Crate/Potty training

Question
I have trained several puppies in my life and am currently training another.  We are crate training him at night and while we are away.  My question is, if he pees in the crate in the night or while I am gone, do I leave the soiled blanket in there to make it uncomfortable for him so he wont do it again?  Or do I change it every time, and just wait for him to get the idea that he shouldnt be doing it in the crate?

Answer
    No to both solutions. Leaving him in a soiled crate can make him dislike the crate, and can cause foot blisters as well. Washing his crate bedding won't really do anything one was or another. If he is soiling in his crate, most of the time the problem is his crate is too large or he is being left in the crate too long. As a general rule, puppies typically hold their bladders 1 hour per 1 month of age. So, a 4 month old puppy wouldn't be expected to hold their bladder more than 4 hours. A dog shouldn't be left more than 6 hours in a crate, no matter the age. Of course, each dog is an individual and may be able to hold their bladders longer, or some may have to potty more frequently. If you have to leave for a significant amount of time, you should provide the puppy with an area to relieve itself. Try placing the crate in a small enclosed puppy-proofed area (bathrooms, laundry rooms, or play/exercise pens work well) with the crate door open. Place a potty pad (make sure they're the ones with "puppy attractant" on them) on the floor. Again, ensure bathroom rugs, toilet paper, trashcans, and everything else is off the floor and out of reach. Now your puppy can keep a positive association with the crate, and learn to potty in appropriate spots. Since the pheromones on the potty pads smell like the pheromones in urine, your puppy will associate outdoor areas that it has peed on as appropriate potty spots.
    My other suggestion regards crate size. Your dog should have just enough room to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably. A crate that is very large can give the puppy the idea that it can soil one side of the crate and be comfortable on the other, so you want to avoid that. Lastly, don't include (or include very little) food or water in the crate. When you walk him outside to potty, take him on leash to the same spot each time, and give lots of praise or a treat if he potty's in his desivnated potty area. If they are in the bathroom/laundry room situation, you can provide a little water since there is a place to potty. Hope I was able to help a bit, let me know if you have any more questions. Good luck!