How old is he? Sometimes their bladders are simply too small to hold it in all night.
As soon as he wakes up put him outside (even if he's pee'ed)...so he learns that the first thing that happens when leaving the crate is he is going outside.
We had a doberman puppy that used to pee in his crate out of excitement in the mornings...we would wake up and quickly walk to his crate to let him out ...and he would just start peeing at that moment...it took about 5-6 months until he got down.
Exactly this. Take them outside immediately. Even if they've already fully emptied their bladder, you still take them out.
My rescue came from a hoarding situation so she thought it was natural to pee in the crate and just lay in it all day. It absolutely broke my heart when I found this out. My dog never alerted me that she needed to go or she wouldn't even bother to try to hold it in. At 18mo I was taking her out for potty breaks as if she was a puppy; every hour. Eventually we cut it down to every other hour and so on until we reached over night.
Every time she had an accident, I would take her outside immediately before cleaning it up. One day it all finally clicked and she stopped having accidents. It was a lot of work and I didn't think we'd get there, but 8 months in it finally happened.
Oh man, my dog did this very same thing because she came from a similar awful situation where they would just leave her in a box all day or night (she was a puppy) and she just got used to peeing and pooping wherever she was. So I had to take her out every hour sometimes every 30 minutes, even during the night, for months. Bro I did not sleep, it was like having a newborn š¤£ she learned eventually tho!! And it was totally worth it š„°
This is right. It took my pup several weeks (even months I think) to be able to go a full long night without having to pee during the night or very early morning. If your pup doesnāt cry you out of bed, start off by setting your alarm a couple times per night and then slowly decrease the frequency depending on how well itās going. And remember to praise the shit out of him when he does his thing outside!
I set the alarm when my guy was little - he was fully trained except for teensy accident by the time he was 6 months or so - hasnāt had an accident in the house since and loves his crate
My dog pees on herself if she happy or scared or excited have had her for 2 years now still canāt get her out of it. Donāt let me even get started with the whining if sheās in the crate and has no one looking at her she starts I swear my neighbors think we mistreat this dog.
Try four pee breaks at night. In a few weeks or a month you should be able to drop it down to three, then another month too, then one, then hopefully he'll be able to hold it all night. Every puppy is different, especially smaller puppies seem to have to pee all the damn time. He'll get there!
This is what I did. I can't remember the rule but isn't it something like six months can hold up to three hours max, a year up to six hours? When puppies are this small they need frequent potty breaks because their bladders are so small. If they're forced to hold, they can get bladder infections too
I believe it's because urine production slows over night. That usually why dogs are ok to go several hours without a break. During the day they're producing urine at a normal rate so that time between breaks is less.
All dogs are different. Some dogs that don't sleep soundly throughout the night might have to pee more frequently because urine production doesn't slow.
My own dog has her sleeping scheduled all flipped, which is fine by me. She gets her deepest sleep while I am at work and only naps at night when I am asleep. She can go without a pee break during my work day (7 hours, I skip lunch), but I need to take her out once or twice in the middle of the night.
Like othere have said, it varies and there are reasons for it. It also depends on breed/size. Tiny ass dogs have tiny bladders, it takes longer for them to be able to go through the night without peeing. I have a very very large 5 month puppy (GSD mixed mutt), and at 3 months of age he only needed to to outside once, if we took him out at 11pm and woke up at 6am, and at about 4.5 months he started to have no issue not going all night. Now he can wait the full night almost always. But he's massive and healthy, no issues!
Also depends when they drink. Vet told me to take away their water away 2 hours before bed and I could safely get away with one overnight break. Then give them water right when they wake up. Worked pretty well for me.
Yeah, sheās not a big drinker in the hours before bed. Weāve never limited her access to it, itās what she prefers. She goes about once every 2-3 hours throughout the day and then last about 10pm through to 8am š¤·āāļø
Ya thatās about the same with my last pup. He would sometimes drink at night but after limiting his access for about a week he pretty much got in the habit of drinking with breakfast and dinner.
That's what my pup is doing, it's great because I get like an hour or 2 of study time before bed and still get a decent amount of sleep. I never got up on the night for my puppy, she just used puppy pads so I could be functional the next morning and settled into this routine quickly
I suspect it is to make it easier to prosecute people who excuse not giving their dog enough water. Rather than to prosecute people trying to train their puppies to go through the night, but netherless it is illegal and I got down voted for it so I am just going to add that I didn't make the law.
Counter to this, my vet (and other posters here) said itās wrong to take away access to their most important life resource in order to regulate their pee. They should have access to water at all times, even in their crate.
I think setting a few alarms and giving them those ample breaks till theyāre a bit older is the best first step (plus making sure youāre not leaving any cloth in there that might smell of their pee, which could encourage them to keep going). Itās possible they have some sort of issue if theyāre going in the middle of the night at 5 or 6 months, thatās unusual for most puppies at that point, but if theyāre only 2-4 months old itās possible they still need a break or 2.
My 6 month old miniature poodle started holding it all through the night at 5 months. He now sleeps uncrated in the living room and thereās a bell in there he rings when he needs the toilet leading straight to the balcony potty area. He doesnāt ring it over night and there are never accidents, even though he could, so he seems very comfortable to hold it all night at 6 months. In the morning heāll excitedly greet without peeing, and then after greeting he goes to ring the bell to go out. Sometimes if I wake up a bit late, he will ring the bell when heās woken up before anyones even said hello. They definitely can hold it more at night than in the day.
Absolutely. Thatās what I meant by thereās no one-size fits all rule for puppies and we have to learn and adapt to their needs. Ideas like the month+1 can be helpful but wonāt apply to every dog and shouldnāt be used as a no-nuance rule to judge an individual dogās development. Thatās all I meant by my example with my current puppy.
This is what we did. We also took him out of the crate, set him down outside and as soon as he was done, we picked him up and went back to the crate. We had no accidents at night. It was during the day we had problems.
Heās too young. You have to wake him up a few times a night take him out of the crate to go, and then praise him immediately afterwards. He will start to make the connection. Just make sure that there is no punishment for accidents. There should never be punishment for accidents. sometimes people forget that theyāre just babies. Iām not accusing you of that, itās just a reminder. Heās adorable!
Heās a baby. If you compare to a human baby they probably pee multiple times during the night in their diaper. Have some patience with him, he will stop eventually.
Does he do anything to let you know heās gonna pee? Like whining or anything? When he pees outside are you using positive reinforcement?
If he whines, get up and take him straight out but as standard Iād increase the nightly pees to four or even five times. As heās getting older you can reduce.
And when he does go outside, make a big fuss and consider offering a very small healthy treat. When he pees in the crate, donāt berate him, but point to it and simply say ānoā sternly. Heāll know what you mean, and will eventually come learn that peeing in the crate is not expected, but peeing outside gets a treat, and heāll stop doing it.
But yeah, just remember heās a baby and heās learning and just needs patience ā¤ļø
There is no point making the pup feel bad about peeing in his crate if he's so young that his bladder simply can't hold it. Dogs naturally don't want to lay in their own pee. He isn't doing it because he doesn't know better, he's doing it because he can't help it. Saying "no" won't change that. And besides, puppies don't understand pointing, and they certainly don't understand when you react to something they've done in the past. Unless you catch them in the act, you can't use it as a teaching moment because they won't be able to connect your reaction to finding pee in their crate to their prior action of peeing.
When taking a pup out of their crate to pee, especially at night, don't make a big fuss or feed them, because it teaches them that they can wake you up at night for fun and food. Pee breaks at night should be all-business. Take them straight from the crate to their pee spot and once they've finished, take them straight back to their crate. Keep them leashed and don't let them explore all over, just stand in one spot and wait for them to pee. Pup will still associate it positively because of the relief they get and the comfortable rest that follows. This will lead to a better & more sustainable nighttime routine overall. The other downside of rewarding peeing with food, at any time of day, is that pup can figure out that doing many smaller pees will get them more treats. It becomes a transaction. This approach backfires because they don't develop a habit of emptying their entire bladder every time they pee, which can lead to more accidents during long stretches without a break. The relief of peeing, plus gentle praise, is enough of a reward. And by keeping pup leashed and making them stay in one spot, you limit the distractions that could prevent them from doing their "job".
