Housetrained but poops in her crate

[RubysMommy]

I have a seven month old, 10 pound Australian Terrier. We have had her since she was two months old and she is still pooping in her crate. We have her completely house broken, and we haven't had an accident in the house in months. However, we still have problems with her pooping in her crate. I know she doesn't like it because she jumps out the second I open the gate.

I feed her 1/4 cup at 6:00 a.m. and then again at 4:30 p.m. I come home at 12:00 to go for a a walk and so she can releive herself. We go on 2-3 walks a day to release all her energy.

She had been doing really good on this schedule and we had gone almost a week a few different times without any accidents in her crate. However after she was spayed two weeks ago, we couldn't walk her and I think it threw her schedule off. Now she has been pooping in her crate every time she is in there, which is only when we are not home. I clean it with Nature's Way and I give her baths so it's not on her fur. I know that the breeders we got her from were very good -- and my sister-in-law who got her puppy from them doesn't have this problem

Also, she will go 8 - 10 hours at night in her crate with no messes -- it's very rare for her to poop or potty overnight. So I know she can hold it. And the vet has done several stool samples, and they are always normal.

I had her on Iams Pro Puppy, but when we started having problems with this I switched her to Nature's Recipe Puppy -- and it seems to have gotten worse. Does anyone have any food suggestions?

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem and has been able to correct it. Please help

[Shara]

What a pretty girl she is!

First off, all my dogs are on Science Diet, and when you switch foods, always add a little gradually of the new with the old. =D

I am not sure what would be causing her to go in her crate. If you could catch her in the act and correct it then it would help alot, but thats hard to do. I would put the mat in the washing machine, I dont know what Natures Way is, a spray? I dont trust those doggy odor eliminator sprays, I would wash it or get a new one, because dogs will still smell it.

This might be annoying to do for a while, but you need to follow her outside and when she pees or poos reinforce it with praise and a treat. I personally would put her nose to her poo in the crate and say BAD GIRL NO NO. Or something similar so she knows its not a good thing. Take the poo outside and put it in your yard, so she knows thats where that should belong, and to get the scent out there.

Its not a big problem, and I think you can fix it easily. Shes just a bit confused!

Once again you have a pretty girl!
:p

[CerbiesMom]

We had the same problem with Brigit, our mini-dachshund. SHe came from a bad breeder, so she had a hard time understanding that standing in her own waste was bad. We gave up on the crate, and started using a big pen in the kitchen( easy to clean up the tile), and once she could control herself, we moved the pen in the living room so she can look out the windows while we're at work. And she hasn't gone in her pen unless she's been sick. I guess I'm the give up and try something else person. Good luck, and you have a gorgeous pup.

[Shara]

We had the same problem with Brigit, our mini-dachshund. SHe came from a bad breeder, so she had a hard time understanding that standing in her own waste was bad. We gave up on the crate, and started using a big pen in the kitchen( easy to clean up the tile), and once she could control herself, we moved the pen in the living room so she can look out the windows while we're at work. And she hasn't gone in her pen unless she's been sick. I guess I'm the give up and try something else person. Good luck, and you have a gorgeous pup.

LOL thats not fair, Doxies are super stubborn! Shara took forever to potty train, you shouldnt have given up! BAD YOU BAD BAD BAD hehehehe. Jking, had to say something about this! giggle. :p

[zorasdad]

Is the crate to large? My opinion I would use crate when you are home and busy so pup gets used to it and makes it the "den" I have a lg crate because i have lg dogs with out divider the pups would poop in far corner. But honestly my wife and step kids dont like the cage so it took longer to train. Each dog i had i used crate when ever i was busy in home. and about a week they were house broken and door was open and dogs used their dens.

[CerbiesMom]

Yeah, I'm a quitter! I just got tired of a month of coming home and cleaning the dog every day, even if I was gone 10 minutes! So I don't know what that breeder did to poor lil' bit, but the crate was no longer an option for me. It was a small crate with a divider, but still, every day! I think it was more stress than stubborness from Brigit. She was passed from the breeder, to the couple that bought her, to my manager at petsmart that has a kid and 5 dogs, then to me. So, my pup was really stressed out by the time I got her.

[zorasdad]

patience and be positive. i had worked 70-80 hrs when we got zora the rottie. Her mannors were a mess. she is lieing next to me as i type this.took patience and a lot of work but my girl is wonderful.

[grizzle]

I would have to go with the crate being to big. Only enough room to stand up and turn around. No partitions in it.

[Monsterpuppy]

FWIW

My puppy had this problem for a while, but it was a stress/excitement issue. You say the dog is housebroken, only poops in the crate, and is only in the crate when you are gone. She doesn't have a problem in the crate overnight when you are there.

Sounds like a separation anxiety problem, not a housebreaking issue.

You could try crate games and feeding her in her crate to create more positive associations.

JMHO