deficating in crate

Question
QUESTION: Six weeks ago I adopted a 1 year old Silkie Terrier from the SPCA. She was confiscated from an illegal puppy mill with 45 Yorkshire Terriers. All the dogs were extremely gentle but skittish when I saw them there. Since my dog has most likely lived her whole life in a crate I am having a hard time training her not to pee and deficate in hers. She knows it's a good thing to do her business outside because she gets rewarded but so far doesn't understand that doing it in the crate or even in the house is a bad thing.

ANSWER: Hi, Ann,

This can indeed be a difficult problem to solve.  How do you tell a dog it is no longer OK to eliminate in her crate, when all her life that's all she was able to do?

Quite honestly, this is difficult enough to remedy without trying to help through email exchanges.

What I would suggest is contacting the SPCA you got her from and ask them for resources for help.  Surely they must have dealt with this issue before.

I can also refer you to some trainers in your area that might be able to work with you one-on-one if you send me your city, state and zip code.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:  Thanks. I would like to work with a trainer one on one.My zip is 18040 in Easton Pa.

Answer
Camelot Dog Training
Carol Berman, CPDT Bethlehem, PA
18017 7.6 miles
Web: camelotdogtraining.tripod.com
Services: Puppy kindergarten, doggie manner class, CGC Test, private lessons, agility, behavior problems.


K-9's In Training, LLC
Jill Wright, BS Alpha, NJ
08865 4.7 miles  
Web: www.k-9sintraining.com
Services: Affordable group, private sessions, advanced obedience, problem solving, behavior consultations, behavior modification, deaf dog training, CGC, free training for rescued canines, positive reward based training.



Patricia Heller, MEd
APDT Member since 2006
Canine Classroom LLC
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
  Phone:   908-454-0209   Email:   pat@sheller.org