Pup- Pees in crate

Question
I just got an Alaskan Klee Kai pup about 3 weeks ago.  He will be 16 weeks old tomorrow, Oct 14th.  I have been crate training him the last two weeks and have been very lucky on the outcome, except for the last 4-5 days he's started peeing in his crate in the evening and at night.  Is it possible that he can have accidents WHILE he's sleeping?  I ask this because yesterday he was laying on his pillow and sleeping next to the family while we were watching TV.  When it was time to go downstairs, I picked up his pillow and noticed it was soaked.  He hadn't gotten up from his pillow the whole time we were in the living room so we assumed maybe he had an accident while sleeping.  He's on a strict schedule throughout the day, I also let him out at 4:30-5am each night and actually watch him do his business. He usually gets up or makes a noise that he needs to be let out, but I think he is getting lazy or doing it while sleeping. I don't think that his crate is too big for him, I have it blocked off just allowing him enough room.  Last night, because he peed on his pillow, I placed a thin towel in the crate instead and again he peed. I also don't allow him to drink water after 8pm, so I really don't know what I'm doing wrong.  Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Thank You

Answer

Hi Nicole,

Some puppies urinate uncontrollably at moments of excitement, greetings, etc.. Excitement urination, as it's called, usually occurs in young puppies and is caused by lack of bladder control. The puppy is not aware that he is urinating, and any punishment will only confuse him. As the puppy matures and develops bladder control, the problem will usually disappear. Is it possible that this is what you've been dealing with?

Because your puppy was not urinating in his crate until a few days ago, you should have your puppy examined by your vet to rule out a medical problem. It is possible for a dog or puppy to "dribble" urine in it's sleep. This is usually due to a urinary tract infection, and like excitement urination, your puppy wouldn't be aware he's doing this, so he shouldn't be punished for it. A simple vet exam would confirm or rule out a urinary tract infection. If your puppy's lab work at the vet comes back clean, then talk to your vet about other causes for leaking urine in puppies. Having a bladder that sits too low (sometimes referred to as a pelvic bladder) can result in night time leaking. This form of incontinence would require corrective surgery to prevent leaking.

Until your puppy can be examined by your vet, be sure to give him frequent opportunities to go to the bathroom outside, and it may be helpful to get a package of puppy house training pads. These are very absorbent, and you can just throw them out after they've been used.

Best of luck,

Patti