What's Wrong? She Goes outside & In her Cage too - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Daizy'sMom · 06-20-2006, 08:26 PM

My yorkie (1 year now-female), was crate trained by me. I thought she had the hang of it, but obviously not. This is becuase she still used the bathroom in her crate. When she's out of the crate, she will let us know that she needs to go outside by banging up against the sliding glass door. We let her out, and when she's done, she comes back in. During the night however, and when we are at work, she used the bathroom in her crate. She also just recently started going into her crate to use the bathroom on purpose when she's wondering around the room. What do i do? This is driving me nuts. Doesn't she want to sleep in a clean crate without her poop and pee? I have been through so many dog beds and cleaning products that i am getting tired and about to give up. PLEASE HELP!!!

Ladylavender · 06-21-2006, 06:41 AM

She may have designated her crate as a potty area, because it has always been a potty area. How big is her crate? Is there enough room to go potty and then to move to a corner to lay down? Because if there is, then the area is too big.

Also what are you using to clean up the soiled bed clothes? You need to use a neutralizer to get rid of the pee and poop smells.

Next, you may have to get rid of the crate all together and start with a fresh one with new bed clothes or blankets, since her old crate is a "potty area" for her.

But at a year old she should be able to hold it all day in her crate. But no water or food in the crate during the day. Also no water at night after 6-7pm.

You may want to consider putting her potty crate outside near the patio door, so that she sees it and knows she has to go outside to go potty.

I am not sure if any of this is going to work, but just some suggestions.

Daizy'sMom · 06-21-2006, 11:40 AM

I am going to try to get her a new crate (a smaller one, maybe for a cat). I will also get her a new bed and put her next to the sliding glass door to see if this works. I won't make food or water available to her after 6pm. If it doesn't, is there anything else you would suggest?

Another question, when do you suggest i feed and let her drink, and how many times? I am out all day Monday through Friday, leave at 8am and come back at 5pm. Thanks.

Ladylavender · 06-21-2006, 12:10 PM

I work all day too. Daizy is old enough to only eat one time a day now. When you wake up take her out immediately and have her go potty. Do you know when she has a bowel movement? (With Millie, she has one in the morning, maybe about 15 minutes to 1/2 hour after she wakes up. She also will have a bowel movement in the evening immediately after we get home.

I would get up, and immediately take her out to go pee. Then I would put her water down and let her drink what she wanted and I would begin to get ready for work. about 20 minutes before I left for work, I will take her out for her morning walk. This is when she will have a bowel movement and hopefully do some more pee. Our walks are about 15 -20 min long. (I take her for walks even though we have a fenced in yard). Then I would put her in her crate for our work day with a kong, or other toy and only enough room to lay down and stand and turn. That is the only amount of room we gave her. I hurried home after our work day, no detours or anything like that. Took her outside, immediately for her pee. (she sometimes has to pee several times, so I don't go back in the house until she has peed at least twice.) Then I change clothes, put away lunch stuff and my bag and then I take her for her evening walk. (This is when she goes poop) Oh, while I'm changing and doing domestic stuff, she has access to her water and she will drink.

After her walk I feed her and I pick up her dish around 7pm if she has not finished her dinner. I keep her water dish down until about 8pm. After that, no more water. I take her out for her last pee around 10pm.

She still whines in the middle of night (around 2:30am) and I get up and take her to go pee. She goes right away and back to the crate and up at 6am to start the day all over again.

She has learned to hold her pee during the day, when we are not there. I given her leniency at night because she holds it all day and I figure she needs a break.

During the evening between 6-10pm she will go out periodically, but she has a doggie door, so that is never an issue.

I think you may have to spend some time re-training Daizy to go outside, by taking her out on a schedule and not wait for her to ask you to go out. (You may have to do this for a little while until she grasps the concept again) You may also want to close the crate door when you are home so that she does not have access to it and therefore cannot use it as a potty place. But I really think she is going in there because she smells the urine and feces even if you have cleaned the area. The smell still lingers and a dog's nose can smell it. That is why you need to clean the bedding and the crate with a neurtralizer like Simple Solution or Nature's Miracle - Both can be purchased at Petco or Petsmart.

Ladylavender · 06-21-2006, 12:13 PM

Forgot to say, I never gave millie water or food while in her crate and we are at work.