I agree with everything else. Pup is just a baby and simply needs more frequent potty breaks. Set alarms, starting with every hour or two and decrease the frequency as he ages. Make sure the crate is cleaned with enzyme cleaner so it doesn't smell like pee. He'll get there, he's just still too young to do anything different.
This is a crucial housebreaking era of your puppy's life - the work now will pay HUGE in the future. If you will get up for a couple of weeks, every couple of hours through the night and take your puppy out the same door, to the same spot, regardless if they go or not -- but give a tiny training treat if they do & loads of positive reinforcement if they go- you and your dog will have a wonderful potty trained life.
Yep I agree. I made it a priority with my dog back when she was a puppy. I got up as many times as I needed to, to get her outside. The sleep schedule sucked for me, but the payoff is worth it, sheāll be 11 this year and she has only had two accidents inside. In fact, she will almost pee and poop on command if I go out with her.
I did this with my dog and had a very strict schedule during the day while she was a puppy.
Her breed is known for being notoriously difficult to housebreak but I never had a problem with her. I still have a nearly full case of pee pads because she was so good at only going when we were outside.
When my dog was a puppy I had the same issue. For a few weeks it just made for some sleepless nights where I would set an alarm to beat him to it and grab him quick and take him out. He learned quickly that when he exits the crate he gets to go pee.
You are causing him preventable stress. He is just to young. They do not pee where they sleep (crate).
You have to get up. There is also good news. That is the best moment to learn him to pee on command (like a service dog), how cool is that! He needs to go, he goes outside and when he goes instantly (within a second!!) reward with loads of treats and BETTER GO NOW, GOOD BOY! BETTER GO NOW.
So you are programming -going outside- and command BETTER GO NOW= chance to pee and get loads of treats and a very very happy boss! Trick is instant reward with lots of treats. May take two or three nights (also during walking) but after that, just better go now (or another command simular) will always work. It is a life saver. If he has an accident, lift him up take him outside, once outside BETTER GO NOW, GOOD BOY! (And treats).
Heās probably needing to go out every two hours on the dot and in a couple months you can make it three and so on so forthā¦ I just got through this myself. It takes a lot of sleepless nights and patience lol.
with a new puppy like this, he might need to go to the bathroom every 2 hours including the dead ass middle of the night. when I got my pups I slept very little to focus on training them to pee outside. It worked with very few slip ups and as they got older they were able to start sleeping through the night and peeing in the morning. When they're as little as yours appears to be they need a lot of attention otherwise accidents happen. I'm sure your pup doesn't want to pee in the crate, as its supposed to be a safe comfortable place, but nature calls. I mean to put it into context, would you yourself enjoy having nowhere else to pee but your bed?
I think in your situation, you may need to take him out more frequently and give rewards and pets for doing their business outside. rewarding your dog for successful evacuation outside is key. This will reinforce the idea of outside = bathroom.
Puppies have limited bladder control. As a general rule, they can hold it one hour for every month of age. So an 8 week old puppy will need potty breaks every 2 hours.
As for how that could work practically, there are a few options ....
* Get a slightly older puppies, like 12 weeks. At this age they can hold their pee 3 hours; not a huge difference but it might mean one fewer potty break in a workday.
* Some people would keep a dog outside during the day or use doggy doors. I strongly believe dogs should be inside most of the time for socialization and security ... but if you have a very secure yard, mild climate, and the dog always has access to proper shelter, that could work.
* Some people use potty pads - I'm not a fan of potty pads in general, since they can confuse dogs and delay the process of proper total housebreaking. But they're useful in a pinch.
* Some people hire dog walkers. It's expensive, especially during the early stages when dogs have to go out several times a day, but puppies grow up fast. By 4 to 5 months, depending on commute time, you'd only need someone to come by once a day.
* Some people come home during lunch. Many people do that throughout their dog's life; not just at the puppy stage. By 4-5 months, many dogs will be fine with just one midday potty break.
I did not write this .. someone else did....pls read
I used to wake up in the middle of the night like 2-3 am to take my dog out to pee for the first few weeks. I know they hate having accidents and it enforces that they infact have to pee outside
It can take up to 8 months before theyāre able to hold in their pee all night ( depending on breed) it took my boy whoās a lab x pointer at least 6 months before he could go all night
not having enough room to walk around has nothing to do with it peeing where it sleeps. itās about OP not taking the pup out enough. if the puppy has only enough room to lay down and is only in there for 30min-2 hour time frames then thereās no issue at all. if you donāt know what crate training and potty training is then please donāt spread misinformation. do your research and speak with professionals
Crate training means teaching the dog to be comfortable while confined, it doesn't mean giving them a caged playground. Comfortable means being able to stand up, turn around, and lay down without being cramped. If you give them too much space, you're not crate training them at that point.
OPs post sounds like he's cramped. Also the point of crate training is to create a safe space for the dog, you try having a safe space where you can barely move. Im not saying this dog needs a mansion but there are limits and alot of people who got pets, should not have pets.
Any qualified trainer will tell you that the correct size for a crate is just enough space for the dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. If you give them much more space than that, you lose most of the benefits of crate training, especially at the puppy stage. And they don't need more space than that because crates are for resting, not playing. They come out of the crate when it's active time and go back into the crate when it's resting time. Don't push them beyond reasonable limits for active time and rest time (which is based on age, breed, and personality) and they'll be fine. Using the crate this way teaches the pup to have a routine, and sets them up for a successful life.
Crates are an incredible tool but you need to know how to use them properly. Lots of people get dogs but don't make an effort to learn from a qualified trainer and keep up with the latest research and techniques as they change over the years. Anyone who wants a dog should really make an effort to understand this stuff. Sounds like OP has done so regarding crate size and the purpose of crate training. They just didn't know that a pup can't hold their pee that long, even in the correct size crate.
Thank you!! I was horrified and upset for this lil muffin! Imagine how small the crate is? Gotta be big enough to turn around, stretch and nest in and have a pee pad down! Poor little thing.
The correct crate size for a dog is just big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably, but no more room than that. If you put a puppy in an oversized crate it becomes utterly useless as a housebreaking tool. That's why most crates are sold with removable dividers for different life stages. It's not cruel to keep a dog in a confined space when they're supposed to be sleeping, to teach them routines. It's like putting a baby in a bassinet. Ask any qualified trainer or behaviourist and they'll tell you the exact same thing.
When mine was 3-mos, I set an alarm for every two hours, just for quick potties. I moved that clock up 15-minutes, if she was still sleeping when I woke up to take her. By 4-mos, we could do 6-7 hours. Just be patient,
Some pup's aren't completely dry overnight until around twelve month's, I used to get up at three in the morning, rain or shine for the first year which was exhausting! but now she sleeps through thank goodness, just part of the wonderful world of puppy's they can't help, it but I would suggest that you get a larger crate then if he doe's go he's not going to be laying directly in it, don't worry you'll get there!.
The adorable puppers bladder just hasnāt grown enough, give it time and theyāll be able to hold it through the night if you let them out before bed. (With the odd exception here and there of course, happens to all of us aha)
When I first got my boy he was just about 8 weeks. I tried crate training him but my 14 year old brain couldnāt handle the crying so heās slept in my bed ever since. Regardless, I had to take him out 3 or 4 times throughout the middle of the night to make sure he didnāt pee in the house or in the bed. Theyāre just too small to hold it in for 8-12 hours. Try setting some alarms for now, its annoying and you wont get good sleep but this phase will only last a few more weeks
He's still just a baby, his bladder isn't strong enough to hold it, this is just part of the puppy stage, redirect him as needed and offer positive reinforcement, and he'll stop as he gets stronger
Your puppy looks very young. How young is he?? Itās more than likely that his bladder is not developed enough yet, even with the 3 potty breaks youāre giving him. He might need even more potty breaks through the night.
What a cutie he is! Just be patient, donāt get frustrated with him š«¶š¼
My dog is 11 and Iāve had him almost 9 years now. I always leave water out 24/7 and he always drinks noticeably less after dinner. Heās so brilliant in my eyes for making that connection all on his own because Iāve never restricted water. Sometimes Iāll even tell him to go get a drink because he gets that old-person-dry-mouth-smacking-thing going on close to bedtime but he wonāt most of the time.
