Rule out any health issues
“If your dog is regularly pooping in his crate you need to differentiate between a training issue and a medical one,” says Woodnutt. “Before heading to your vet, try to observe your dog pooping using a camera. Do they know that’s what they’re doing? Are they attempting to signal to be let out? Some medical problems can cause dogs to become incontinent, in which case your dog won’t be aware they’re pooping. Other medical problems cause urgency which mean your dog will know they need to poop, but they won’t get much warning. Identifying if either of these apply to your dog before you take them to the vet will help with the diagnostics.”
In terms of mental health, its important to rule out separation anxiety as a cause for your dog pooping in the crate. Separation anxiety in dogs is a very common condition and something that can make you as a pet parent feel trapped in your own home. If you feel your pup may be struggling with this, we recommend you seek the assistance of a professional dog trainer who will be able to provide you and your pup with some 1:1 support.
Crate Stay Duration
Housebroken dogs have their scheduled times for bathroom breaks. When you crate your dog, make sure the time does not interfere with the dogs bathroom-walk schedule.
It would be best if you never kept the dog in a crate for too long.
Despite the myth, dogs are not denning animals, and some do not prefer to stay in them, especially for an overlong time.
The age of your dog will also be a factor here. Adult dogs can hold it in longer than puppies. The recommended maximum time for a dog to stay in a crate is up to 4 hours for puppies under 4 months old, up to 5 hours for puppies around 6 months of age, and up to 6-8 hours for adult dogs.
Well-timed feeding schedules
Make sure you feed your pooch at the same time every day. And you need to relate this period directly to the time that is spent inside the crate.
Most dogs have this innate habit of passing waste approximately 30 minutes after their regular meals. So, do not send your puppy straightaway into his crate post-meal.
Do not keep food in your puppy’s crate until you are fully confident that your adorable little companion can hold it in for extended periods.
How to Stop a Dog From Pooping Inside A Crate
It’s difficult to get a good night’s sleep with a puppy. Like a newborn baby, they’ll wake you up crying for attention or potty breaks.
If you do manage to sleep peacefully, chances are you’ll awaken to find an accident in the morning.
Unfortunately, the best answer is to wake up a few times in the middle of the night to give your puppy a potty break. While it’s a lot of work, it will set your puppy up for long-term potty training success and save you from cleaning up a mess in the morning.
The number of times you have to take your puppy out at night will depend on their age. Keep in mind that your puppy also needs to pee and they have an even harder time holding that in. Most puppies can hold their bladder for roughly one hour for every month of age. That means a two-month puppy only has two hours before they need a potty break!