06-20-2006, 08:26 PM	#1
Daizy'sMom YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: VA Posts: 3	What's Wrong? She Goes outside & In her Cage too My yorkie (1 year now-female), was crate trained by me. I thought she had the hang of it, but obviously not. This is becuase she still used the bathroom in her crate. When she's out of the crate, she will let us know that she needs to go outside by banging up against the sliding glass door. We let her out, and when she's done, she comes back in. During the night however, and when we are at work, she used the bathroom in her crate. She also just recently started going into her crate to use the bathroom on purpose when she's wondering around the room. What do i do? This is driving me nuts. Doesn't she want to sleep in a clean crate without her poop and pee? I have been through so many dog beds and cleaning products that i am getting tired and about to give up. PLEASE HELP!!!

06-21-2006, 06:41 AM	#2
Ladylavender YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Soddy Daisy, TN Posts: 705	She may have designated her crate as a potty area, because it has always been a potty area. How big is her crate? Is there enough room to go potty and then to move to a corner to lay down? Because if there is, then the area is too big. Also what are you using to clean up the soiled bed clothes? You need to use a neutralizer to get rid of the pee and poop smells. Next, you may have to get rid of the crate all together and start with a fresh one with new bed clothes or blankets, since her old crate is a "potty area" for her. But at a year old she should be able to hold it all day in her crate. But no water or food in the crate during the day. Also no water at night after 6-7pm. You may want to consider putting her potty crate outside near the patio door, so that she sees it and knows she has to go outside to go potty. I am not sure if any of this is going to work, but just some suggestions.

06-21-2006, 11:40 AM	#3
Daizy'sMom YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: VA Posts: 3	I am going to try to get her a new crate (a smaller one, maybe for a cat). I will also get her a new bed and put her next to the sliding glass door to see if this works. I won't make food or water available to her after 6pm. If it doesn't, is there anything else you would suggest? Another question, when do you suggest i feed and let her drink, and how many times? I am out all day Monday through Friday, leave at 8am and come back at 5pm. Thanks.

06-21-2006, 12:10 PM	#4
Ladylavender YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Soddy Daisy, TN Posts: 705	I work all day too. Daizy is old enough to only eat one time a day now. When you wake up take her out immediately and have her go potty. Do you know when she has a bowel movement? (With Millie, she has one in the morning, maybe about 15 minutes to 1/2 hour after she wakes up. She also will have a bowel movement in the evening immediately after we get home. I would get up, and immediately take her out to go pee. Then I would put her water down and let her drink what she wanted and I would begin to get ready for work. about 20 minutes before I left for work, I will take her out for her morning walk. This is when she will have a bowel movement and hopefully do some more pee. Our walks are about 15 -20 min long. (I take her for walks even though we have a fenced in yard). Then I would put her in her crate for our work day with a kong, or other toy and only enough room to lay down and stand and turn. That is the only amount of room we gave her. I hurried home after our work day, no detours or anything like that. Took her outside, immediately for her pee. (she sometimes has to pee several times, so I don't go back in the house until she has peed at least twice.) Then I change clothes, put away lunch stuff and my bag and then I take her for her evening walk. (This is when she goes poop) Oh, while I'm changing and doing domestic stuff, she has access to her water and she will drink. After her walk I feed her and I pick up her dish around 7pm if she has not finished her dinner. I keep her water dish down until about 8pm. After that, no more water. I take her out for her last pee around 10pm. She still whines in the middle of night (around 2:30am) and I get up and take her to go pee. She goes right away and back to the crate and up at 6am to start the day all over again. She has learned to hold her pee during the day, when we are not there. I given her leniency at night because she holds it all day and I figure she needs a break. During the evening between 6-10pm she will go out periodically, but she has a doggie door, so that is never an issue. I think you may have to spend some time re-training Daizy to go outside, by taking her out on a schedule and not wait for her to ask you to go out. (You may have to do this for a little while until she grasps the concept again) You may also want to close the crate door when you are home so that she does not have access to it and therefore cannot use it as a potty place. But I really think she is going in there because she smells the urine and feces even if you have cleaned the area. The smell still lingers and a dog's nose can smell it. That is why you need to clean the bedding and the crate with a neurtralizer like Simple Solution or Nature's Miracle - Both can be purchased at Petco or Petsmart.

06-21-2006, 12:13 PM	#5
Ladylavender YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Soddy Daisy, TN Posts: 705	Forgot to say, I never gave millie water or food while in her crate and we are at work.