Get a dog they said. It will be fun they said. Having a dog can not only be fun, but it can lead to a lifetime of loyalty and companionship like no other, if your dog is trained and obedient. People do not understand the importance of proper training until something goes wrong. Too often our furry friends, for many different reasons, come untrained and pee in the house, or specifically in their crates. If you have come across this problem, you are not alone. Dogs of all ages can, at any time, start peeing in their crates, bringing about frustration and a feeling of helplessness. This behavior goes against the instinct of a canine, so addressing the specific behavior within your pet’s individual situation will help you figure out what is causing the problem, and hopefully find a solution. Some things to consider as underlying causes are the pets age, personality, daily and/or nightly routine, recent changes in their living situation, any underlying health issues, and the crate itself. Once you have investigated these areas, hopefully discovering the cause of the problem, you can decide on the best steps to take in order to prevent your pet from urinating in their crate. If the problem is not due to human error, or if you cannot find the cause, taking your pet to the vet is the best thing to do. They can help you figure out what is causing your pet to soil his crate and offer a remedy as well.
Why does my puppy pee in his crate?
Other reasons a puppy will pee in his crate
- The crate is too big– if the crate is too big for your puppy, they will have room to pee and still have a place to lay away from their urine. The crate only needs to be large enough for the pup to be able to stand and turn around in comfortably.
- The puppy was allowed to pee in the crate before you got him– if your pup was allowed to urinate in the crate before you got him, you will have to start from the beginning with crate training in order to break the bad habit he has already formed.
- You are rushing the training cycle– give your puppy adequate time to learn the routine of using the bathroom outside, especially if they are young.
Why does my 8-month old puppy pee in his crate?
Reasons an 8-month old puppy pees in his crate
- Training was not done when he was young– if your puppy was not trained when he was young, you will need to start from the beginning with the training process.
- Your puppy’s training was rushed or not consistent– if the training your puppy received was rushed, not allowing the dog enough time to learn the wanted behavior, or if it was not done consistently, therefore giving off confusing vibes, you will need to back track and begin retraining him. Remember to be consistent with the training.
- The crate is too big– the crate you choose for your puppy should be large enough for him to stand and turn around in comfortably. Anything bigger can allow room for him to urinate if he so chooses.
- Separation Anxiety– some dogs start to show signs of separation anxiety around this age. It is possible your pup is anxious about being left alone, causing him to pee in his crate.
- Claustrophobia– sometimes a dog feels uncomfortable when closed in small places. When this happens, he will urinate to try to alleviate that feeling.
Why does my 1-year-old dog pee in his crate?
Expecting a year-old dog to go all day without urinating in his crate is not unreasonable. By this age, your dog should be able to hold his bladder until he is let outside to urinate. When this doesn’t happen, it can be quite frustrating and hard to deal with. While the cause could be any of the ones already mentioned, there are some other reasons to consider.
Reasons a 1-year-old dog pees in his crate
- It is possible your dog has developed a urinary or kidney infection– if you notice your dog urinating frequently and in smaller than normal amounts, it is possible he has an infection. He will need to visit the vet to know for sure. Having one of these infections can make him urinate in his crate because he will not be able to hold his bladder for extended periods of time without it causing pain.
- Not giving him enough time to take care of his business after his morning or evening feeding– a dog needs about 30 minutes to digest a meal. If you feed him and crate him too quickly, he will not have any option other than urinating in his crate.
- Giving your dog a rawhide to chew on during the day– rawhide chews can make your dog thirsty due to the salt used for curing. This will cause him to drink more water, thus increasing the need to urinate because of a fuller than normal bladder.
- Keeping him in the crate too long– sometimes we stay gone longer than we expect. When this happens, it throws your dog off their routine causing them to pee in their crate.
Why does a senior dog urinate in his crate?
Reasons a senior dog pees in his crate
- Here again it could be that your dog has developed a urinary or bladder infection– one of these infections will cause frequent urination in small amounts. Your vet can test his urine and prescribe medication to clear up the infection which should solve the problem.
