Crate Training

Question
I just adopted a 9 month old toy poodle who was allowed to pee in his crate - his old owner hardly ever took him outside and so all his really knows is peeing in his crate.  He won't pee in the house but getting him to go outside is difficult.  How should I address this, especially since I would like to try to crate train.

Answer
Like a lot of other things, it is more difficult to straighten our problems than not to cause them in the first place.  Start by fitting the crate with a rack to keep him up out of the urine.  a clean, fresh puppy is much easier to work with.  They make grids for crates, but they can be expensive and hard to find.  Check the house wares department for something you can adapt.  anything that will let the urine through and support him.  My nine wee old puppy has a vegetable bin with holes drilled in it in her crate.  She has had so few accidents, I will pull it out soon.

The grid only helps you live with the problem.  Solving it means getting him to urinate outside.  Try to pick up when he needs to go out.  Watch him carefully. As soon as he wakes up from a nap, take him out.  Keep him moving around.  Play fetch or something.  Let him be if he stops to sniff.  When he finally does anything, praise him and maybe a treat.  It will take time an patience on your part.  The praise, plus a dry crate should convince him to wait until he can go out.