Crate Training - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Diesel · 10-11-2004, 05:25 AM

Hi, just wondering if anyone else has the same problem we are having with Diesel. During the day while we are at work and at night, we keep Diesel in his crate. He has water, toys and it's lined with something comfy for him to sleep on. Every night now he's been pooping in it and crying after he does it (so we will clean it up). At first I was getting up and cleaning it in the middle of the night. Last night I decided i was going to leave it until the morning in order to try to teach him that if he goes in there he will have to stay in there with it. Do you think this is the right thing to do in this situation, or should I be cleaning it right away?

karmaboomer · 10-11-2004, 07:07 AM

When I crate trained my two, Karma never ever went in her crate but Boomer always did in the middle of the night. He stayed in there with it, and in the morning I would clean it and put him on the pads in the litterbox and say go potty. Karma would go as soon as I put her on the pads. Boomer learned verrrrrrry quickly that the crate was not the place to go to the bathroom, and i think i have only had one accident since (in a whole month). Getting up when they cry for you to come only reinforces the crying by teaching them that they can make you come take care of them by crying. Hope this helps.

Traci

Diesel · 10-11-2004, 08:19 AM

Ok thanks! I'm going to just leave it in there from now on. He's done it about 5 times in a row every night. I'm just worried that this is the time he has to go (when we are sleeping). I want him to go during normal hours. I'll keep leaving it in there and see what happens. Thanks for your advice.
P.s. How long did Boomer poop in his crate?

karmaboomer · 10-11-2004, 08:30 AM

For about two weeks I'd say. The trick is definitely getting them to the pad/papers as soon as you get up out of bed, before you do anything else, and training them to a word or two "potty" "go potty" whatever you want to use. He was about 8-10 weeks old when he was pooping in the crate too. Part of the problem is that when they are so young, they can't necessarily hold it all night. When I started to prompt them to the pad right before crating for the night, and as soon as I got up in the morning, the problems stopped. The routine works wonderfully. Plus they get little training treats when I catch them going on the pad. Helps to reinforce the behavior also.

Good luck!

Diesel · 10-11-2004, 10:39 AM

Ok yea that's what I've been doing as well, giving him treats when he does it on the pad. It's just so hard to ignore his cries when I know he's crying cause he pooped and doesn't want to stay in there with it. Thanks again for the advice. I hope he catches on as quickly as Boomer did!

karmaboomer · 10-11-2004, 10:54 AM

I had to put on a fan at night to cover up the crying noises because I can't sleep if they are crying - it makes me feel so bad!!!!

10-11-2004, 05:25 AM	#1
Diesel Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 23	Crate Training Hi, just wondering if anyone else has the same problem we are having with Diesel. During the day while we are at work and at night, we keep Diesel in his crate. He has water, toys and it's lined with something comfy for him to sleep on. Every night now he's been pooping in it and crying after he does it (so we will clean it up). At first I was getting up and cleaning it in the middle of the night. Last night I decided i was going to leave it until the morning in order to try to teach him that if he goes in there he will have to stay in there with it. Do you think this is the right thing to do in this situation, or should I be cleaning it right away?

10-11-2004, 07:07 AM	#2
karmaboomer Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 118	When I crate trained my two, Karma never ever went in her crate but Boomer always did in the middle of the night. He stayed in there with it, and in the morning I would clean it and put him on the pads in the litterbox and say go potty. Karma would go as soon as I put her on the pads. Boomer learned verrrrrrry quickly that the crate was not the place to go to the bathroom, and i think i have only had one accident since (in a whole month). Getting up when they cry for you to come only reinforces the crying by teaching them that they can make you come take care of them by crying. Hope this helps. Traci

10-11-2004, 08:19 AM	#3
Diesel Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 23	Ok thanks! I'm going to just leave it in there from now on. He's done it about 5 times in a row every night. I'm just worried that this is the time he has to go (when we are sleeping). I want him to go during normal hours. I'll keep leaving it in there and see what happens. Thanks for your advice. P.s. How long did Boomer poop in his crate?

10-11-2004, 08:30 AM	#4
karmaboomer Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 118	For about two weeks I'd say. The trick is definitely getting them to the pad/papers as soon as you get up out of bed, before you do anything else, and training them to a word or two "potty" "go potty" whatever you want to use. He was about 8-10 weeks old when he was pooping in the crate too. Part of the problem is that when they are so young, they can't necessarily hold it all night. When I started to prompt them to the pad right before crating for the night, and as soon as I got up in the morning, the problems stopped. The routine works wonderfully. Plus they get little training treats when I catch them going on the pad. Helps to reinforce the behavior also. Good luck!

10-11-2004, 10:39 AM	#5
Diesel Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 23	Ok yea that's what I've been doing as well, giving him treats when he does it on the pad. It's just so hard to ignore his cries when I know he's crying cause he pooped and doesn't want to stay in there with it. Thanks again for the advice. I hope he catches on as quickly as Boomer did!

10-11-2004, 10:54 AM	#6
karmaboomer Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 118	I had to put on a fan at night to cover up the crying noises because I can't sleep if they are crying - it makes me feel so bad!!!!