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Crate Peeing


Guest BeakerBoy

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Guest BeakerBoy

Hi all!

 

Although I've had my grey for a little over two months now, I just discovered this site today, so I'm a little behind in joining. :) My partner and I love our boy Beaker but we can't get him to consistently not pee in his kennel when we're at work during the day. He's alone in the house for about 9-10 hours/day while we're at work and has been able to make it without peeing on many occasions, but he's not consistent and we don't know what else to do to get him there. I take him out right away in the morning (about 530a) and then he goes out again about an hour later for one more chance to pee before we leave the house. I restrict his water intake in the morning and he never seems to want to drink that much in the morning anyway, so I don't think that's the issue either. There doesn't seem to be any kind of pattern-some days he chooses to pee and some days he doesn't, but he's always in his kennel for about the same amount of time. He doesn't dislike his kennel-he goes right in and will often go in there to sleep when we're home with him, so it's not an issue of just not liking his kennel either. We aren't in a position to be able to come home during lunch, so we need him to be able to make it the full day all the time instead of a lot of the time. Any help on the subject would be much appreciated! :)

 

Jeff

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Don't restrict water or he will tank up.

 

He needs to go more than once last time out. Most males (even the females) will go 3 or 4 times at least. Sounds like some days he is not emptying. He's going because he needs to go. Horrible feeling, that.

 

If you cannot get home, can you get a dog walker?

Diane & The Senior Gang

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Guest BeakerBoy

Hmm, maybe it's the newbie in me, but can you clarify what you mean by "tank up?" He does have access to his water in the morning-I just don't give him as much to keep him from over-drinking. Even when I didn't limit the amount I give him, he still didn't seem to be as interested in his water in the morning, possibly because he's extra-interested in his food. :)

 

As him not emptying fully, he seems to go for quite a long time the first thing the in morning and then he'll usually go a little bit the second time, so he doesn't seem to have any problems emptying-he always goes immediately when we get outside! I'm usually out of the house before my partner though, so we'll try taking him out a third time (once before I leave and again before he leaves) to see if that helps.

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Guest BellesDad

Do try to get a dog walker, I don't think any dog can go 100% over 10 hrs without peeing, 90% maybe. And it would break up the day nicely for Beaker.

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9-10 hours is too long. He needs a midday break -- dog walker or somebody coming home at lunch for a quick out. Once he gets used to you being gone all day -- and that can take a couple months -- he might be able to go the whole day, but he might not.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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He is crated 9-10 hours a day? How long is his walkie prior to you leaving for work?

 

I would walk him a good 45 minutes prior to you leaving for work. I would definitely get a dog walker 5 hours into the day as 10 hours is a bit much IMHO to be left alone in a crate.

 

Does he make it through the night and if so, how long and where does he sleep?

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Guest TeddysMom

He is crated 9-10 hours a day? How long is his walkie prior to you leaving for work?

 

I would walk him a good 45 minutes prior to you leaving for work. I would definitely get a dog walker 5 hours into the day as 10 hours is a bit much IMHO to be left alone in a crate.

 

Does he make it through the night and if so, how long and where does he sleep?

 

I too think that 9-10 hours is a long time without a potty break and in a crate. Maybe a neighbor, relative could give him a lunchtime walk or hire a dog walker.

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Guest lanielovesgreys

I agree that 9-10 hours is too long in a crate.

 

On the other hand, Laika used to pee in her crate every single time. 30 minutes in there? She'd pee. She absolutely hated the crate and I think it was her way of showing me. Now she has free roam of the house (muzzled because she's Ms. Destructor when she's alone), and she hasn't had an accident since.

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I'd suggest a long walk in the morning--not just to go to the bathroom--but he needs exercise so he's tired!

 

Of course you may already be walking him!

 

I get up much earlier than I would like so that I can walk George for 40 minutes every day. He's not crated (you may not need to crate yours anymore either unless he's proven to be a chewer or otherwise destructive) but I still wouldn't be happy leaving him alone all day without some good exercise first.

 

Not everyone can afford a dog walker---I can't--but I also would not want my dog in a crate that long five days a week. I only have a short commute, so my dog is alone every day for about 8 3/4 hours, and he does just fine--but I'm guessing he spends most of that time on the Swedish foam bed!!

