[BayAreaDesigner]

Originally Posted by Conjure_Girl

Our new puppy, Trezzi, is a great little guy. I love his disposition self-confidence. He seems to be adjusting well to his new environment. However we have several potty issues with him.

First, Trezzi seems to be able to hold #1 for forever. We try putting him on his pad every hour, and sometimes wait for 15 minutes, but he doesn't go. We especially try catching him after he eats and after he plays. But he can hold it for a really long time. And then, 5 minutes out of the pad, he goes and pees right by the food He knows where the pad is, and he knows what he is supposed to do there. Sometimes he goes there on his own and urinates without any problems. We had a breakthrough though in the last couple of days, and it seems he started getting it. So I am hopeful we'll be having less incidents every day.

Second, we have a major problem with #2. Two days ago we closed Trezzi in his crate during the day for about 2.5 hours. We left the house to take Lulu to a dog park. When we came back, Trezzi's crate was covered with poop. He had a soft stool (we've been dealing with soft poop due to the fact he's eating a mix of wet+dry food) on one side of the crate, and diarrhea on the other. We felt terrible for the little guy. We felt so guilty he was closed in his crate and had to go. And we figured that he probably was stressed out, and this is why he went in his crate. I am working from home, so during the days my babies are always under supervision, fenced off in the kitchen, and have access to their potty pad.

But it happened again tonight. We put Trezzi on his pad at midnight. He was there for about 10 minutes, but he didn't go at all. We brought him in his crate to our bedroom, where he sleeps with us. His crate is placed on a chair, right by my side of the bed to make him feel more secured. At 1:30 am I woke up smelling an awful smell of poop and hearing him moving in his crate. Trezzi pooped in his crate again I took him down, cleaned his crate while he was on the potty pad, and after 10 minutes of being on the pad he pooped again. I am not sure why he pooped, as he ate last around 7 pm in the evening.

I am upset because Trezzi wasn't even trying to make any sounds to wake us up and let us know he needs to go. He just pooped in the crate, right where he sleeps. And he loves peeing right by his food.

I am planning to put a box in his crate, to limit him from being able pooping on the other side of his crate. And if it doesn't work, I won't have a choice but to keep him in the fenced-off area of the kitchen at night, with his crate open — so he can go and potty if he needs to.

Please let me know if you have any ideas, experience, or advice to why might he be doing this, and other options to keep him from going in his crate.

thanks,
Nadezda

My bathroom is part of the master suite so I can't confine her there. I have Lily in an excercise pen which is a 48in sq. It fits the 24X18 crate, her litter box, food water, place for toys and a little space to play. I have found that limiting the space is the best thing. I put a box in her crate to keep her from using part of it for ther bathroom. It worked great. The crate door is never closed. She went to the litter box the 2nd day after I set up the arrangement. She has not gone potty in her crate. At nite she isn't in my room. I put her back in the xpen and cover her crate with a towel. She goes right in and goes to sleep. Food & water are always available because I am not home all day. She gets up and uses the bathroom as she sees fit (I guess). In the morning she waits quietly for me to come (usually around 5:45 to 6:00am cuz I have to go to work @ 7:30) There is usually a greeting of pee and poop on the pee pad. If there ia no poo, I watch her cuz I know it's coming. When she is out for playtime I have to keep a diaper on her but I watch for signs and run her back to the litter box. The watching for signs drives me crazy! Her little butt seems to always be in a squat. She doesn't really get it yet but I have only had her 3 wks so I think this is a good start. I have 2 xpens so I move her location around. I leave her in the one in the living room when I go to work as it's a tad bigger.