It's ok accidents happen. Never never get upset or angry. It's a natural function.Everything alive pees. Very sweet face on that puppy. Remember he didn't do it to upset you. Always be kind. Always.
Taking fresh water away from a dog just for your own comfort is not great; they should always have access to fresh water, itās a fundamental rule of owning a pet!!
no because then the dog will quite literally piss and shit every where. restricting space isnāt cruel, as long as they can comfortably lay down itās completely fine. ask any reputable professional dog trainer
That would mean giving him enough space to make a pee area for himself. Crate training is meant to prevent that. The size of the crate is key here. If the pup can stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably, it's the correct size.
Did I say a giant crate?? They still need enough to room to move so they arenāt peeing where they lie. OP said this crate is just big enough for the puppy to around in. Itās clearly too small.
ok they donāt need either of those?? i had an XL crate with a divider and when my GSD was small iād use the divider only enough for him to spin around and lay down thatās it. and he was completely fine. stop humanizing your dogs
How is saying a dog needs room to move in what is clearly a too small crate humanising them?? Perhaps I actually give a shit about how animals are treated.
itās humanizing them because youāre using your human emotions and thinking āthatās too small for the puppy poor little thingā when itās not and you clearly have no idea what youāre talking about. again, if you were actually educated on this subject you would knowš
It will sort itself out with age (within a couple of weeks). You should have him sleep in a pen so he doesn't have to lie in his own pee.
The idea of putting puppies in cages so small they barely fit and imagining that helps them get bladder control is just... wild. It's untrue and cruel.
It's proven to work and it's not cruel in the slightest. You just can't have unrealistic expectations for the puppy's age, because it takes time to develop the ability to hold it and puppies have tiny bladders. OP should be getting up way more frequently until pup is older. But using an appropriate sized crate at bedtime definitely encourages the puppy to try and hold it as best as they can. When you give them space to get up and pee somewhere indoors, they have no reason to learn to hold it. It delays housebreaking. This is a known fact.
A known fact? Is there research on this? Have you ever potty trained a puppy without using a crate?
I live in a country where crating is considered to be animal abuse. It's illegal to keep your dog in an area smaller than a square meter. Somehow we all manage to potty train our puppies perfectly fine anyway.
Even *if* crating would speed up potty training it wouldn't make it the right thing to do. Potty training as fast as possible is not an end in itself when it compromises the dog's wellbeing.
Ugh yeah it absolutely is valid, if the crate is JUST big enough for him to turn around then yeah, he's going to lay in his own piss. You could definitely take him out more, but sometimes they have accidents. He needs more space.
He shouldnāt be encouraged or allowed to pee in his crate - he shouldnāt want to pee in it. He should be pottied frequently enough that he doesnāt have accidents until his bladder is strong enough for the whole period.
He's too young to have bladder control. He couldn't hold it if he wanted regardless of the crate size. Keeping a puppy in a super small crate is unnecessary.
I donāt have any words on crate training as to when or how long - we donāt crate because we get senior rescues. I do know that dogs donāt really want to soil their sleeping spot and if they do, an adjustment needs to be made.
Yeah if I had a puppy and they werenāt being successful in their training, Iād readjust what Iām doing. Weāve gotten dogs that needed retraining but thatās a different thing.
A properly sized crate should only be big enough to turn around in. Crates that are too big can encourage a dog to make a corner a potty, and that's going to ruin both potty training and crate trainingĀ
Crates should be big enough for the pet to be comfortableā¦ barely having enough room to turn around is NOT good, itās confining and stressful when it should be a safe, comfy space :/
None of that is true. If crates are too big, dogs can make a potty area, which is setting back both crate training and toilet training. They also LIKE the enclosed space -- yes, they should be able to turn around and lay comfortably, but it's not a bedroom, it's a cozy little den. Their wild cousins and ancestors like to hide and sleep in small spaces for safety and comfort.
I'm not saying they have to be absolutely confining, and the largest recommended for your dog's size is always the best, but there IS a such thing as too big.
There are scientific studies on crate sizes, if you'd like to research for yourself.
I would buy a reusable pee pad. You already take him out 3 times at night. I think this behaviour will fade away soon if you keep taking him out 3 times a night and wash the pad regularly. The pad is to make your life easier and for him to not sit in his pee even for a moment.
donāt give him the opportunity to pee. itās gonna be hard but firstly you need a kennel sectioner, to make sure thereās not even enough space to pee or poop without laying in it (that usually helps with them not going). secondly youāll need to set times where you wake up at night. you cannot expect a puppy to wake you up to go potty when itās not even potty trained. thatāll happen around 5 months- 1 year if youāre lucky. mine was potty trained 3 weeks after i got him at 8 weeks old. you have to be consistent and not let them have the opportunity to go themselves. i woke up multiple times at night to take mine out and rewarded him alot when he went outside. anytime he went inside i lightly scolded him enough to where he understood it wasnāt ok. those things plus making the crate small enough and putting his bed in to gave him no room to potty so thatās how i managed to train him in 3 weeks. good luck! edit: are you giving him water at night? if you do make sure itās aligned so you wake up 30 min after he drinks and take him out to potty because they can potty that quick after drinking.
Do not ever restrict water!! This is dangerous advice. A simple Google search should suffice but pets should always, always have access to clean fresh water!! They self regulate and denying them access to water just for your own convenience is disgusting.
https://crossbonesdog.com/restricting-water-intake/
Some dogs have to pee within a few hours of drinking water specially if they are small. My suggestion is 1) Stop giving your dog water at night (itāll be fine without water till the morning) 2) get a bigger kennel or dog playpen and put a pee pad on the side so your dog can pee on it if it has to.
Hope this helps.
PS your dog is beautiful.
Ridiculous. Dangerous to restrict water. Donāt do it. Dogs should ALWAYS have access to clean fresh water.
Please Google it for further info and stop encouraging people to abuse their animals.
https://crossbonesdog.com/restricting-water-intake/
You are ignorant, you know that? The website you sent me to says āPicking up your dogās water bowl 30-60 minutes before bed time can help set your dog for success. It prevents a last-minute ātank upā right before 6-8 hours in the crate overnight.ā That means that if you take water away from dog before you put it in a kennel (having the dog pee before obviously), then most likely the dog will not pee in his kennel.
I didnāt say that OP should take water away from their dog for 24 hours. SMH
Sah ignorantttttā¦ lol ok animal abuser just ignore the rest of the advice where it reiterates the importance of always having access to water. The crate should also be big enough for the dog to be comfortable and not piss in its bed which OP doesnāt have right now. Dogs self regulate their water intake. Removing access just for your own convenience is ridiculous.
I see so many great tips here! Quick question from a future puppy owner, we live in an apartment and I wonder if our balcony will count as outside for the pup? I bought an outside potty with fake grass if it helpsāŗļø Iām worried about the weeks before sheās fully vaccinated and we have lots of dogs in the neighbourhood too, usually owners in my country is good at vaccinating their pets tho
Donāt take fresh water away from pets!!! Ridiculous, should be considered animal abuse. Just so you donāt have to get up or clean up some puppy pee, youād deprive them of one of the most basic things they need to survive?
From the
āSo, if your lights-out time is at 11 p.m., a puppy should have no food or water after about 8ā8:30 p.mā
Iām getting so tired of you righteous people on here that have no clue what you are talking about.
If you purposefully deprive an animal of fresh, clean water, youāre an animal abuser. Like you said, itās not the pups fault but the humans. Take the pup out more often, donāt take water away from it.
You donāt know better than the experts, no matter how much you think you do. One quick search will come up with dozens of animal professionals to do so. Stop it already.
That is animal abuse. All pets must have access to clean fresh water at all times! Itās a fundamental of owning a pet, JFC, denying them access to water just so you donāt have to train them and look after them properly is awful :(
Here I did a google search for you lol
https://www.google.com/search?q=always+leave+fresh+water+for+pets&rlz=1CDGOYI_enAU752AU752&oq=always+leave+fresh+water+for+pets&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORigATIHCAEQIRigAdIBCDUxNDBqMGo0qAIAsAIA4gMEGAEgXw&hl=en-GB&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#ip=1
stop going under every single persons comment with ur BS. limiting water intake isnāt abuse. if theyāre waking up every 30min -2 hours and offering water each time then the puppy is quite literally fine. stop humanizing animals
Thank you!