 

Good luck!

Edited by GeorgeofNE


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Guest BeakerBoy

He is crated 9-10 hours a day? How long is his walkie prior to you leaving for work?

 

I would walk him a good 45 minutes prior to you leaving for work. I would definitely get a dog walker 5 hours into the day as 10 hours is a bit much IMHO to be left alone in a crate.

 

Does he make it through the night and if so, how long and where does he sleep?

 

Beaker is always fine outside of his crate, including at night. He can easily make it at least eight hours sleeping through the night (he sleeps on his bed on the floor of our room, so he's not roaming the house on his own). There have been times when I've either worked from home or just been home all day and he's easily made it outside of his crate for 8-10 hours without having to go outside. Also, since he's been able to stay in his crate all day without peeing, I know he can do it-hence my desire to figure out how to get him to do it all the time. :) A friend of mine got her grey just a few months before mine and he makes it all day in his crate as well.

 

I have considered letting Beaker roam through the house on his own instead of being crated, but I'm still just a bit leery of that. He hasn't shown himself to be very destructive, though he does have a tendency to hoard things once in awhile. He'll randomly take the bathroom rug, a tshirt or other randomness and just lay it next to himself. He doesn't chew them up-he just lets them sit by him. But hey, it's cute. :)

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As already stated: He has to get used to your schedule. That doesn't happen overnight. It can take a good 6 months. At that time, he may or may not be able to consistently make it for 9-10 hours. Until then, he needs an "out" in the middle of the day. Making him sit in his crate, trying to hold on and being unable to, and then sitting in pee is mean.

 

Overnight doesn't count. Dogs have a hormone like ours that reduces urine production during the night.

 

During those 9-10 hours you're away from home, do you ever go to the bathroom?

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Instead of crating him, why don't you securely baby gate him in an area such as a kitchen or bedroom (Do not close the door) leave, his bed, tv or radio on, lights (Since you are away so long it could get dark) a stuffed frozen kong, and several toys. A nylabone or a none ingestible bone so he can chew is good too. (you don't want to leave him with anything he can choke on)

 

It's not working in the crate- time to try something else.

 

I'd still look into a dog walker. When they are racing, they are let out 4-5 times a day for an hour each time.

 

Just because he can hold it that long, doesn't mean he should have to. That is unfair.

Edited by RobinM

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Guest BeakerBoy

Thanks to everyone for the advice! As I mentioned earlier, I have thought about leaving him out instead of crating him to see if that helps him with the issue at all. A friend of mine did that with her dog (a golden though-not a grey)-she was having issues being in her crate, but when she started letting her stay out of her crate during the day, she was fine. I'm thinking that I would just keep him baby-gated in the living room/dining room/kitchen area as that should give him enough space while restricting his access to the basement and the upstairs bedrooms. I can't keep him just in the kitchen though because I don't think it would be enough space from him and he also does NOT like the smooth surface of the kitchen floor. He's fine going in there to get to his food and water or to walk through on his way to the basement, but he never hangs out in there aside from that. :)

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Guest Lovemyhound

Good advice here already. I think he simply needs to go - look into a dog walker. He would benefit from being able to relieve himself and get a little exercise and activity while you are away.

Good Luck!

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Hi-

I'm a newbie too (I've had one for 6+ months and the other for 4+ months), but I had some issues with the crate with the first one and I'm out of the house for 8-9 hours a day during the week. Maybe the peeing is just a crate issue? My grey didn't pee in the crate, but she HATED it -she broke the bars, etc. Now I let the two of them roam and they are much better. I do muzzle them because the have some chewing issues, but they're much happier muzzled and out of the crate than they were in the crate with no muzzle. Maybe you could try giving him free roam with a muzzle? Or try babygating him in one room with lots of treats to keep him occupied? Again, I'm no expert, but that worked for me.

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Guest BeakerBoy

Hi-

I'm a newbie too (I've had one for 6+ months and the other for 4+ months), but I had some issues with the crate with the first one and I'm out of the house for 8-9 hours a day during the week. Maybe the peeing is just a crate issue? My grey didn't pee in the crate, but she HATED it -she broke the bars, etc. Now I let the two of them roam and they are much better. I do muzzle them because the have some chewing issues, but they're much happier muzzled and out of the crate than they were in the crate with no muzzle. Maybe you could try giving him free roam with a muzzle? Or try babygating him in one room with lots of treats to keep him occupied? Again, I'm no expert, but that worked for me.

