Question
Miss Lowla at the Coas
QUESTION: Hi there, we have a very sweet 3 yr old basset who has recently made a habit of pooping in her crate overnight. She is outside in a sheltered dog run all day, (7am - 10pm) and quite playful with our much older black lab when she is outside. They are fed first thing in the morning - just that once. She poops at least twice a day in the run, so I am not sure how she has more at night. I was wondering if this is happening because we wake her from a nap when we bring her inside to her crate, and her body clock is telling her it's poop time...this has happened 4 times in the last month...any suggestions would be welcomed!
ANSWER: What are the dimensions of the dog run and what are the dimensions of her crate?
How long have you had her?
What type of method did you use to housetrain her?
Why is she kept outdoors?
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for your quick response! The dog run is 20' x 8'
Crate is about 2' x 3' or less.
We've had her for 2 years
She was house trained when we got her. She was a co-worker's pet who could not take care of her anymore, so we took her in.
She's kept outdoors because we work all day (and we don't want her chasing the cat all around the house during the day). I am able to walk her in the evenings when I come home from work. We want her outside for the sun and playtime she is entitled to.
AnswerHi, no problem :)
The dog run is plenty big enough but it's still enclosed and essentially where she 'lives'. She has also learned to toilet where she lives and her crate is no different. You often see this behavior in dogs that live in an enclosed space such as a pet store cage, a run, a crate, etc.
You say you keep her outside while you're at work. I don't know what type of jobs you and your partner hold but its doubtful that you each spend 15 hours a day at work. Of course she is entitled to play time and sunshine, however, what about the human companionship she's entitled to?
Let's look at it from her point of view. A few assumptions will have to be made so bear with me.
You put her in her run at 0700. Take her out and put her directly into her crate at 2200. You get up at 0500-0600 and let her out of the crate. She's back in the run at 0700. Aside from the one walk a day, what type of human interaction is she getting? She is essentially locked in a cage 22-24 hours a day.
Dogs have been genetically modified over hundreds of years to be our companions. Because of this, they thrive on it (typically). There are breeds that are a bit on the loner side, a Basset is not one of them, nor is a lab.
Unfortunately, you're going to have to make some major changes in the way you see her and treat her or deal with the occasional mess in the crate. Because she's an outside dog, she is generally left to her own devices. There is no supervision or consistent interaction.
She can be taught to leave the cat alone. They can be separated. There are all manners of things you can do that will enable you to make her a part of the family...indoors.
If you do not want to do this, in order to break her of the crate elimination, you will also need to break her of eliminating in the run. At this point, that would be a great undertaking.
If you don't want her inside during the day, why is she not brought in when everyone is home? You won't be able to change any of her behaviors, including this one, if you don't want her in the home. Dogs learning is based on consistency, supervision and patience.