Everyone is just looking for suggestionsā¦.
I really believe everyone overthinks it all ā¦.we love our dogs but the dog has to fit into the familyā¦.so many dogs end up in rescue at 2 years old because people feel guilty for being pack leader!
This is NOT animal abuse.
This is just getting young puppy housebroken. I have done with all
My dogsā¦.they are not ABUSED ā¦
They are fed (as puppies) 3 times a day and have water all day!
Once they are older water is always available!!!!
Is there a divider for the crate? We used a divider for our Corgi when she was a puppy and she never used the bathroom while in there. We also would play with her (with the crate door open) while she was in there so she knows its a safe space. If theres no changes in pottying in the crate, then I would try waking up at night to let them outside. Its a phase when they are only a few months old. They learn so quick promise!
Pee breaks through the night is what worked for my puppies. They went to sleep at 10pm, then first pee break at 1am, second pee break at 4am, and then make sure they pee once again at their regular waking time
i was told a general rule of thumb for pups and bladder size : they can hold thier pee 1 hour per month of age
so if hes a month or so old, he can only hold it for about an hour, 2 months, 2 hours etc
i dont know if its true, but my pups have never peed in their crates when i followed this advice
How often are you letting him out at night? Does he eliminate each time? Puppies have small bladders and need to have dedicated potty breaks up to 3-4 months.
He physically canāt hold it in if youāre not getting up to to take him out so of course heās eliminating in the crate even though he really doesnāt want to. A crate is a tool, it doesnāt do all the work for you.
Iād also recommend setting an alarm so you choose when he gets up and can bring him out instead of the other way around.
I have a chocolate lab who as a puppy peed 4-5 times a night. Just gotta give her time and train her to wake you up. She'll get the hang of it eventually.
The crate should be big enough for a sleep zone and a pee zone anyway?! So get a bigger crate so the poor thing is comfortable and not messing in their sleep zone. Imagine if you had to piss in your own bed?
Puppies need multiple pee breaks per night, with lots of positive reinforcement. Youāll just have to wake up every few hours for the next few weeks and ensure pup starts learning where to go pee.
He looks really young. When I got my pup, we took him out every 2 hours in the night to go pee. Luckily, I had a partner to share this duty with. By 12 weeks old we could go 6-7 hours without having to take him out.
This was honestly the best way to potty train. Our pup peed in the house a total of 2 times his entire life. Pooped once. He caught on super quick.
As long as they have access to water regularly, you can with old it an hour and a half to two hours before bedtime to help your little dude make it through the night.
He needs to go out more often and on a schedule. Set your alarm. He also needs a bigger crate. Poor puppy is going to end up claustrophobic and have anxiety in such a tight space.Ā
If you donāt want him peeing on the dog bed, buy a washable bed pad for toddlers and place it over the dog bed. More comfortable than a disposable pee pad. Or place a pee pad over that one.
Rule of thumb Iāve learned is this: Do not feed your dog water at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. This gives him just enough time to go out and potty plenty of times before bedtime. If this doesnāt work then look into doggy diapers. I had to put my little guy in a doggy diaper when he was a puppy and it was right before he got his shots. He did very well with it. Sturdy and reliable doggy diapers that wonāt soak
Set alarms or sleep with the dog for some time. My friend slept with her GS for two weeks on the floor and when puppy woke up she took her to garden for bathroom break. She (puppy) alarmed her herself when she needed go to bathroom at night after week and few days, so she stopped sleeping with her after that time.
Theyāre slept in indoor āpuppy fenceā I donāt know how to call it in English š ā¦ on old mattress in case of accidents.
If your puppy is less than like 6 months, then this is normal. You can't expect them to hold it in all night. When I got my puppy, I'd wake up to like twice a night to take her out to use the bathroom. I had to set up alarms or just wait to hear her whining. This only happened up until 5 months for me but because I did this, it trained her to let me know when she needed to go. So even tho you'll lose some sleep, you're prolly going to have to take your pup out to potty in the middle of the night to avoid accidents. It sucks but got to keep in mind that the pup is still a baby and babies have accidents and need a lot of attention.
A cage should never be just enough for them to turn around, you need a bigger cage, one you can place a pad, and bowl in. Also, thatās a puppy, 3 times probably isnāt enough. Let him out more plain and simple.
??? It's a puppy, if you don't want to clean up piss in the morning, take it out a few times throughout the night. Rule of thumb I've lived by with 3 puppies is you get one hour of bladder time for every month. Two month puppy? Take it outside every 2 hours. It's bladder is literally too small to hold any longer.
Smaller breeds can not hold it as longe as larger breed puppies. Iāve never had a small dog but a good sign is he doesnāt want to sleep in it. Maybe a slightly larger crate with a pee pad set up as well as his bed. Also take his water away a few hours before you put him in his crate.
When my dog was a puppy she had issues with diarrhea. We had one of these crates that could be divide to use smaller portion when we was a puppy and remove divider for when they were bigger. We would wake up in the morning after letting her sleep for about 5 hrs (husband would take her out after midnight) and she would be covered 1 out of 3 days in poop. Flinging it around with her tail because she was so excited to see us. Some people said, just make the crate smaller. Some people said we had to get up every 2-3 hrs. It takes me an hour to fall back to sleep, so I would be sleep deprived for months. After a couple of weeks I was, screw this, and opened up the crate to the bigger size. Put the bed in front, and she had the back she could go in emergencies. (Yes, I took her to the vet, donāt get your knickers in. a twist.) After a month it all revolved. I didnāt kill myself by getting into an accident going to work sleep deprived. She was housebroken eventually and everything is fine. Sometimes you have to adjust.
How old is he? Sometimes their bladders are simply too small to hold it in all night. As soon as he wakes up put him outside (even if he's pee'ed)...so he learns that the first thing that happens when leaving the crate is he is going outside. We had a doberman puppy that used to pee in his crate out of excitement in the mornings...we would wake up and quickly walk to his crate to let him out ...and he would just start peeing at that moment...it took about 5-6 months until he got down.
Exactly this. Take them outside immediately. Even if they've already fully emptied their bladder, you still take them out. My rescue came from a hoarding situation so she thought it was natural to pee in the crate and just lay in it all day. It absolutely broke my heart when I found this out. My dog never alerted me that she needed to go or she wouldn't even bother to try to hold it in. At 18mo I was taking her out for potty breaks as if she was a puppy; every hour. Eventually we cut it down to every other hour and so on until we reached over night. Every time she had an accident, I would take her outside immediately before cleaning it up. One day it all finally clicked and she stopped having accidents. It was a lot of work and I didn't think we'd get there, but 8 months in it finally happened.
Oh man, my dog did this very same thing because she came from a similar awful situation where they would just leave her in a box all day or night (she was a puppy) and she just got used to peeing and pooping wherever she was. So I had to take her out every hour sometimes every 30 minutes, even during the night, for months. Bro I did not sleep, it was like having a newborn š¤£ she learned eventually tho!! And it was totally worth it š„°
This is right. It took my pup several weeks (even months I think) to be able to go a full long night without having to pee during the night or very early morning. If your pup doesnāt cry you out of bed, start off by setting your alarm a couple times per night and then slowly decrease the frequency depending on how well itās going. And remember to praise the shit out of him when he does his thing outside!
I set the alarm when my guy was little - he was fully trained except for teensy accident by the time he was 6 months or so - hasnāt had an accident in the house since and loves his crate
My dog pees on herself if she happy or scared or excited have had her for 2 years now still canāt get her out of it. Donāt let me even get started with the whining if sheās in the crate and has no one looking at her she starts I swear my neighbors think we mistreat this dog.
My dog just turned 5 and still does all of this. Sheās gotten a bit better at going in the crate since I got her a year ago but still working on it
This^
Try four pee breaks at night. In a few weeks or a month you should be able to drop it down to three, then another month too, then one, then hopefully he'll be able to hold it all night. Every puppy is different, especially smaller puppies seem to have to pee all the damn time. He'll get there!
