Dog related question

[Sassy'sMom]

I have a pug puppy that stays in a cage at night and while we are at work during the day since he is not totally housebroken yet. What does everyone use to line their cages? I have tried newspaper and I have tried pee pads. Both of them end up shoved to side when we walks in there. Is there something stronger that I can buy to line bottom of the cage that won't wrinkle and move to easily?

Thanks!!

 

[Boinky]

I"m really surprised he'll pee in his crate. Usually that means two things. 1# he's been in his crate for too long and/or #2 The crate is too large for you. You might want to either get a smaller crate or put something in the back of the crate to make it smaller. It's very rare when you have a puppy that will do any sort of elimination in a crate unless the aformentioned issues.

I do not line my crates as usually a puppy wont poop or pee in it and if they DO have an accident the little crates are pretty easy to move around and clean.

I have a pug puppy that stays in a cage at night and while we are at work during the day since he is not totally housebroken yet. What does everyone use to line their cages? I have tried newspaper and I have tried pee pads. Both of them end up shoved to side when we walks in there. Is there something stronger that I can buy to line bottom of the cage that won't wrinkle and move to easily?

Thanks!!

 

[mininik]

Ditto to what Boinky said. What is your puppy's typical daily schedule? I'll bet you need to change his arrangement so he has room to get out of his crate and potty somewhere that's okay, drop him off at doggy daycare or have someone come by to let him out throughout the day.

 

[sfmini]

Ditto what the others said. I would suggest an exercise pen (for dogs, not a baby play pen) and put down a pee pad or papers. Once a puppy has learned to 'go' in a crate, you are in a world of hurt for house training and using the crate as a tool. It doesn't take long, Lily is already able to go 8 or 9 hours in a crate now at 4 months, but to keep a very young puppy for a long time in a crate isn't fair.

Another option would be if you have a neighbor that could let it out a time or two? Or travelling pet sitter? Or, doggy day care.

 

[Jill]

Another thing -- what kind of conditions did your puppy come from?

Winston, who is now 10yo, and my shih-tzu golden child came from filthy conditions. We went to see puppies from a classified ad and didn't realize until we got to the house that they had many breeds for sale and must be getting them from puppy mills. He was only 6wks old (maybe 8 -- it's been awhile) yet was born in Oklahoma and we live and got him from Virginia...

We went there to get a puppy and you better believe I don't regret getting my best friend even if he came from a puppy mill. We told the people we had come to see shih-tzu's and they brought Winston and two sibblings out. We picked Winston and he was given a bath immediately. We drove straight home, gave him a bath and took him to see his grandparents. He smelled like poop (really really badly).

He was terrible to house break and he would go in his small crate even if left for fairly short periods of time. I started taking him to work with me so he could go out frequently and at night for awhile, he'd sleep in this pet carrier that wasn't a whole lot bigger than him and had a pet mattress that covered the whole bottom. The pet carrier would go on a low dresser on my side of the bed so he would be right by my face basically. He'd ride in that to and from work. One morning as I was leaving, I smelled a terrible smell from the crate and took the mattress out. He had been peeing (I guess at night?) on the mattress and it had gone right through to the bottom (not wet on top) and smelled old and rotten. I think because he had lived all his life in filthy conditions, he didn't think even twice about peeing where he slept.

I remember how hard he was to house break. We had a big improvement when I alone started taking him out and praising him. H would take him out much of the time and would say "good boy" when he went but it sounded like monotone basically. When I would tell him "good boy" it would be all high pitched like his own personal cheerleader. I can remember before he got it, I'd see him walk into the room (we did keep a close eye but he did get to walk around some, too). I'd take one look at his guilt ridden face and know it was time to hunt for it because he'd peed or pooped in the other room and sure enough. I think he thought it was bad to go, not just bad to go inside. He did catch on fairly fast once I started taking him out myseld (and cheering him on) and we let him start sleeping on the bed and slept light so we felt if he moved off his pillow.

Just in case that helps! I really think he'd have been easier if not having come from a dirty place. The other puppies we've raised, including another shih-tzu, have learned way much faster.

 

[Sonya]

I agree with what others have said...normally a puppy will not go in his cage unless 1 - cage is too big or 2- he just can't hold it or he/she came from puppy mill...your problems may be long lasting then. A puppy, not from a mill (i'd say 4-7 months old) should be let out of his cage at least every two hours...more if they are younger.

When we went to get a puppy...we were stuck, we both had to work and were too far from home to come at lunch and let the little guy out...so we went for an "older" puppy...9 months old....he still pooed and peed in the crate at first (maybe 2-3 times) .. because of our schedule we could never get a young puppy...they just can't hold it for 8 hours. We got our puppy from the pound....and I still can't believe that someone would throw him away like they did...he is a mix, but one of the best dogs I've ever had...

I'd say either his cage is too big or you're asking him/her to hold it for too long.

Wish you best of luck!

 

[Sassy'sMom]

Thank you all for the advice. He isn't actually going in his cage though. I was just wanting something to put in the bottom of it that wouldn't move around so much. It is a plastic bottom, and it doesn't look very comfy to walk or sit on to me. I do have a bed in there, but it doesn't take up the entire area. And I have dishes at the back of the cage to take up some room, they are the kind that hang on the sides of the cage, so he can't knock them over.

He is in the cage at night from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am and then he is out until I leave for work at 6:30 am. My husband then lets him out at 11:30 am when he comes home for lunch. He goes back in the cage at 12:00 pm and my husband gets off work at 2:30 or 3:00, and then he is out for the rest of the evening. So he really doesn't have to spend all that much time in there, at least not all at once.

The only time he ever really went in the cage was when he was tiny and when I tried using pee pads to line the bottom of the cage. So, I quit using those pads. I have actually just put a towel in there on the bottom of the cage last night, so I will see how that works. I just wanted something in the bottom of the cage that didn't wrinkle up like newspapers (and that he wouldn't chew up and make a mess with!). Something other than just the plastic bottom. Did I mention that he is spoiled rotten?

OH! So that is probably why I wanted to make his cage more comfy for him!

Sorry for the confusion in my wording on my first message!

But, thanks again for all the advice!

 

[sfmini]

Good to hear, but you would probably make him pretty unhappy if he can't scrunch up his bed just right.

Lily loves to smush hers around to fit, doesn't like the stiff one much.

The pet stores do sell crate sized beds that are covered foam that is fairly rigid, but like I said, they do like to scrunch up their beds. Kind of like plumping up their pillows.

 

[Boinky]

i agree..mine all love to scrunch theirs up as well. LOL you'd think they'd want it spread out under them for padding all over but mine usually smush them so they can rest their head and get certain parts of their body on it and others on the crate (maybe to keep them cooler i don't know).

 

[Jeannie B]

Both my Sheltie pups are crate trained. They had a couple accidents when they were very young but do great now.

I went to a Salvation Army store and bought a bunch of flannel sheets. I wash them when I get and put them in the dogs crates. I like to have a few on hand just in case.

My dogs usually always scrunch the blanekts up and lay on them. I think its a nesting thing.

My little Pom loves to lay on an old covered pillow in his crate and he has an old beach towel that he scrunches up.

I also semi cover the crates with a towel or something as I think it makes them feel more secure in the crate.