UH OH peeing in the crate! HELP!!!

[Sportyj]

I feel SO BAD! I have a beautiful smart little girl who is 12 weeks today. We just got her 3 days ago. We are crate training her, she whines alot in her crate during the day but is great at night. She goes potty 1-2 times a night, if I hear any rusting at all I take her out. But my question is:

I have read that a playing pup needs to go potty about every 20 minutes. My husband and I take her out every 15-20 minutes and if she has to go she goes right to her spot and goes. But sometimes she just plays, and lays down, and goes back to the door to go inside. We only leave her for about 3 hours at a time but there has been times when she goes into her crate after not going potty because she just won't go. So now we have come home to two potty accidents in the crate and I feel so bad like we are doing some disservice to her. Is it just that she cannot hold it at all? I took her out SEVEN times (if she does not go its back in the crate) yesterday before returning to work and husband came home and she had peed in her crate. Poor thing, what do I do????

[brunie's mom]

A 12 week old puppy should be able to hold it more then 20 minutes.
With a 7-8 week old puppy taking them out every half hour is usually enough.

She may be stressed and that's shy she is going in the crate. Did you get her from a breeder? Did the breeder have her started with crate training??

What size is her crate? What do you have in the bottom of the crate? Sometimes if the crate is too big and there is absorbable material to lay on...the dog will pee in the crate.
Take her out every hour, on a leash. Stand still....give her a command "go potty" or "go pee" or "get busy"...or whatever one you want to use and use only that command. Do not play with her or look at her till she goes. When she goes....have a party. Praise her...I say "good pee-pee ", and then give a small treat as a reward.

Do not come back inside till she pee's (if you know that her bladder is full). If she has just been playing or waking up from a nap or eaten or drank...then take her outside.
I would also talk to the pup while we go out the door telling the pup "let's go outside pee-pee".
You do not want her using her crate to pee in. Make sure you wash the crate out with an enzyme cleaner...something like Nature's Miracle,etc.

Rotts are smart...they usually are very clean and learn quickly.

Gina

[Sportyj]

Thanks, I love your "stand still" advice. I let her wander and she finds sticks, and bugs and dirt and I think she is just so excited being in a new place that it takes her a while to realize "OH I have to go!"

We have a towel in her crate. What do you suggest I use as bedding? I bought her the 90lb crate but it has a divider down the middle. I divided it in half, maybe I should go even smaller?

When she does potty I make a fool out of myself and she gets VERY excited! She CAN hold it a long time I just thought during play she was supposed to go every 15-20 minutes. She is holding it for 4 hours at a time at night and while we are at work. I will try what you said and maybe look for better bedding. I will wash with Natures Miracle too!

Thanks SO MUCH!

[brunie's mom]

When you take her outside...make sure she is on a leash...even if your yard is fenced. This way the leash keeps her from wandering and not getting into sticks, bugs,etc. By standing still it kind of signals to her that she has to go...after she does it..then let her wander around.

In all honesty, I have never had a pup pee in the crate...I have usually put in a small blanket or comforter folded up and not had any problems. I do know that it is recommended to take everything out of the crate if the dog is using the crate as it's bathroom. I know it sounds kind of harsh...but try taking the towel out for a week...just leave a toy or two in for her...then see how it goes.

If you have put the divider into her crate it should be the right size. She just may not understand yet...that she must pee outside all of the time.

Gina

[Sportyj]

We have had three "pee free" days! Wish me luck! I think I am getting the hang of this puppy thing! :)