Hi

I have a Am cocker who  i used to show. He is a fab little guy but he has never been 100% with houstraining, i was a bit lax as i never wanted him out in the rain...i know i made a rod for my own back!!!!! I dont show him anymore and he has been castrated due to some health issues.

I cage him at bed time...he is used to his crate and has had one since he was a puppy. He has just started pooing in his crate over night. I am stumped as this is a new one for me....why start pooing in his crate now??

He doesnt 'ask' to go out but will toilet on command. We have got to where we have no accidents apart from over night and he poos in his bed!! Also he wees on his bed every time it is washed, its not just a small amount like marking but a while wee which he is quite happy to then sleep on!!

I am completely at a loss to why he would do this!! Any ideas???

Thanks

Have you changed his food recently?  Any changes in routine?  Anything that might have spooked him overnight?

What about the health issues - any possible link there?  My Saffi isn't fully housetrained, mostly she's just too thick to grasp the concept (I am not kidding) but lately it's been a lot worse because she's had a big urine infection so just hasn't been able to hold it.

my cocker who is 2 took ages to house train, but she just had a litter and she cant hold the toilet in and has accidents,

This isn't a breed thing at all.  I would say your boy is probably totally confused as to where/when he is supposed to 'go'.  I would revert totally back to basics as if he were a puppy and reward the correct behaviour(as you would with a 8 week old).  Like you said, you were lax and you have made a rod for your back but if you correct it now and be consistant, it'll save the next 12 yrs or so cleaning!lol.
I've got cockers and have for years and have never had a house training issue with them.  I wouldn't have it, tbh, as it's the thing I am most strict about.

Thanks for the replies....

I think 'totally confused' is a little strong.. but i know i havent helped the situation in the beginning ;)

I agree a back to basics is a good idea and that has been my strategy over the last few weeks. He wont mess in the house during the day at all its just overnight now.

i'm going to walk him a bit later for his last walk so we'll see how we go....

alfiesmum,

How often does he poo during the day and how long can he go without going during the day? does he wait to be 'told' to go during the day- you say he'll go on command, is this for both urination and defecation?

When you say he wees on clean bedding and will then sleep on it is this while it is still wet? Is he happy to sleep in or near his poo? Does he only do this at night or during the day. Again how often does he seem to need to go?

Has he had a vet check recently and have you discussed all this with the vet? Is there any history of similar behaviour in his line or with litter mates.

Is he quite a clingy boy or happy to be left alone? Where exactly does he sleep and what kind of bed does he have?

How old is he and what health issues did he have that caused him to be castrated?

I think you have to absolutely rule out any medical cause before looking at the behavioural side.

I've got a 2 year old Cav like this, she is when crated but if loose with the others will sometimes wee overnight. I was lax when training too!

Hi

Thanks lots to think about. Since i have been more 'back to basics' he has been great. He is quite sensitive and if i get cross with him he will have accidents. I am just trying to ignore the bad and praise the good.

I think the thing that bothered me most was the soiling of his bedding...surely if he was just marking it, there would be a little bit of wee not a flood????!!!

My girl was 2 and still poohing in the night. She would wake me up in the early hours of the morning to let her out for a pooh. I had her checked by the vet who could find nothing wrong. I experimented with different foods. One night, I had the flu and I mean the proper flu where you would rather die than get out of bed lol. She woke me up and I just said, "go to bed". Amazingly she did so I tried it again the next night. It worked. It had just become a habit and luckily, my having the flu, broke it.