Housebreaking a puppy can be time-consuming. Sometimes, it may even feel like a full-time job! Especially if your puppy is having accidents in the crate. We know that crate accidents can get messy and frustrating really fast! In this blog, crate soiling: why does keep having accidents in the crate.
What is crate soiling and why does it happen?
Crate soiling means that your puppy is urinating or defecating in their crate. There are multiple reasons that a puppy could be crate soiling.
Medical factors
If you have a puppy or dog that has never gone to the bathroom in the crate before, and suddenly they begin soiling the crate or having accidents in front of you, there may likely be an underlying medical condition such as a UTI, parasite, or GI upset. If this is the case, we recommend talking to your veterinarian first or within 24 hours if you’ve made housebreaking adjustments and are not seeing a change. When medications do not resolve the crate soiling within a few weeks, contact your veterinarian again for a recommendation.
Behavioral factors
Although it is more uncommon, it is possible for crate soiling and inappropriate elimination in the home to occur due to environmental history. If you rescued a puppy from a puppy mill for instance, where they had a history of eliminating in small spaces or crates, crate soiling may be more prevalent and take consistent and long-term changes to eliminate.
Most commonly, crate soiling occurs because the puppy does not eliminate prior to entering the crate or they cannot hold it long enough while in the crate. You may find that a consistent schedule will help resolve crate soiling issues. Keeping a journal will help you better understand their elimination schedule, as well as when they eat and drink.
How your puppy’s food and water schedule affects their bathroom habits
Have you noticed that your puppy needs to go potty shortly after eating? That’s because eating stimulates their bowels, so it’s common for puppies to need a potty break soon after every meal.
The amount and frequency of water that your puppy drinks will affect how often they will need to urinate and how long they can hold it.
This is why it’s best not to leave food and water out all day. Instead, following a schedule helps regulate your puppy’s potty needs and prevents crate soiling accidents.
If you follow a consistent food and water schedule, your puppy should be able to hold it for a number of hours equivalent to their age in months, plus one additional hour. For example, a 4-month-old German Shepherd puppy should be able to hold it overnight for 6-8 hours and during the day for about 5 hours. For smaller breeds, you can subtract one hour from these recommendations.
Limit time in the crate
It’s important to make sure that your crate has just enough room for your puppy to be comfortable. This means they should have enough space to turn around, stand up, and lie down comfortably. Any additional space may allow your puppy to eliminate in one corner, then come to an opposing corner and lay down.
It is important to determine how long your puppy can hold it in the kennel and to give your puppy successful trials in the kennel where they don’t eliminate. Offer your puppy an opportunity to go outside immediately after you take them out of the kennel. If you are gone for long periods of time, you may need to ask a friend or hire a dog walker to come by and let your puppy out of the kennel once or twice per day.
Clean thoroughly
Lastly, be sure to inspect your puppy’s crate every time you let them out of it. If your puppy is urinating on their bed in the crate, you may need to temporarily remove any bedding or blankets until your puppy’s crate soiling is resolved. Residual smells can often encourage inappropriate elimination. You should frequently clean your puppy’s crate with a strong pet-friendly cleaner, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide to eliminate the odor, and then allow it to air dry. Baking soda also works as a great cleaning agent if you’re having trouble with long-lasting smells. Wait until the smell is gone before allowing your puppy back in. You may pick up a second plastic bottom so that you can rotate the crate floors out as needed.
We’re here to help
If after implementing these tips, you are still struggling with crate soiling with your puppy, or you have other problem areas you would like to target, you can reach out for a free consultation with our a free consultation with our Pet Behavior Team to discuss your training goals.
All of our programs are conducted through one-on-one training sessions at your home and in your local Houston neighborhood. We also offer board and train programs, during which your dog stays at your trainer’s home and participates in follow-up sessions with you after their training.
Do you live outside our service area or prefer to connect remotely? Our co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, offers virtual consultation programs. During these programs, she will develop a customized training plan and provide support to achieve your training goals.
