Potty Training Question

[Guest NorTex]

My non grey, Lucy, is 15 weeks old. We've been working pretty hard with her potty training so that we can get on through this stage of puppyhood. Lucy has been doing well not pottying on the rugs and doing a little crying to get our attention when she needs to go out. But one problem we've been having is that her bed that is in her crate will begin to smell like urine. It's not a super pungent scent, it's very light but nonetheless it's still there.

At night, Lucy goes in her crate after going to the bathroom outside. She'll lay down and go right to sleep between 1030 and 11 pm. She usually begins to stir between 6 and 7 the next morning (which wakes me up every time) and I'll take her outside for her morning business. I've tried taking her out in the middle of the night and sometimes she has a fit and decides that she doesn't want to do any business and just wants to play. The problem is, I just don't understand when she's making these messes in her crate. she always cries when she needs to go out and the smallest noise from her usually wakes me up. It just really bothers me that she's soiling her crate because it's not wet when I get her and I feel like a bad mom for pretty much making her sleep in her urine.

 

Is there anything I can do?

[JAJ2010]

Maybe a UTI? Not sure what age puppies start to hold their pee overnight... you might have to set an alarm earlier to let her out to pee. Or make her crate smaller so she's more incline to hold it?

[GeorgeofNE]

I'd be delighted if my dog could hold it from 11 PM to 7 AM! I haven't slept past about 5:30 in four years, and prior to that, it was 13 years, up at 6 AM, every single day!

 

I'd personally take the dog bed OUT of the crate and replace it with old towels that can be washed any time she has an accident. If you can smell urine on the bed, she sure can, and it may be indicating to her that it's an OK place to go.

[cleptogrey]

i do not even think of putting a bed in the crate until the pup is much, much older. it sounds like she is on her way towards being potty trained, it does take a while. here are a couple of suggestions that might help.

 

only one towel in crate, do wash the entire crate w/ vinegar and water. it really is cheap and kills the smell.

 

try crating her in your bedroom, she might just sleep better and you will hear her get up and quick let her out, catch her "before the act". i had to do this w/ felix my last puppy, he was getting up a couple of times a night.

 

is she still teething? some dogs loose their teeth quickly, some don't. i never bother w/ housebreaking until they finish their teething, it's like walking and chewing gum at the same time- some people just can't do it. pups are pups, one thing at a time.

 

she might be getting up at daybreak, pretty normal, if she is in your room you can let her out, don't say a word, recate her after she does her business and go back to sleep. all of this is pretty normal for a puppy, that's having a young puppy around- they do mature. cat naps...try it if you can!

[Guest Amberm5151]

She doesnt do any of this overnight just during the day. She sleeps out in our bedroom from 10-5 everynight. She has one more tooth to fall out in front. If I put a towle in her kennel she pees on it so she doesnt get on, she does better most days without it.

[cleptogrey]

so, forget the towel. make sure she has her kongs and other interesting things to keep her busy(maybe marrow bone, hoofs- filled and frozen, but nothing to rip up) and of course a hanging bucket w/ water. not filled to the top, but water. i used to stuff kongs w/ kibble and canned dog food and it kept my pup busy. she most likely needs to be turned out every 4 hrs. that will change. she is just a puppy, it can be nerve racking but lots of fun. ENJOY!