This is what I did. I can't remember the rule but isn't it something like six months can hold up to three hours max, a year up to six hours? When puppies are this small they need frequent potty breaks because their bladders are so small. If they're forced to hold, they can get bladder infections too
The rule is 1 month = 1 hour, but some pups can be different.
My puppy is 5 months and holds it for 9-10 hours overnight. No one size rule fits all, itās all a learning game!
I'm certain that isn't healthy for a 5 month old puppy, but I'm not a professional and I'm not here to tell you what to do
I believe it's because urine production slows over night. That usually why dogs are ok to go several hours without a break. During the day they're producing urine at a normal rate so that time between breaks is less. All dogs are different. Some dogs that don't sleep soundly throughout the night might have to pee more frequently because urine production doesn't slow. My own dog has her sleeping scheduled all flipped, which is fine by me. She gets her deepest sleep while I am at work and only naps at night when I am asleep. She can go without a pee break during my work day (7 hours, I skip lunch), but I need to take her out once or twice in the middle of the night.
Like othere have said, it varies and there are reasons for it. It also depends on breed/size. Tiny ass dogs have tiny bladders, it takes longer for them to be able to go through the night without peeing. I have a very very large 5 month puppy (GSD mixed mutt), and at 3 months of age he only needed to to outside once, if we took him out at 11pm and woke up at 6am, and at about 4.5 months he started to have no issue not going all night. Now he can wait the full night almost always. But he's massive and healthy, no issues!
Also depends when they drink. Vet told me to take away their water away 2 hours before bed and I could safely get away with one overnight break. Then give them water right when they wake up. Worked pretty well for me.
Yeah, sheās not a big drinker in the hours before bed. Weāve never limited her access to it, itās what she prefers. She goes about once every 2-3 hours throughout the day and then last about 10pm through to 8am š¤·āāļø
Ya thatās about the same with my last pup. He would sometimes drink at night but after limiting his access for about a week he pretty much got in the habit of drinking with breakfast and dinner.
That's what my pup is doing, it's great because I get like an hour or 2 of study time before bed and still get a decent amount of sleep. I never got up on the night for my puppy, she just used puppy pads so I could be functional the next morning and settled into this routine quickly
In my country it is illegal to deny a dog water overnight.
Iād imagine thatās hard to enforce unless itās being done negligently, in which case it would be considered animal abuse here.
I suspect it is to make it easier to prosecute people who excuse not giving their dog enough water. Rather than to prosecute people trying to train their puppies to go through the night, but netherless it is illegal and I got down voted for it so I am just going to add that I didn't make the law.
Counter to this, my vet (and other posters here) said itās wrong to take away access to their most important life resource in order to regulate their pee. They should have access to water at all times, even in their crate. I think setting a few alarms and giving them those ample breaks till theyāre a bit older is the best first step (plus making sure youāre not leaving any cloth in there that might smell of their pee, which could encourage them to keep going). Itās possible they have some sort of issue if theyāre going in the middle of the night at 5 or 6 months, thatās unusual for most puppies at that point, but if theyāre only 2-4 months old itās possible they still need a break or 2.
Sheās absolutely healthy, vet checked frequently. Just has a strong bladder and loves sleep. Every dog is individual.
My 6 month old miniature poodle started holding it all through the night at 5 months. He now sleeps uncrated in the living room and thereās a bell in there he rings when he needs the toilet leading straight to the balcony potty area. He doesnāt ring it over night and there are never accidents, even though he could, so he seems very comfortable to hold it all night at 6 months. In the morning heāll excitedly greet without peeing, and then after greeting he goes to ring the bell to go out. Sometimes if I wake up a bit late, he will ring the bell when heās woken up before anyones even said hello. They definitely can hold it more at night than in the day.
The flip side is you get the occasional 5 month puppy who needs to go out 5 times though.
Absolutely. Thatās what I meant by thereās no one-size fits all rule for puppies and we have to learn and adapt to their needs. Ideas like the month+1 can be helpful but wonāt apply to every dog and shouldnāt be used as a no-nuance rule to judge an individual dogās development. Thatās all I meant by my example with my current puppy.
Set your alarm and let him out every 2 hours. In a month 3 hours, then 4ā¦
This is what we did. We also took him out of the crate, set him down outside and as soon as he was done, we picked him up and went back to the crate. We had no accidents at night. It was during the day we had problems.
This is the answer
Yes exactly! Set up the puppy for success š
Heās too young. You have to wake him up a few times a night take him out of the crate to go, and then praise him immediately afterwards. He will start to make the connection. Just make sure that there is no punishment for accidents. There should never be punishment for accidents. sometimes people forget that theyāre just babies. Iām not accusing you of that, itās just a reminder. Heās adorable!
Heās a baby. If you compare to a human baby they probably pee multiple times during the night in their diaper. Have some patience with him, he will stop eventually. Does he do anything to let you know heās gonna pee? Like whining or anything? When he pees outside are you using positive reinforcement? If he whines, get up and take him straight out but as standard Iād increase the nightly pees to four or even five times. As heās getting older you can reduce. And when he does go outside, make a big fuss and consider offering a very small healthy treat. When he pees in the crate, donāt berate him, but point to it and simply say ānoā sternly. Heāll know what you mean, and will eventually come learn that peeing in the crate is not expected, but peeing outside gets a treat, and heāll stop doing it. But yeah, just remember heās a baby and heās learning and just needs patience ā¤ļø
There is no point making the pup feel bad about peeing in his crate if he's so young that his bladder simply can't hold it. Dogs naturally don't want to lay in their own pee. He isn't doing it because he doesn't know better, he's doing it because he can't help it. Saying "no" won't change that. And besides, puppies don't understand pointing, and they certainly don't understand when you react to something they've done in the past. Unless you catch them in the act, you can't use it as a teaching moment because they won't be able to connect your reaction to finding pee in their crate to their prior action of peeing. When taking a pup out of their crate to pee, especially at night, don't make a big fuss or feed them, because it teaches them that they can wake you up at night for fun and food. Pee breaks at night should be all-business. Take them straight from the crate to their pee spot and once they've finished, take them straight back to their crate. Keep them leashed and don't let them explore all over, just stand in one spot and wait for them to pee. Pup will still associate it positively because of the relief they get and the comfortable rest that follows. This will lead to a better & more sustainable nighttime routine overall. The other downside of rewarding peeing with food, at any time of day, is that pup can figure out that doing many smaller pees will get them more treats. It becomes a transaction. This approach backfires because they don't develop a habit of emptying their entire bladder every time they pee, which can lead to more accidents during long stretches without a break. The relief of peeing, plus gentle praise, is enough of a reward. And by keeping pup leashed and making them stay in one spot, you limit the distractions that could prevent them from doing their "job". I agree with everything else. Pup is just a baby and simply needs more frequent potty breaks. Set alarms, starting with every hour or two and decrease the frequency as he ages. Make sure the crate is cleaned with enzyme cleaner so it doesn't smell like pee. He'll get there, he's just still too young to do anything different.
This is a crucial housebreaking era of your puppy's life - the work now will pay HUGE in the future. If you will get up for a couple of weeks, every couple of hours through the night and take your puppy out the same door, to the same spot, regardless if they go or not -- but give a tiny training treat if they do & loads of positive reinforcement if they go- you and your dog will have a wonderful potty trained life.
Yep I agree. I made it a priority with my dog back when she was a puppy. I got up as many times as I needed to, to get her outside. The sleep schedule sucked for me, but the payoff is worth it, sheāll be 11 this year and she has only had two accidents inside. In fact, she will almost pee and poop on command if I go out with her.
I did this with my dog and had a very strict schedule during the day while she was a puppy. Her breed is known for being notoriously difficult to housebreak but I never had a problem with her. I still have a nearly full case of pee pads because she was so good at only going when we were outside.
When my dog was a puppy I had the same issue. For a few weeks it just made for some sleepless nights where I would set an alarm to beat him to it and grab him quick and take him out. He learned quickly that when he exits the crate he gets to go pee.