- Incontinence or loss of bladder control– senior dogs can end up becoming incontinent, which means that they lose the ability to know when they need to urinate.
- Not being able to hold their bladder, even if they have in the past- your dog may not be incontinent, but he may not be able to control his bladder as well as he could when he was younger causing him to urinate in their crate.
Why has my dog suddenly started peeing in his crate?
Assuming your dog has been crate-trained and does not normally urinate while crated, a sudden onset of urination is cause for alarm. Figuring out the reason for this behavior will help you know how to treat the cause.
Reasons a dog suddenly starts peeing in his crate
- Your dog could have a urinary or bladder infection as mentioned above– this could cause him to start peeing in his crate.
- An illness of some other sort– growths or tumors pushing on your dog’s bladder can cause a sudden on-set of urination. Even though these cases are rare, it is something your vet can check and treat if necessary.
- Medication– certain medications can cause frequent urination in your dog, and might make it difficult for him to control his bladder.
- A change in your dog’s family make-up– a change within your family such as a death or birth, child moving to college, deployment or returning from deployment, or divorce can cause your dog to become upset and begin urinating in his crate.
- Moving to a new home- when your family moves to a new home or apartment, the unfamiliar surroundings can cause your dog to pee in his crate, especially until he gets used to his new surroundings.
- Placing your dog’s crate in a new location– simply moving your dog’s crate to another room can confuse him and cause him to start urinating.
Why does my dog pee in his crate during the day?
Trying to figure out why your dog pees in his crate during the day, but not at night can be a daunting task. If he can hold his bladder throughout the entire night, why wouldn’t he be able to do so through the day?
Reasons a dog pees in his crate during the day
- A dog pees more during waking hours– dogs, like people, are awake more during the day than they are at night. While awake, they feel the urge to urinate and may not be able to hold it until someone gets home to let them out.
- Dogs drink more through the day- when a dog drinks, it heightens the need to urinate, which could cause them to pee in their crate.
- Separation anxiety– some dogs don’t like being left alone causing them to develop anxiety issues which can create a problem while you are away. This anxiety can cause your dog to urinate in their crate when he is left.
Why does my dog pee in his crate at night?
Some dogs will pee in their crate during the night, but not throughout the day. This is often due to the schedule and activities of the dog before putting him to bed.
Reasons a dog pees in his crate at night
- Letting your dog drink water right before bedtime– if urinating in the crate during the night is a problem, take your dog’s water away at least 30 minutes before you crate him for the night. Drinking water any closer to bedtime can cause him to need to pee before being let out in the morning.
- Take your dog outside so they can urinate right before bedtime- this will allow him to empty his bladder before he goes to sleep, so he can sleep through the night without having to pee again.
- Give your dog time to unwind before going to sleep– getting your dog stirred up through play can increase the chances that he will have to urinate through the night. Give him time to settle down before putting him to bed.
Why does is seem that my dog pees in his crate out of spite?
Why does my dog poop in his crate?
Sometimes your dog will not only pee in his crate, but he will poop in it too. While this seems like a gross habit, and one you think your dog would try to avoid, there are as many reasons for him doing this as there are for him peeing in his crate. If your dog is pooping in his crate and it is out of character for him, figuring out the why is important. Some of the reasons could be the same as the reasons a dog pees in the crate such as, the crate being too big, separation anxiety, poor, inconsistent, or lack of training as a puppy, or incontinence. However, there are other more serious reasons that should be checked by a vet.
Reasons my dog poops in his crate
- Inflammatory bowel disease– this disease affects the intestinal tract causing diarrhea and vomiting in dogs. It has been linked to diet and bacterial proteins.
- Infections– some infections such as Parvo and ones caused by various worms are known to cause bowel dysfunctions.
- Nerve and muscle diseases– there are different diseases that affect the nerves and muscles in dogs causing rectum dysfunction such as incontinence of the bowels.
- Trauma– an accident or injury, such as being hit by a car or being attacked by another animal, can impede the rectal muscles causing your dog to lose control of his bowels.
- Medications– some medications may cause diarrhea or lose stools.
-All of these can cause your pet to poop in his crate.
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