Peeing when put in crate...

[Loki's Mom]

I'm not sure if this should be here or in the Vet's Corner, Moderator please feel free to move if necessary.

Ok, here goes, Loki hurt her shoulder chasing Dozer. That is a different thread, but I have to keep her and Dozer seperate for at least a week so that she don't reinjure. I rotate letting them out and when Dozer gets put in his crate for Loki's turn out, he gets upset, barks, howls, yips and whines and pees all over his crate. What is up with this? When they are both crated, he is fine. But when he is locked up by his self, he pees everywhere. And when she is locked up, he leaves a trail of pee all the way around her crate and into the living room. I have absolutely no clue why he has started doing this. Any ideas?

[IRIE'S MAMA]

I'm not sure why he is doing this....maybe someone will know, but could you try putting the crate in another room. Perhaps a room with a door that shuts? That will eliminate him from peeing while she is in the crate. How long has it been sinse he was last crated on a regular basis? How long is he kept in there?

[Loki's Mom]

Well, I have had him almost a month now and he has been crated since I brought him home from the shelter. He is crated while I am at work and at night only. But since Loki hurt her shoulder, I have to keep them seperate until her shoulder heals. They tend to play and tear through the house, literally, like banshees. So in order to keep Loki from reinjuring her shoulder, they can't play. I take turns letting them out, one goes in, the other goes out. It is horrible, I know. But that is the only thing I can do right now. Their "room" is the game room, which was suppose to be the attached carport but we closed it in and there is no door seperating it from the kitchen/dining area. I don't know what else to do until Loki heals.

[Judi W]

Sounds like spoiled temper tamtrums to me and nothing more. He needs to learn. I don't know whether he is throwing the fit because he is bonded to Loki or because he wants the attention from you, but either way this is a good time for him to do some learning. Don't be sorry. This is the ideal time for him to learn some self-control. (sorry about the peeing as that is nasty to clean up). Throw a sheet over his crate and/or move it against the wall so he cannot see through the doorway and go on about your business. Time it seems to get started with some training so that he learns when you tell him "knock it off" he respects that. Until you get that established your going in and correcting him isn't going to do much good.

When he is out, you put that leash and collar on him and give him what for when he thinks he is going in to piss around Loki's crate. Don't even allow him to enter that area when he is out without your permission and you on the lead to correct. Sounds like you have your work cut out for you.

[Loki's Mom]

Thanks Judi, I was starting to think the same thing myself. He really LOVES Loki. I have tried the sheet thing but he just pulls it through the crate and pees on it too . I let him throw his fits. Loki usually won't go in there unless I do. I think it might be that "alone" thing too. Like I said before, if she is in her crate or even in the room, he is fine. Hubby gets ticked about the whining and barking and is constantly telling him to knock it off. I have tried to tell him to ignore him and the more you acknowledge what he is doing, the more he is gonna do it.

He did good last night while he was crated and I was walking Loki. He was whining but didn't mess the crate. I guess we'll see what happens. In the meantime, gotta go get some more laundry detergent:)

[Judi W]

I suspected it might be dog/dog dependence. If that is the case, he needs more not less time seperated from Loki. When it is his turn out, make him stay with you. It would also probably be a good idea to have her crate in your bedroom or other place so that when they are both crated, he is not next to her. You need him to learn to be himself and to look to you for rewards and fun, not just Loki. Otherwise your training is going to be handicapped. You don't want a dog pack in your home, but two individual dogs that can enjoy themselves with each other but look to the people for the big rewards.

Even after she is well, limit their association time, seperate crating areas and give them each one-on-one with the people.

[Loki's Mom]

I am going to try that. Thank you for such wonderful advice!:)