I have yet another problem with my Westie Pup (surprise, surprise), housetraining is finally dare I say getting a little bit better but she still messes in her crate when she is left alone. It doesn't matter whether she is "due" for anything or not. She is a determined little madam who will only "go" when she feels like it. I was just wondering whether or not she will get to a point where she will try and hold it in until she is let out? She is not left for hours and hours so I don't think it will be a case of she can't hold it but is it just because she is a pup? Thanks again in advance.
PJB

How old?

13 weeks

How big is her crate, PJB? If it's very big for the size of the dog, I suggested to a friend that they section off part of the crate to make it smaller, appropriate to the dog. This way, the dog can associate it with being a bed, rather than a room, if that makes sense :)? It's been successful for her, although obviously not if the dog's left for too long. I suggested she used a hardboard partition, attached with cable ties, which she could then move back until the crate was back to full size again.

Don't know if this is appropriate for your dog/crate, but worth a thought.

M.

M
We did exactly as you are suggesting down to the cable ties and it worked a treat immediately.
Something so simple we wish we had done it sooner instead of hoping dog would just wait like a good boy :)
He was left for no longer than 2 hours and at night he would go through until 6am. Go get your wood and cable ties now!!!! good luck PJB

Think 13 weeks is too young for you to worry, she may well not be clean for some while yet, until the pup is able control when they go, they are unable to be clean even if they would wish to be. It is normal for the poo to come under control first but you may find that you will have an inapproperate pee for some months yet.

You will have people tell you their pup was clean at 6 weeks but all are different and mine have never managed that, if they are clean it is because I have had a good few pups and I'm trained to know when to put them out.

Hi
Our pup is 11 weeks old and clean at night in his crate but only because we have partitioned it , he just has room for sleep , we gave him a big thermal blanket which covers all his sleep area so there is no where for him to go to the toilet.
Good luck to you and your pup!

Lucky old you. Please remember not all pups are the same and that all breeds are not the same and that yours could well relaps at a later date. Most medium to large dogs are able to control their bowels to a limited extend but not their bladders at 10 to 12 weeks, no matter how cramped the space you make them sleep in. Do you supply water over night I wonder.

I am amazed that anyone would expect a small breed to be clean at night at thirteen weeks and I would ask the following questions:
How long is the pup in the crate/Cage ? how long do people expect a young pup to hold themselves?
How do they know its wrong to go to the toliet when they are stuck in a cage and no one is about to watch and praise if they hang on? a puppy can indicate toilet when your around by circling around and you can quickly lift her or point her to the door etc.. but how can she do this in a crate?
As you may gather im not the greatest love of crates for puppies my latest dog is10 months old and ive never put him in a cage he was housetrained pretty quickly .
By the way imagine your out shopping and desperate for the loo and the nearest toilet is unavailable for some reason ( like a little sign up saying cleaning in progress)how do you feel? racing round trying to find another in sheer panic, well imagine how a puppy or any dog feels when they are stuck in a cage & cant get out but then the owner comes along and wonders why theres a mess.
Different dogs take differing amount of time to train.

Mattie, I do use crates for the safety of the pup at night and the peace of the adults but I would never try to restrict elimination and always use an open crate within a play pen so the pup has a cosy place to sleep but room to move, drink and eliminate as and when they need. As pups will usualy leave their bed to mess the same will happen in the home as a rule as soon as they are able to understand they need to go out they will ask to do so.

Hi he still has room to move around at night and his water is supplyed by a water bottle on the side of the cage . I would agree all dogs are different though oscar does love his crate and gets in there himself at night . Hes in there from 11pm until 6 am. During the day his toilet habits are not so good though so you can never be sure .
My parents used to have a collie cross she was clean during the day but night time it took about 9months , she would never ask or whine to og out in the eveing so she would do it where she was .