Hi.
I have been away for awhile because I thought that I had this training thing under control. FiFi is a 1.9lb 5 month old female. When she is out of her crate she goes either on the pee pad to urinate or outside. Generally with no problem. Bowel movements, if outside, are no problem. Inside, she goes on the pad 1/2 of the time. The other half she may start on the pad with some coming off of the pad or, she goes in a totally separate area (no where near the pad)! Sometimes I think that she starts on the pad, circles around, can't find a clean area (I change pad often) and the rest lands in front or to the side. I can not figure out why she poops in a separate area when she knows where the pad is and usually uses it (and is clean)! Ok....now for the real part that I do not get. At night, I put her into her crate around 11:30 - 12 am. She seems to always have to get up around 2am to move her bowels. She seems to wake up every 2-4 hours to have to go to the bathroom. If I ignore her (her crate is not in my room), which I do most of the time, she will mess her crate. I keep sticking to it though. I know that I will most likely be coming down to a mess of some sort if I put her in the crate anywhere between 11 - 12am (even if at 2 am I happen to be up and let her out) and 5- 6:00am. If she goes more than 4 hours it is always messy. I thought that they do not like to be in their own mess. The area is small too. If I leave her out of her crate, then I take a chance that she may, or may not, poop on the pad. I also know that if I come down to her when she cries at 5ish then she will go potty outside but then be wide awake. If I put her back into the crate she will almost always poop in it (somehwere between that 5-6ish am). If I leave her out in the room, she will poop (maybe on the pad maybe not). She may start on it and some comes off. She does not like to step in it and needs to move around to keep clean, I think. Anyway, I do not get it. Sometimes she seems to always run for the door (or pad if she has to go real quick or no one is near by) and othertimes, she just poops wherever. It seems to be mainly with the pooping. Except in crate, she will do whatever she has to there. I once tried the pen method but that wasn't good. She learned that the pad was where to go but she did not learn that the floor was not where to go. I don't get it. Even tonight. She went on the pad several times (ran too it after running around). She even did a small poop on it. Next, I walk into a bedroom (not far from it) and I find poop! Do I need a pad in that room too? Help???? - Kathy