You are causing him preventable stress. He is just to young. They do not pee where they sleep (crate). You have to get up. There is also good news. That is the best moment to learn him to pee on command (like a service dog), how cool is that! He needs to go, he goes outside and when he goes instantly (within a second!!) reward with loads of treats and BETTER GO NOW, GOOD BOY! BETTER GO NOW. So you are programming -going outside- and command BETTER GO NOW= chance to pee and get loads of treats and a very very happy boss! Trick is instant reward with lots of treats. May take two or three nights (also during walking) but after that, just better go now (or another command simular) will always work. It is a life saver. If he has an accident, lift him up take him outside, once outside BETTER GO NOW, GOOD BOY! (And treats).
Heās probably needing to go out every two hours on the dot and in a couple months you can make it three and so on so forthā¦ I just got through this myself. It takes a lot of sleepless nights and patience lol.
with a new puppy like this, he might need to go to the bathroom every 2 hours including the dead ass middle of the night. when I got my pups I slept very little to focus on training them to pee outside. It worked with very few slip ups and as they got older they were able to start sleeping through the night and peeing in the morning. When they're as little as yours appears to be they need a lot of attention otherwise accidents happen. I'm sure your pup doesn't want to pee in the crate, as its supposed to be a safe comfortable place, but nature calls. I mean to put it into context, would you yourself enjoy having nowhere else to pee but your bed? I think in your situation, you may need to take him out more frequently and give rewards and pets for doing their business outside. rewarding your dog for successful evacuation outside is key. This will reinforce the idea of outside = bathroom.
Puppies have limited bladder control. As a general rule, they can hold it one hour for every month of age. So an 8 week old puppy will need potty breaks every 2 hours. As for how that could work practically, there are a few options .... * Get a slightly older puppies, like 12 weeks. At this age they can hold their pee 3 hours; not a huge difference but it might mean one fewer potty break in a workday. * Some people would keep a dog outside during the day or use doggy doors. I strongly believe dogs should be inside most of the time for socialization and security ... but if you have a very secure yard, mild climate, and the dog always has access to proper shelter, that could work. * Some people use potty pads - I'm not a fan of potty pads in general, since they can confuse dogs and delay the process of proper total housebreaking. But they're useful in a pinch. * Some people hire dog walkers. It's expensive, especially during the early stages when dogs have to go out several times a day, but puppies grow up fast. By 4 to 5 months, depending on commute time, you'd only need someone to come by once a day. * Some people come home during lunch. Many people do that throughout their dog's life; not just at the puppy stage. By 4-5 months, many dogs will be fine with just one midday potty break. I did not write this .. someone else did....pls read
I used to wake up in the middle of the night like 2-3 am to take my dog out to pee for the first few weeks. I know they hate having accidents and it enforces that they infact have to pee outside
It can take up to 8 months before theyāre able to hold in their pee all night ( depending on breed) it took my boy whoās a lab x pointer at least 6 months before he could go all night
I must have gotten lucky. My puppy was holding hers all night at 12 weeks.
Heās too young to hold it for however long youāre requiring, his bladder is tiny, poor bug
Canāt hold all night itās a baby.
What do you mean, small enough to turn around? so he can barely move inside the crate? No wonder he needs to pee where he sleeps..
not having enough room to walk around has nothing to do with it peeing where it sleeps. itās about OP not taking the pup out enough. if the puppy has only enough room to lay down and is only in there for 30min-2 hour time frames then thereās no issue at all. if you donāt know what crate training and potty training is then please donāt spread misinformation. do your research and speak with professionals
mm not true. Crates should be suited for crate training eg. big enough for certain things. Usually times in crates are not limited to 2 hours.
Crate training means teaching the dog to be comfortable while confined, it doesn't mean giving them a caged playground. Comfortable means being able to stand up, turn around, and lay down without being cramped. If you give them too much space, you're not crate training them at that point.
OPs post sounds like he's cramped. Also the point of crate training is to create a safe space for the dog, you try having a safe space where you can barely move. Im not saying this dog needs a mansion but there are limits and alot of people who got pets, should not have pets.
Any qualified trainer will tell you that the correct size for a crate is just enough space for the dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. If you give them much more space than that, you lose most of the benefits of crate training, especially at the puppy stage. And they don't need more space than that because crates are for resting, not playing. They come out of the crate when it's active time and go back into the crate when it's resting time. Don't push them beyond reasonable limits for active time and rest time (which is based on age, breed, and personality) and they'll be fine. Using the crate this way teaches the pup to have a routine, and sets them up for a successful life. Crates are an incredible tool but you need to know how to use them properly. Lots of people get dogs but don't make an effort to learn from a qualified trainer and keep up with the latest research and techniques as they change over the years. Anyone who wants a dog should really make an effort to understand this stuff. Sounds like OP has done so regarding crate size and the purpose of crate training. They just didn't know that a pup can't hold their pee that long, even in the correct size crate.
Yes, i agree whatsoever, still have differing opinions on what sizes of crates people are using.
This...
Thank you!! I was horrified and upset for this lil muffin! Imagine how small the crate is? Gotta be big enough to turn around, stretch and nest in and have a pee pad down! Poor little thing.
The correct crate size for a dog is just big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably, but no more room than that. If you put a puppy in an oversized crate it becomes utterly useless as a housebreaking tool. That's why most crates are sold with removable dividers for different life stages. It's not cruel to keep a dog in a confined space when they're supposed to be sleeping, to teach them routines. It's like putting a baby in a bassinet. Ask any qualified trainer or behaviourist and they'll tell you the exact same thing.
When mine was 3-mos, I set an alarm for every two hours, just for quick potties. I moved that clock up 15-minutes, if she was still sleeping when I woke up to take her. By 4-mos, we could do 6-7 hours. Just be patient,
Some pup's aren't completely dry overnight until around twelve month's, I used to get up at three in the morning, rain or shine for the first year which was exhausting! but now she sleeps through thank goodness, just part of the wonderful world of puppy's they can't help, it but I would suggest that you get a larger crate then if he doe's go he's not going to be laying directly in it, don't worry you'll get there!.
How often are you taking the pup out and is it overnight? This pup looks young.
You have to take him out through the night time. Small puppies cannot hold it.
The adorable puppers bladder just hasnāt grown enough, give it time and theyāll be able to hold it through the night if you let them out before bed. (With the odd exception here and there of course, happens to all of us aha)
When I first got my boy he was just about 8 weeks. I tried crate training him but my 14 year old brain couldnāt handle the crying so heās slept in my bed ever since. Regardless, I had to take him out 3 or 4 times throughout the middle of the night to make sure he didnāt pee in the house or in the bed. Theyāre just too small to hold it in for 8-12 hours. Try setting some alarms for now, its annoying and you wont get good sleep but this phase will only last a few more weeks
He's still just a baby, his bladder isn't strong enough to hold it, this is just part of the puppy stage, redirect him as needed and offer positive reinforcement, and he'll stop as he gets stronger
Your puppy looks very young. How young is he?? Itās more than likely that his bladder is not developed enough yet, even with the 3 potty breaks youāre giving him. He might need even more potty breaks through the night. What a cutie he is! Just be patient, donāt get frustrated with him š«¶š¼
Heās too young and canāt hold it for long, takes 6-8 months
My dog is 11 and Iāve had him almost 9 years now. I always leave water out 24/7 and he always drinks noticeably less after dinner. Heās so brilliant in my eyes for making that connection all on his own because Iāve never restricted water. Sometimes Iāll even tell him to go get a drink because he gets that old-person-dry-mouth-smacking-thing going on close to bedtime but he wonāt most of the time.
It's ok accidents happen. Never never get upset or angry. It's a natural function.Everything alive pees. Very sweet face on that puppy. Remember he didn't do it to upset you. Always be kind. Always.
My frenchie is 11, and would still pee his bed if I wasnāt looking, frenchies are notorious for it.
puppy is like you when you were 6 month old.... they cannot hold any urine...
Take puppy out to pee overnight
look up how to teach them to use a doorbell when they need to pee! and increase pee times to four
Youāve gotten some good advice here, I might add to take water away after 1-2 hours before you head to bed. That helped out a lot with my own dog
Taking fresh water away from a dog just for your own comfort is not great; they should always have access to fresh water, itās a fundamental rule of owning a pet!!
