I need seroious help!

gabel8

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#1
I just ought a west highland terrier on Sunday, Feb. 11. I am having a huge problem crate training him. He alway soils in his crate, goes #2. I made sure the cage is not too big and it is the correct size. I always take him out before he goes in the crate too but yet he still seems to go.
I keep him in the crate at night for about 6.5 hours while I sleep and I make sure he goes out before that and he does go. I also make sure he doesn't eat late, I feed hime 3 times a day. I even tried getting up a couple times in the middle of the night to take him out and still he soiled in his crate. I am very frustrated and I do not know what to do. I had a pug before and crate trained him and he never once soiled his crate. Can someone please help me because I do not know what to do from here. Should I call my vet?
 

ACooper

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#2
Well you didn't mention the age of the pup. In most cases the younger the puppy, the less amount of time they can hold it, and 6.5 hours maybe expecting a lot to start off with. You have to work up to it slowly.
I have seen it mentioned here quite often that the general rule is 1 hour for each month then add one hour to the total............an 8 week old pup may go for 3 hours, but this depends on the breed too, smaller breeds may need less time between & larger breeds may be able to wait a little longer.
 

Doberluv

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#3
How old is the pup and what are you feeding him? When you take him out, does he go and then he comes in and goes again soon after? Or how long after he goes does he go again?
 
R

RedyreRottweilers

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#4
I would suggest calling the person from whom you purchased this puppy.

How old is he?
 

Doberluv

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#6
Did the person from whom you aquired this puppy keep the pups in crates and let them go to the bathroom in them? It may be the "dirty puppy syndrome." That's where they are use to soiling and peeing in their crate because they don't have a choice. I'm curious what you're feeding because some foods make them go more than others. What is the consitancy of the poops?
 

Saje

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#7
Did he grow up in clean surroundings or did you get him from a backyard breeder or puppymill? I'm only asking because many pups learn at a young age that it's normal/ok to eliminate in their crate/home.
edit: nevermind go with doberluv :p
 

gabel8

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#9
Is there anyway to break the habit of them going to the bathroom in their crate? Even if they were raised going to the bathroom in their crate?
 

Saje

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#10
I guess the answer to that question is yes :) As for breaking it, I'm going to let doberluv answer that for you. My Maverick was a dirty puppy but I didn't crate train him. It was a long process but a good learning experience!
 

Doberluv

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#11
Only by trying to prevent them going in their crate by taking them out very frequently and making sure that going outside is the best thing they've ever experienced in their lives....tasty, high value treats, loads of praise and these things delivered immediately upon finishing. Take your pup out more often than you can imagine that she has to go. The more times she is reinforced outside for going, the quicker she'll learn. Prevent accidents inside. Everytime the pup goes inside, she is reinforced for that which means that to her mind, it is the correct spot to go to the bathroom. You have to be super diligent and disciplined to watch her every second she's lose in the house and take her outside very, very, very often. Note when she goes in relation to when she eats, drinks, plays. Write it all down on paper. Keep a log. This will help you learn her typical schedule. Make her day very structured....feeding, playing, exercise, napping....make it a routine. Besides taking her out very frequently, take her out after she eats or drinks anything, after she's played and rough housed, after a nap. It's work, but it pays off in the end. Good luck.
 
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#12
What are your crate dimensions? Are you available to the pup to up the training and lower the amount of time that he spends in his crate until you can build back his desire to keep his area clean.
One thing that I would do right off the bat is to take his kennel apart and do a major cleaning. Get right into all of the nooks, cranny's and grooves so that you can start fresh.
I would then start feeding him all of his meals in his crate and giving all treats in there as well. This will increase his desire to keep it clean.
I would take his time spent in the crate back down to 2 hours max during the day (only when completely empty) and set the alarm mid way through the night so that you can make sure to catch him and let him out during the night before he lets go.
Does he appear to have seperation problems...does he cry alot when left, pant, scratch?
It is absolutely correctable but will take some patience. It would be helpful to know why you aquired him so late and where he spent his time between 7 weeks and now.
 

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