a trainer is necessary in order to design an effective treatment plan. Accidents in the home, including the dog’s cage, might be the result of underlying behavioral difficulties; a behavioral pet trainer can help you understand them. If you want to give your dog the best chance of success during house training, hiring a trainer may help you understand the essentials of the process.
How do puppies always seem to have to relieve themselves in their crate?
There are several potential causes of crate soiling in pups, so don’t assume they’re being sneaky just because they do it there.
There is a lack of bladder control on the puppy’s part
Puppies of all ages have trouble maintaining bladder control, and their ability to wait to urinate is severely limited in the early stages of their development. With a regular routine, you may teach your dog’s bladder when and when to release its contents. Keep in mind that young dogs can’t retain their pee all night, so you’ll need to take your dog outdoors at some point in the middle of the night.
Worries about health
Your dog may urinate in their kennel for a variety of reasons, including nervousness and urinary tract infections. As a result of the discomfort associated with peeing, urinary tract infections make it difficult for your dog to contain its urine. Talk to your vet right away if you suspect your dog’s incontinence is due to a medical condition.
The size of the crate is insufficient for their needs
Your puppy may learn that because it doesn’t have to lie in its cage that it’s okay to pee in one of the corners. Instead, you can prevent mishaps by using a cage that is appropriately sized for your cat.
Crate is filthy
The occasional puppy mishap is par for the course. Even if you can’t detect the odor of old pee, your dog can. If you regularly clean your dog’s kennel in the same locations, you may reduce the likelihood of accidents.
Tension and fretting
When a crate is introduced improperly, it may cause stress and worry for the dog being trained. Your dog may develop a fear of the crate and equate being in it with being punished if they had a bad experience with it in the past. Avoid this by rewarding your pet every time they use the crate throughout training.
Questions About a Dog Defecating in Its Crate
Can I expect my new dog to stop soiling its crate?
Puppies sometimes have accidents in their crates, particularly at first. A doctor or trainer can help you figure out why your dog is peeing in their kennel and what to do about it if your puppy still has accidents after months of training.
When a puppy has an accident in its kennel, what should I do?
Any time your puppy has an accident in their kennel, be sure to use an enzymatic cleanser to get rid of the urine and the stink it leaves behind. Clean up their mistakes as soon as possible to prevent permanent stains and make future cleaning simpler. Keep your cool, since showing your anger may make children more reluctant to use the restroom in your presence.
My puppy’s kennel doesn’t have a litter box; should I get one?
Pee pads are not appropriate for a dog’s crate unless you are actively working to retrain your dog to use the pads instead of the floor. Using a pee pad will teach your dog that this is an acceptable spot for him to relieve himself.
Do angry pups have the bad habit of urinating themselves in their kennel?
Dogs may be clever, but they don’t have the wit to deliberately urinate in their crates. Your dog is not furious at you, even if it acts that way. In lieu of this, due to behavioral and physical ailments, they may urinate in their crates.
How difficult is it to housebreak a little dog compared to a huge dog?
It may take less time to housebreak certain dogs than others. One research even implies that little dogs are harder to housebreak than bigger dogs.
Closing Remarks
It’s important to keep your cool if your puppy has an accident in their box. Your dog may require training even if accidents occur due to medical issues. It’s crucial to have patience since housebreaking may take anything from a few weeks to many months to fully master. You should always thank your dog for excellent behavior instead of scolding it.
But remember that behavioral difficulties may also lead to accidents in your dog. Talk to your vet if you think your dog’s incontinence might be due to a behavioral problem. Since you can access Dutch’s veterinarian services remotely without leaving your house, there’s really no need to make an in-person appointment unless absolutely necessary. Instead, you may have your pet seen by a vet without leaving the comfort of your own home.