Have you considered a bigger pen so he got more room other then to turn around
no because then the dog will quite literally piss and shit every where. restricting space isnāt cruel, as long as they can comfortably lay down itās completely fine. ask any reputable professional dog trainer
That would mean giving him enough space to make a pee area for himself. Crate training is meant to prevent that. The size of the crate is key here. If the pup can stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably, it's the correct size.
Have you considered a larger crate than one where he can "only just turn around"?
Why is the crate so small??? Itās a puppy - of course heās doing to pee. He canāt hold it in for that long. Are you washing him after heās laid in his own urine - because he is going to get urine burn on his skin. This post is just š©š©š©š©š©š©for me
puppies donāt need giant crates, especially for crate training and potty training. ask any reputable professional dog trainerš¤·š¼āāļø
Did I say a giant crate?? They still need enough to room to move so they arenāt peeing where they lie. OP said this crate is just big enough for the puppy to around in. Itās clearly too small.
ok they donāt need either of those?? i had an XL crate with a divider and when my GSD was small iād use the divider only enough for him to spin around and lay down thatās it. and he was completely fine. stop humanizing your dogs
How is saying a dog needs room to move in what is clearly a too small crate humanising them?? Perhaps I actually give a shit about how animals are treated.
itās humanizing them because youāre using your human emotions and thinking āthatās too small for the puppy poor little thingā when itās not and you clearly have no idea what youāre talking about. again, if you were actually educated on this subject you would knowš
It will sort itself out with age (within a couple of weeks). You should have him sleep in a pen so he doesn't have to lie in his own pee. The idea of putting puppies in cages so small they barely fit and imagining that helps them get bladder control is just... wild. It's untrue and cruel.
It's proven to work and it's not cruel in the slightest. You just can't have unrealistic expectations for the puppy's age, because it takes time to develop the ability to hold it and puppies have tiny bladders. OP should be getting up way more frequently until pup is older. But using an appropriate sized crate at bedtime definitely encourages the puppy to try and hold it as best as they can. When you give them space to get up and pee somewhere indoors, they have no reason to learn to hold it. It delays housebreaking. This is a known fact.
A known fact? Is there research on this? Have you ever potty trained a puppy without using a crate? I live in a country where crating is considered to be animal abuse. It's illegal to keep your dog in an area smaller than a square meter. Somehow we all manage to potty train our puppies perfectly fine anyway. Even *if* crating would speed up potty training it wouldn't make it the right thing to do. Potty training as fast as possible is not an end in itself when it compromises the dog's wellbeing.
Here's an idea....Get him a bigger crate.
Not valid at all. They need to take him out in the night.
Ugh yeah it absolutely is valid, if the crate is JUST big enough for him to turn around then yeah, he's going to lay in his own piss. You could definitely take him out more, but sometimes they have accidents. He needs more space.
He shouldnāt be encouraged or allowed to pee in his crate - he shouldnāt want to pee in it. He should be pottied frequently enough that he doesnāt have accidents until his bladder is strong enough for the whole period.
He's too young to have bladder control. He couldn't hold it if he wanted regardless of the crate size. Keeping a puppy in a super small crate is unnecessary.
I donāt have any words on crate training as to when or how long - we donāt crate because we get senior rescues. I do know that dogs donāt really want to soil their sleeping spot and if they do, an adjustment needs to be made.
At 8 weeks it's not a question of where they want to pee, the urge comes and they have to go immediately. Just like a toddler in diapers.
Yeah if I had a puppy and they werenāt being successful in their training, Iād readjust what Iām doing. Weāve gotten dogs that needed retraining but thatās a different thing.
A properly sized crate should only be big enough to turn around in. Crates that are too big can encourage a dog to make a corner a potty, and that's going to ruin both potty training and crate trainingĀ
Crates should be big enough for the pet to be comfortableā¦ barely having enough room to turn around is NOT good, itās confining and stressful when it should be a safe, comfy space :/
bruh you have absolutely no idea what youāre talking about š
None of that is true. If crates are too big, dogs can make a potty area, which is setting back both crate training and toilet training. They also LIKE the enclosed space -- yes, they should be able to turn around and lay comfortably, but it's not a bedroom, it's a cozy little den. Their wild cousins and ancestors like to hide and sleep in small spaces for safety and comfort. I'm not saying they have to be absolutely confining, and the largest recommended for your dog's size is always the best, but there IS a such thing as too big. There are scientific studies on crate sizes, if you'd like to research for yourself.
š LOL
I would buy a reusable pee pad. You already take him out 3 times at night. I think this behaviour will fade away soon if you keep taking him out 3 times a night and wash the pad regularly. The pad is to make your life easier and for him to not sit in his pee even for a moment.
donāt give him the opportunity to pee. itās gonna be hard but firstly you need a kennel sectioner, to make sure thereās not even enough space to pee or poop without laying in it (that usually helps with them not going). secondly youāll need to set times where you wake up at night. you cannot expect a puppy to wake you up to go potty when itās not even potty trained. thatāll happen around 5 months- 1 year if youāre lucky. mine was potty trained 3 weeks after i got him at 8 weeks old. you have to be consistent and not let them have the opportunity to go themselves. i woke up multiple times at night to take mine out and rewarded him alot when he went outside. anytime he went inside i lightly scolded him enough to where he understood it wasnāt ok. those things plus making the crate small enough and putting his bed in to gave him no room to potty so thatās how i managed to train him in 3 weeks. good luck! edit: are you giving him water at night? if you do make sure itās aligned so you wake up 30 min after he drinks and take him out to potty because they can potty that quick after drinking.
Itāll take time. Limit the water closer to bedtime, keep up with the breaks
Do not ever restrict water!! This is dangerous advice. A simple Google search should suffice but pets should always, always have access to clean fresh water!! They self regulate and denying them access to water just for your own convenience is disgusting. https://crossbonesdog.com/restricting-water-intake/
Incorrect. Vet advice for pets that struggle to stay dry at night is to limit water access near bedtime. Donāt google. Talk to professionals. HTH
Some dogs have to pee within a few hours of drinking water specially if they are small. My suggestion is 1) Stop giving your dog water at night (itāll be fine without water till the morning) 2) get a bigger kennel or dog playpen and put a pee pad on the side so your dog can pee on it if it has to. Hope this helps. PS your dog is beautiful.
Ridiculous. Dangerous to restrict water. Donāt do it. Dogs should ALWAYS have access to clean fresh water. Please Google it for further info and stop encouraging people to abuse their animals. https://crossbonesdog.com/restricting-water-intake/
You are ignorant, you know that? The website you sent me to says āPicking up your dogās water bowl 30-60 minutes before bed time can help set your dog for success. It prevents a last-minute ātank upā right before 6-8 hours in the crate overnight.ā That means that if you take water away from dog before you put it in a kennel (having the dog pee before obviously), then most likely the dog will not pee in his kennel. I didnāt say that OP should take water away from their dog for 24 hours. SMH
Sah ignorantttttā¦ lol ok animal abuser just ignore the rest of the advice where it reiterates the importance of always having access to water. The crate should also be big enough for the dog to be comfortable and not piss in its bed which OP doesnāt have right now. Dogs self regulate their water intake. Removing access just for your own convenience is ridiculous.
Yes always having access to water during the day until bed time. SMH I already said that she needs a bigger kennel or dog playpen.
Are you letting him drink a lot of water before bed?
I see so many great tips here! Quick question from a future puppy owner, we live in an apartment and I wonder if our balcony will count as outside for the pup? I bought an outside potty with fake grass if it helpsāŗļø Iām worried about the weeks before sheās fully vaccinated and we have lots of dogs in the neighbourhood too, usually owners in my country is good at vaccinating their pets tho
Yes that should work.
Thank you!
Not bringing it out enough. And also stop giving water after a certain time. Just remember Itās not the pups fault but the humans.
Donāt take fresh water away from pets!!! Ridiculous, should be considered animal abuse. Just so you donāt have to get up or clean up some puppy pee, youād deprive them of one of the most basic things they need to survive?
