My dog pees in her kennel. Is her crate too big? What to do?

Hi, The crate should be large enough for them to stand up, turn around and lay down comfortably. If a crate is too large, they will start going to the bathroom in it. Perhaps getting a regular crate but just a proper size might fix the situation. They begin to associate it as their own safe space, and if it's the proper size it will hopefully resolve any bathroom issues while being crated.

It's possible Kiara may not be getting enough time outside to go potty. Even if she goes once and then comes back in, her bladder may not be completely empty. Keeping her outside and letting her go 2-3 times before bringing her back in may help. Other options include keeping her in a gated off area until she is potty trained/proves she isn't going to have an accident, using an enzymatic cleaner on any areas she has an accident to discourage her from going there again, or even using the tether method of attaching her to you by a leash so you can catch her before she has an accident may help. Speaking with a trainer in person, especially if she is terrified of her crate is also a good idea. I'm also providing a few links below about general potty training that may help as well. https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-tips-to-potty-train-your-dog-young-and-old/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-housetraining-mistakes/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-housetrain-your-dog-or-puppy-using-a-potty-cue/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/housetraining-tips-and-tricks/

Four months is a very young age still and one where I wouldn't expect Fendi to be completely potty trained. That said, she should still be able to hold it about an hour or two, and if she can't, then scheduling a vet visit to make sure there isn't a health issue related first is a good idea. If she checks out healthy, sticking to a strict potty training routine is best. This means going out every 1-2 hours, after waking, eating, drinking, playing, etc to give her opportunities to go outside. If she is pottying in her kennel, it may be too big for her (it should be just big enough to comfortably lay down and turn around in, but not so big she can potty on one side and lay on the other.) Blocking off the house so she has limited access and limited chance to have an accident can also help. Here are a few additional articles that may help as well: https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-tips-to-potty-train-your-dog-young-and-old/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-housetraining-mistakes/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-housetrain-your-dog-or-puppy-using-a-potty-cue/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/housetraining-tips-and-tricks/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-reasons-for-potty-accidents-in-dogs/

H, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sadly if she is is going in the house she still isn't fully house trained. All rooms with doors should be closed and she needs to be gated to be kept in your site. Or she needs to be leashed to an adult until this behavior has stopped. The area she is soiling needs to be cleaned with an enzymatic pet cleaner, like Nature's Miracle. She needs to be take out frequently and verbally praised, as well as given treats, when she goes outside. Play with her for 5-10 mins. If she doesn't go outside she is crated or leashed to an adult until you take her out again. This training should go on for 3 months and she can have free reign of the house once there are no accidents for those 3 months. You can have her urine checked for crystals or infection by your Vet and consider having her spayed to see if that helps. I wish you the best!

IT may be that she has some discomfort from bladder inflammation or a urinary tract infection - a urine sample would help to identify any underlying causes. I would try to increase her fluid intake by adding water to feed, adding canned food or flavouring her water with boiled chicken water etc to help flush the bladder and dilute the urine as this could be contributing to pain and discomfort during urination

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The increased urination you describe could be due to a urinary tract infection, urinary stones, metabolic condition, a tumor, among other possibilities. I agree with you that if this is something relatively new, it may be due to a medical reason. I recommend that you have Opie evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Further diagnostics would include abdominal imaging and lab work. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there. It's often easier for puppies to "hold it" during the night when they would normally be sleeping, vs. during the day when they're more likely to be awake - so this could be the reason she's having accidents. It's also possible that she has separation anxiety, which often causes dogs to have potty accidents while the owner is away. I would recommend having a neighbor or dog sitter come by once or twice during the day to take her out for potty breaks as a first step. If this resolves the problem, then it's likely that she just can't hold her bladder for that long during the day just yet. If the accidents continue, then I would be very concerned that she may be anxious and upset when you're gone. In that case, I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about anti-anxiety medication and a training plan to address her anxiety.