Small crate... still pees and poos
 

My Yorkie is 15 weeks old and constantly goes in her crate at night. I've heard that they won't go where they sleep and that you should give them a crate just big enough for them to lay down. That is what I've done and she still will pee and poo in it. I would try getting up in the middle of the night to take her out but I work nights so that is impossible. I'm at a loss and have no idea what to do. Please help!

I have recently had this same problem. My baby is about 19 weeks now. I got her about a month ago and she would pee and poop in her crate too. I think she just plain could not hold her pee for that long. I only would leave her in there for about 4 hours at a time but she still couldn't hold it. I got so tired of giving her a bath and she would stink. This is what I did and finally after trying many, many things this seems to be working. I apologize ahead of time if my response gets lengthy but I want to explain why I did what I did.

I got a doggie playpen. We have a Blain's Farm & Fleet store--they were cheapest there--same exact thing as Petco just much less $. In the playpen I put her little plastic crate, some toys, water and I know this sounds strange but I had a larger wire crate that I had tried and I sat this in the back of the playpen with the door tied open. In the wire crate I put a pee pad. The reason I put it in the wire pen is that before I tried this she used to drag the pad around and lay on it and even when she did pee on it she would also walk around on it too which wasn't helping the purpose of keeping her out of the pee. Now she has to specifically go into the wire pen to use the pee pad. She really doesn't go in there now unless she has to go potty so she isn't messing with the pad and isn't jumping around on it. She now has more room to play, has water all day and has not had any accidents on the floor in the playpen. It is really working great but it took a lot of trial and error to find something that would work. My husband said he was worried that my behavior was approaching obsessive compulsive because everday he would come home I was trying something different with her pen and pads etc. I can't help it--it was obvious when something wasn't working. The good thing is when you finally get it figured out it is obvious that it is working too. I also tried a litter box in the past which I found to be a big mess. She kicked the litter all over. I ultimately want her to just go outside but atleast we are both happy right now because she isn't going on the floor and she also has room to play, drink water, sleep and go potty when I'm gone.

I hope this helps you. Good luck. It takes time to figure them out.

a 15 week puppy can't be expected to hold it all night. it's unrealistic so it's no wonder she's peeing and pooing in her crate. at 15 weeks bunjee was peeing every 60-90 min when he's awake. and every 3 hours when he's asleep. i'd have to let him out to pee once in the middle of the night at around 2am and then again at around 5am or 6am. if you can't let her out because of your working schedule, i recommend you confine her to a smaller room or play pen and lay out potty pads or newspaper so she can leave the crate to pee/poo at night if she needs to. when she gets older she'll be able to hold it longer. and you don't want her to get into the habit of peeing and pooing in her crate.

I also strongly recommend the ex-pen. I have the ex-pen set up with his bed/toys/water in one end, a pee pad in the opposite end. I leave the door to the pen open during the day and he trots off in there when he needs to go and comes back out to where I am. Took only 2 weeks for him to master the pee pad and is fully trained now. Also makes it easier when he is left at home alone (which doesn't happen very often) he has all of his things and a place to "go". Pee pads and this pen have been a great training tool for Oscar. :thumbup:

I tried putting Sydney in the crate. Most times she never pee-pee or pooped in the crate. But then she ended up getting a Urinary Tract Infection. Don't do what I did. They cannot hold it that long. It cost me $90 in vet bills for a mistake that I made. I started putting Sydney in the bathroom with papers on the floor, her crate and toys. Each day gets better. At first I would come home with newspaper torn in shreds, but each day is getting much better.
I just decided to keep her healthy, clean up the mess each day. She didn't need to be in the crate for long periods of time and does fine through the night now (6 hours) but that's about all that they can hold it for.
Good Luck

Yep, I had the same problem. An ex-pen is the way to go. You work night? You put a peepad (I use news paper), water food, if you want. Your bab is safe and warm in her special place. My Sweetie, now at 20 months will sometimes go right though the night with out peeing, but if she must, she has a place to go.
Good luck

No pee or poo!
 

Thanks for all your replies. Today I'm so excited! For the first time since I've had her she didn't go in her crate at all! She went outside every single time she had to go and when she was crated she held it until I took her out. I am so proud of her!

that's awesome!! but if she backtracks don't get discouraged, that happens a lot. just praise her when shes right, and it sounds like you're doing something really right!!

I never crate Gucci so Im not help in that area. Im glad that your girl didn't had any accidents in her crate today. Just remember to be patience and consistent.

No mess for 2 days in a row now!
 

This is the second day in a row that I've came home from work and there is no pee or poop in her cage. I'm so proud of her! Is that how it usually happens? That just one day they get it and know what they are suppose to do? I know she'll have accidents but this is a big feet for her and I'm ecstatic!