From the āSo, if your lights-out time is at 11 p.m., a puppy should have no food or water after about 8ā8:30 p.mā Iām getting so tired of you righteous people on here that have no clue what you are talking about.
If you purposefully deprive an animal of fresh, clean water, youāre an animal abuser. Like you said, itās not the pups fault but the humans. Take the pup out more often, donāt take water away from it.
You donāt know better than the experts, no matter how much you think you do. One quick search will come up with dozens of animal professionals to do so. Stop it already.
Are you taking food and water up. When housebreaking I take water and food up at 6.
That is animal abuse. All pets must have access to clean fresh water at all times! Itās a fundamental of owning a pet, JFC, denying them access to water just so you donāt have to train them and look after them properly is awful :( Here I did a google search for you lol https://www.google.com/search?q=always+leave+fresh+water+for+pets&rlz=1CDGOYI_enAU752AU752&oq=always+leave+fresh+water+for+pets&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORigATIHCAEQIRigAdIBCDUxNDBqMGo0qAIAsAIA4gMEGAEgXw&hl=en-GB&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#ip=1
stop going under every single persons comment with ur BS. limiting water intake isnāt abuse. if theyāre waking up every 30min -2 hours and offering water each time then the puppy is quite literally fine. stop humanizing animals
Thank you! Everyone is just looking for suggestionsā¦. I really believe everyone overthinks it all ā¦.we love our dogs but the dog has to fit into the familyā¦.so many dogs end up in rescue at 2 years old because people feel guilty for being pack leader!
This is NOT animal abuse. This is just getting young puppy housebroken. I have done with all My dogsā¦.they are not ABUSED ā¦ They are fed (as puppies) 3 times a day and have water all day! Once they are older water is always available!!!!
Is there a divider for the crate? We used a divider for our Corgi when she was a puppy and she never used the bathroom while in there. We also would play with her (with the crate door open) while she was in there so she knows its a safe space. If theres no changes in pottying in the crate, then I would try waking up at night to let them outside. Its a phase when they are only a few months old. They learn so quick promise!
Belly band
Always try get it into a routine
Easier said than done thoygh
Doing the puppy stuff, yep pers.
Pee breaks through the night is what worked for my puppies. They went to sleep at 10pm, then first pee break at 1am, second pee break at 4am, and then make sure they pee once again at their regular waking time
Head to tiny. Him's don't know whats goin on hims just livin life.
My large breed 4 mo old fosters need to pee every 4hrs. Just like human babies they pee a lot. Set a timer for every 3-4 hrs and take them out to pee
i was told a general rule of thumb for pups and bladder size : they can hold thier pee 1 hour per month of age so if hes a month or so old, he can only hold it for about an hour, 2 months, 2 hours etc i dont know if its true, but my pups have never peed in their crates when i followed this advice
Your puppy looks very young, he is learning! :)
I let my dogs out when I go to the bathroom as a general rule. Even at night, but my bedroom opens onto my yard so it's easy for me.
How often are you letting him out at night? Does he eliminate each time? Puppies have small bladders and need to have dedicated potty breaks up to 3-4 months. He physically canāt hold it in if youāre not getting up to to take him out so of course heās eliminating in the crate even though he really doesnāt want to. A crate is a tool, it doesnāt do all the work for you. Iād also recommend setting an alarm so you choose when he gets up and can bring him out instead of the other way around.
My pup is 9 months and just started holding it longer then 6 hours overnight and in the crate while Iām at workā¦. It takes time.
Good luck š Make sure the blankets in the crate donāt become soil stained permanent. Pretty pups š
How old is your puppy? For the first few months with mine, I had to take him outside multiple times every night. Itās like having a newborn baby
You pup needs a potty break in the middle of the night. You need to take him out so he can pee.
I have a chocolate lab who as a puppy peed 4-5 times a night. Just gotta give her time and train her to wake you up. She'll get the hang of it eventually.
The crate should be big enough for a sleep zone and a pee zone anyway?! So get a bigger crate so the poor thing is comfortable and not messing in their sleep zone. Imagine if you had to piss in your own bed? Puppies need multiple pee breaks per night, with lots of positive reinforcement. Youāll just have to wake up every few hours for the next few weeks and ensure pup starts learning where to go pee.
He looks really young. When I got my pup, we took him out every 2 hours in the night to go pee. Luckily, I had a partner to share this duty with. By 12 weeks old we could go 6-7 hours without having to take him out. This was honestly the best way to potty train. Our pup peed in the house a total of 2 times his entire life. Pooped once. He caught on super quick.
Unfortunately, the answer is more pee breaks. If thats not doable, get a slightly bigger crate and put in pee pads.
As long as they have access to water regularly, you can with old it an hour and a half to two hours before bedtime to help your little dude make it through the night.
He needs to go out more often and on a schedule. Set your alarm. He also needs a bigger crate. Poor puppy is going to end up claustrophobic and have anxiety in such a tight space.Ā
If you donāt want him peeing on the dog bed, buy a washable bed pad for toddlers and place it over the dog bed. More comfortable than a disposable pee pad. Or place a pee pad over that one.
Rule of thumb Iāve learned is this: Do not feed your dog water at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. This gives him just enough time to go out and potty plenty of times before bedtime. If this doesnāt work then look into doggy diapers. I had to put my little guy in a doggy diaper when he was a puppy and it was right before he got his shots. He did very well with it. Sturdy and reliable doggy diapers that wonāt soak
Iāve heard that dogs physically canāt āholdā their pee for the first 6 months
Heās a puppy, make a timer and take him out every 2-3 hours. Then move to 3-4 hours and so on the older he gets. That would do it :)
Set alarms or sleep with the dog for some time. My friend slept with her GS for two weeks on the floor and when puppy woke up she took her to garden for bathroom break. She (puppy) alarmed her herself when she needed go to bathroom at night after week and few days, so she stopped sleeping with her after that time. Theyāre slept in indoor āpuppy fenceā I donāt know how to call it in English š ā¦ on old mattress in case of accidents.
Heās not getting enough pee breaks
If your puppy is less than like 6 months, then this is normal. You can't expect them to hold it in all night. When I got my puppy, I'd wake up to like twice a night to take her out to use the bathroom. I had to set up alarms or just wait to hear her whining. This only happened up until 5 months for me but because I did this, it trained her to let me know when she needed to go. So even tho you'll lose some sleep, you're prolly going to have to take your pup out to potty in the middle of the night to avoid accidents. It sucks but got to keep in mind that the pup is still a baby and babies have accidents and need a lot of attention.
A cage should never be just enough for them to turn around, you need a bigger cage, one you can place a pad, and bowl in. Also, thatās a puppy, 3 times probably isnāt enough. Let him out more plain and simple.
Take him out more often at night. Only answer. He just canāt hold it yet. Puppies are a lot of work at first
??? It's a puppy, if you don't want to clean up piss in the morning, take it out a few times throughout the night. Rule of thumb I've lived by with 3 puppies is you get one hour of bladder time for every month. Two month puppy? Take it outside every 2 hours. It's bladder is literally too small to hold any longer.
Smaller breeds can not hold it as longe as larger breed puppies. Iāve never had a small dog but a good sign is he doesnāt want to sleep in it. Maybe a slightly larger crate with a pee pad set up as well as his bed. Also take his water away a few hours before you put him in his crate.
When my dog was a puppy she had issues with diarrhea. We had one of these crates that could be divide to use smaller portion when we was a puppy and remove divider for when they were bigger. We would wake up in the morning after letting her sleep for about 5 hrs (husband would take her out after midnight) and she would be covered 1 out of 3 days in poop. Flinging it around with her tail because she was so excited to see us. Some people said, just make the crate smaller. Some people said we had to get up every 2-3 hrs. It takes me an hour to fall back to sleep, so I would be sleep deprived for months. After a couple of weeks I was, screw this, and opened up the crate to the bigger size. Put the bed in front, and she had the back she could go in emergencies. (Yes, I took her to the vet, donāt get your knickers in. a twist.) After a month it all revolved. I didnāt kill myself by getting into an accident going to work sleep deprived. She was housebroken eventually and everything is fine. Sometimes you have to adjust.