I know this is a very tedious subject but my 14 week retriever presents me with two piles every morning  he is only doing one wee at night so that is a great improvement but he poos in his toy box. I've just cut the lawn and the door was open for him to go out but he still pooed in his toy box.I never seem to catch him in the act does anyone have any ideas about this behaviour and what I should do next.

When you say in the morning, is that after you get up?  If so, I would take him outside and stay there with him until he performed.  If he doesn't do anything and just lies down or whatever, I'd take him back in and then back out again every 5 mins or so.  When he does go (outside) give him loads of praise and maybe a little treat.  In the meantime, all you can do is watch him like a hawk.  If he hasn't been since the day before, you can be pretty sure that he is going to want to go first thing in the morning, so chances are if you watch him, then you will see the signs and be able to get him out straight away - and stay with him at this stage, don't go back in and leave him.  He just needs to learn that he has to do it outside and not in his toy box.
  Hilda

I suppose the logical thing would be to put his toy box outside so at least you will know where to find his poo and give him a new one for indoors that he can't get into?

It would be as well to move it anyway as it will smell now and crate an association with smell and going to poo.

No hes poos in the middle of the night. Last thing at night he wees and he thinks thats it and lays down.I waited   half an hour for him to perform last night but he wouldn't.Its very difficult to tell if he needs to go as he goes so often, on average 6 times a day if not more.

Can you put his toybox where he can't get to it at night?

What do you do when do find his 'little gift'?

I just clear it up there is no point in telling him off if you dont see him do it as he wont no what hes being told off for.

Great - that's a good start - clean down the area with a solution of hot biological washing powder, and spray over with white spirit to clear away the fatty acids that hold the scent - this will prevent him marking (returning to the same place).  14 weeks still isn't a great age to be housetrained at night, so stick with what you're doing it WILL happen eventually.

Thanks very much for the advice I'll let you know how I get on.

Hi Ange,
    Not too much you can do then if he is doing it in the middle of the night, except as people are suggesting, move his toy box and make sure the area doesn't hold his scent.  I would just be patient - all puppies are different.  Our last puppy used to go every night in his playpen, whereas the puppy we have now only does a wee at night and holds on to do the other til he is let out in the morning.  Does your puppy have a meal last thing at night?  I feed mine at 7 pm, then all he has after that is some yoghurt at 9 pm.
  Hilda

Could try changing his feed time by bringing his last feed forward so with a bit of luck he may go before he goes to bed. Mind you at 14 week it may just be he does not have control yet.

I can tell you what I've always done and works great. When I can't watch a pup, he goes in a crate. When I'm around and can watch, he's free in the house, but I watch like a hawk. I take a pup out often, every 1/2 - 1 hour, after napping, eating, drinking, playing and praise lavishly when he goes outside. Also watch for signs....sniffing around behind furniture, circling etc. I'd get rid of the toy box for now. Maybe if his special spot is gone, he'll wonder where he should go and you'll be quicker than he is and show him the outdoors.

Hi,

I understand how frustrating this must be. I would just repeat about reviewing the last feed time, and using a crate. My puppie was introduced to the crate at 10 weeks and was given her last feed at 6pm, then we went to bed about 11. she went for a poo before bedtime, and I also took her water up 2/3 hours before bedtime. 

We got up about 6/7 am and as soon as we let her out the crate we took her outside and she did one wee, one poo then another wee, all in about the first 10 mins of being let out. I know know her routine almost every day.

The key is waiting outside with them until the perform, and then give tons of praise . I started with a titbit, then praise, now she gets  a treat every 4/5 tims, not every time. She is now 5 months old and I haven't had a accident for 6 weeks. Even before then i only had one every week.  She now asks to go out everytime.

I can't recommend crate training enough, i think the theroy is that they won't mess where they sleep, we first starteed by putting her in the crate whilst we were about the house, so she could play or sleep, for about an hour, then as soon as she came out we would take her out side and reapeat above.

We have never used Newspaper, but different methods work for different people, and different working situations.  i found it impossible to watch her all the time, so this worked perfectly for all of us. 

Shes a very happy loving Puppy.

I cannot agree enough with the last reply.  I resorted to a crate when my pup was about 12 weeks as he just wasnt clean at night, during the day he would ask to go out and no accidents but just couldnt manage it at night.  The night we used the crate for the first time was the first time he went clean all night.  We used it for about six weeks and then let him out for a night with our other dog and still clean.  You dont have to use it for months it just gets them into the routine and then they stick to it.  We have now not had an accident since that day and he is now five months.

Just to let you know that Sam is 18 weeks on Sunday and he has been clean and dry for the last 3 nights.I began to think that it would never happen.Thanks for all the good advice.
Ange