Potty Problems...

I'm having problems with Kona going potty IN his crate and ON his dog bed, even when the bed is not in his crate. We've taken away his bed because I got tired of cleaning it every day. I mean it got to the point where after I cleaned it, I'd put it out to dry and he'd pull it down and pee on it. Now we just put one of the dog towels in his crate for something softer to lay on.

I thought dogs didn't naturally pee where they sleep? Granted, he's locked in his crate for 8 hrs a day since we work all day, but it's broken up in the middle because we hired the neighbors kids to let him out to potty and play with him and Hunter for a while.

Sometimes, we'll leave him out of the crate (but locked in one room) and he'll be great about not going in the room. But during the work days, we don't trust him to not chew up everything so we crate him.

He is crate trained...I can point at his crate and say "go to bed" and he'll go sit in it. I usually can close the door and walk away without hearing a thing from him. I say usually because he's learned the go to bed routine now - mom and dad go to work, mom and dad go to bed, etc. During those times, he's fine with it. But it's also somewhere in between those normal times that he pees in his crate.

My neighbor thinks it might be separation anxiety...because when they crate him again after they play with him that's when we've determined he usually goes (if he does). It's not every day, but it's enough that I feel like I'm washing him or towels all the time.

He also has a favorite poop spot behind the couch. Which is sort of my fault for not watching him close enough sometimes but sometimes I can't tell the difference between an "I have to go outside" sniffing around or a "Where's the treats" sniffing around. Even after he's already pooped outside.

What can I do to fix this? I've sprayed no go behind the couch and in his crate...and it seemed to work for a few days but he's done it again the last 3 days.

How long is he in there before they let him out? Are you positive they are letting him out and playing with him enough during the day? How old is your dog?

He's been trained to potty on nice soft things, like his bed. Instead of leaving him in the crate try confining him to a room or part of a room. Use a baby gate if necessary. Leave no towels or soft things in the room, just a couple of durable chew toys. I don't think he has SA, he's probably just bored. If you are not already, take him out every morning and get him running hard. He can chase a ball, jump over fallen trees, whatever; you want him tired when you leave for work.

Try to exercise him before crate time, so he won't be so wound up while you're gone. I would also leave no bedding (towels or a bed) in his crate, because he probably has discovered that the towel soaks up his mess so it doesn't bother him! Most dogs prefer to sleep on the bare floor, anyway.

Perhaps you can try, if you're not already, giving him something to chew on in the crate. It may keep him busy until he falls asleep. If you're still having issues down the road, you may want to try leaving the radio on, and maybe using a D.A.P. Spray or plug-in, perhaps it would help him fall asleep vs. being up and active during the day.

He's probably in there for about 5 hrs. We told them to let him out at lunch. And that way he's not in there for more than 5-6 hrs. But I just talked to my neighbor about leaving him out but locked in one room with the baby gate, so that may be something we'll try (at least in the mornings before I leave for work). He's 5 months old so I know 5-6 hrs is probably his max during the middle of the day.

I'd like to trust that my neighbors are playing with him enough. He seems to be tired out when I get home after work, so I'm sure they're at least walking him really well. They have their own young dog (1-2 yo vizla) and say they let all of the dogs play together too for a while.

Thanks! I do think he gets bored. I've left toys in his crate with him, but he somehow managed to pee on those too. Now all he gets is a Kong ball stuffed with treats. I think that entertains him for all of 20 minutes though. He learned really quick the best way to get the treats to tumble out of it. I've started looking at the frozen kong treats to see if that'll keep him busy for a while.

I think maybe what I've been doing for exercise is not enough. I'll have to play with him more often or longer to see what that does. I'm so used to our 13yo dog now who hasn't been much for playing for the last few years.

I do have another problem with that though, and I may just start another thread but...when I'm playing with the dogs, the older dog is too slow to chase anything now and will growl and bark at the puppy when I toss the ball/toy. Actually Hunter barks at him when he's just running around. I play chase me with the puppy and Hunter hates it. He walks around with his hackles up growling and panting (anxious). The puppy then either stops playing or starts rough housing with Hunter. I don't like it when they rough house so I stop it and then playtime is over. One, because Hunter's not strong enough and I dont want him to get hurt. and two because when Hunter is anxious, he can be aggressive.

One time the puppy got in his face and he snapped at him, baring his teeth and growling. Is there a way to help them get along? I'd like to be able to take both of them out to play but I've been leaving the older one behind so much I feel bad, and I feel like he gets jealous of the attention the puppy gets.

When a dog get into another dog's face a fight will ensue. Hunter is teaching the puppy proper doggie manners. When you see them playing like this or play fighting leave them be. This is important play that teaches the puppy how hard he can bite, how rough he can be. When Hunter has had enough, he will snap, show teeth, or in some way give a signal. The puppy needs to learn these signals.

When you toss toys or balls, toss one for the puppy, then one for Hunter but in a different direction and not as far. Ideally, Hunter will get back to you first for praise and another toss. Hunter doesn't like the chase game because it is too real for him. You can easily put puppy on a sit-wait, run away, then call him to you front and center. Hunter will probably have a better time with that. Call Hunter to you, too.

You might already know this, but the only other thing I would suggest is making sure you praise him heavily and give him a treat every time, and immediately after, he potties outside where he is supposed to. Also use a code word so he associates the action with the word.