1 yr old rescue Dobe pooping in crate - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

LisaZ · 01-09-2013, 07:46 AM

Adopted the sweetest rescue Dobe this weekend

I dont know if she still settling in - but she poos in her crate (she does pee outside). She gets outside in the am, after breakfast, midday, and several times later in the day. Plenty of opptys to 'go'.

The question is: we dont know if she has been trained to poo in her crate (cant imagine) or is she just nervous and still settling in and figuring things out.

Thoughts anyone?

Rouleaux · 01-09-2013, 08:19 AM

I would imagine she is settling in from her previous rescue based lifestyle. Make sure she has nothing in her crate but a bowl of water. Is her crate too big for the time being?

Hopefully she will learn to eliminate completely outside, but as you are doing, just have patients with her poor little just rescued soul.

Keep us posted and ... PICTURES! (not of the poo... of the pup :] )

LisaZ · 01-09-2013, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rouleaux

I would imagine she is settling in from her previous rescue based lifestyle. Make sure she has nothing in her crate but a bowl of water. Is her crate too big for the time being?

Hopefully she will learn to eliminate completely outside, but as you are doing, just have patients with her poor little just rescued soul.

Keep us posted and ... PICTURES! (not of the poo... of the pup :] )

Thanks for the quick reply. Her crate is a little big - she weighs @60lbs (she's a little skinny, but her coat looks good). The crate is 48 x 30 - she can stand up in it - the only thing she has in the crate is a moving blanket and a toy. She seems to like her crate - goes in and naps. Maybe she is just settling in. She is very sweet!

domina · 01-09-2013, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaZ

Thanks for the quick reply. Her crate is a little big - she weighs @60lbs (she's a little skinny, but her coat looks good). The crate is 48 x 30 - she can stand up in it - the only thing she has in the crate is a moving blanket and a toy.

Dogs usually don't want to poop where they sleep...unless they have room to. Try placing a divider in her crate, since it's too big for her. We have a huge crate for my puppy, and I placed a pillow on one side ( that's what I had on hand ). But since she's a bigger dog, you can maybe use a long piece of cardboard or maybe even a plastic bin of some sort or something like that. My puppy never had an accident in her crate. There are also crates that come with a sliding divider, but ours didn't come that way.

My lab mix is a rescue. He was used to pooping in his kennel in the shelter, so he did it in his oversized crate at first as well. The minute we put a divider ( while he was growing up ), he stopped doing it. As he was growing, we kept pushing the divider up, so that he would have room to lay down comfortably. Eventually, he grew up, so we moved the divider up altogether.

Good Luck!!!

LindaH · 01-09-2013, 09:21 AM

Is she pooing on the blanket or using it to cover the poo? You might try removing any bedding as sometimes that will stop them from eliminating in their crate OR sleeping area.

Also, you really should take her out and make sure she is pooing before you allow her to come back inside. Be sure to praise and even treat (PARTYTIME)her when she poos. Later you can use a command, like "go poo" or whatever you choose to signal her what you want her to do.

Just be sure to give her time and not put any stress on her...tho I'm sure you won't.

domina · 01-09-2013, 09:43 AM

I meant to say we removed the divider when he grew up, not moved it up, lol.

LisaZ · 01-09-2013, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LindaH

Is she pooing on the blanket or using it to cover the poo? You might try removing any bedding as sometimes that will stop them from eliminating in their crate OR sleeping area.

Also, you really should take her out and make sure she is pooing before you allow her to come back inside. Be sure to praise and even treat (PARTYTIME)her when she poos. Later you can use a command, like "go poo" or whatever you choose to signal her what you want her to do.

Just be sure to give her time and not put any stress on her...tho I'm sure you won't.

We havent seen her poo outside yet - saw 'evidence' one or twice - will try to catch her in the act and praise her. May try making her crate a little smaller - and/or removing her blanket. Thanks for the suggestions.

Rouleaux · 01-09-2013, 12:01 PM

As strange as this may seem, with young bottle fed kittens being introduced to litterboxes you often have to cover their poo for them in order to teach them that this is how it is done. The instinct to naturally go in the box is there, but from my own experience, we had to cover his poo (my cat "Kow"). It took him a few months to get it down, but he seems to understand now...

Maybe when you clean her poo, leave the bag of poo outside for her to sniff and see that stools go outside... ?

LindaH · 01-09-2013, 12:40 PM

Yes, that is a good way to show them what area of the yard you want them to eliminate in.

OP, I meant you should take her outside and stay and watch her till she pees and poos. You don't bring her back in until she does both. You need plenty of time and not get frustrated as dogs will pick up on your frustration and it confuses and worries them...then they never do anything. Patience is your friend.

AlyssaN · 01-09-2013, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaZ

We havent seen her poo outside yet - saw 'evidence' one or twice - will try to catch her in the act and praise her. May try making her crate a little smaller - and/or removing her blanket. Thanks for the suggestions.

If she is outside you need to be there, too. You cannot train a dog when you are not around them - and this seems like a case that may need training.

Yes, she is probably just settling in, but you don't want to continue this behaviour.

LindaH · 01-09-2013, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LindaH

Yes, that is a good way to show them what area of the yard you want them to eliminate in.

OP, I meant you should take her outside and stay and watch her till she pees and poos. You don't bring her back in until she does both. You need plenty of time and not get frustrated as dogs will pick up on your frustration and it confuses and worries them...then they never do anything. Patience is your friend.

It eventually gets quicker when they realize what is expected of them and their system gets used to your schedule.