 

Thanks for your insight-nice to hear from another newbie! :) I'm going to try leaving him alone outside his crate for short periods of time to see how he does and if that goes well, I may even get him up to being alone all day outside the crate! I also got in touch with a dog-walking firm, but haven't heard back yet-gotta try whatever it takes!

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Hi-

I'm a newbie too (I've had one for 6+ months and the other for 4+ months), but I had some issues with the crate with the first one and I'm out of the house for 8-9 hours a day during the week. Maybe the peeing is just a crate issue? My grey didn't pee in the crate, but she HATED it -she broke the bars, etc. Now I let the two of them roam and they are much better. I do muzzle them because the have some chewing issues, but they're much happier muzzled and out of the crate than they were in the crate with no muzzle. Maybe you could try giving him free roam with a muzzle? Or try babygating him in one room with lots of treats to keep him occupied? Again, I'm no expert, but that worked for me.

 

Thanks for your insight-nice to hear from another newbie! :) I'm going to try leaving him alone outside his crate for short periods of time to see how he does and if that goes well, I may even get him up to being alone all day outside the crate! I also got in touch with a dog-walking firm, but haven't heard back yet-gotta try whatever it takes!

 

 

maybe a reliable neighbor? If you have a fenced in yard, I would put a pad lock on it so there are no accidents and see if a neighbor could let him in the yard for a pee and romp???

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Guest BeakerBoy

 

maybe a reliable neighbor? If you have a fenced in yard, I would put a pad lock on it so there are no accidents and see if a neighbor could let him in the yard for a pee and romp???

 

I'm still fairly new in the neighborhood and don't know any of my neighbors that well yet, though I've met several of them in passing because of Beaker-they all want to say hi to him! One guy even stopped his car in the middle of the street when he saw us out walking because he just had to talk to us. :) On top of that, I don't have a fenced yard anyway-bummer!

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ask around and see if a responsible h.s. kid can walk him if you can't find a dog walker or a neighbor to barter with. my most reliabe dog walkers have been the kids on the block, i train them and give them strict rules and initially go on walks w/ them so they are not just taking the dog out. kids need the employment and are a lot cheaper.

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ask around and see if a responsible h.s. kid can walk him if you can't find a dog walker or a neighbor to barter with. my most reliabe dog walkers have been the kids on the block, i train them and give them strict rules and initially go on walks w/ them so they are not just taking the dog out. kids need the employment and are a lot cheaper.

 

I'd be a bit on the hesitant side to have a kid walk any of my dogs. But then again, I don't know what a "kid' means to you. I would trust my son who is 18 to walk one of my dogs at a time.

Most kids have never walked a GH before. You can show them the proper way to hold leash but kids are kids. I see adults walking their dogs on retractable leashes, while talking on their cell phones oblivious what their dogs are doing, where they are doing it and what other dogs are in the vicinity. And those are the adults!!!!

 

I'd be leery of a HS kid. A dog walker has a business to run and a repuation to keep.

Edited by RobinM

 

 

ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties.

Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi

Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project

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Re dog walkers: Could ask your adoption group if they know of any in your area. :) Trying outside the crate is good advice, tho -- there are dogs that will fuss in the crate, and then the fussing/nervousness leads to "OMG I gotta go!" but are calmer outside the crate.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Guest iconsmum

Nine or ten hours !! in a crate with no break is way too long....unfair If he's peeing in his house, imagine how uncomfortable he must be for the 2 hours before he has to let go! Confine him and add good solid exercise during the day so he gets some of his big muscles working and can lift his leg a bunch of times - you need to fnd yourself a dog walker.

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I don't think it's been mentioned yet, but I would visit the vet and bring a urine sample for them to test just in case. My grey and my mixed breed are fine with 9-10 hrs between potty breaks during the workday, though they are not crated. But every dog is different. Heck, my husband can go longer without peeing than I can, so I think we need to allow for some individual differences. ;)

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