Peeing in crate

Question
I have a nine months old toy poodle. She is house trained. My husband leave her in her crate that fits her perfect no more than 3 hours until my kids get home from school. She never peed in her crate since I had her but this week she have been peeing but not a lot. I don't know what is wrong with her.

Answer
Dear Jannette,

Thank you for writing to me about your puppy.

If your dog was 100% reliable in the house and in the crate than one of two things may have happened.  One is that she may have a medical problem and therefore needs to be seen by a vet.  While you are waiting for the vet appt. give her some cranberry capsules from the health food store.  One in the morning and one at night should be sufficient.  Also give her a vit C tablet.  This will change the PH of the bladder and help with any bladder infection that she might have.

The other thing that could have happened is any recent changes in her life.  That could mean a change in schedule, rearrangement of furniture, being teased by the children, or anything unexpected that might have happened to her to make her feel stressed.  It could also mean coming into heat.  Please spay your dog for medical reasons to prevent certain cancers.

Be sure to give her a long walk prior to placing her in the crate.  If the crate is too large, cut down the size by slipping a piece of sturdy cardboard inside or pet stores sell sectional grids that you can also use.  If a crate is too large for the size of the dog, it can mean that the puppy will use one area as a bathroom.  A dog should be able to stand up and easily turn around in the crate.

Don't place water in the crate and pick up the water at least an hour before you place your dog in the crate.

Give her something to do while in the crate to eleviate her anxiety.  I would suggest a raw marrow bone from the butcher.  Scoop out the marrow and put peanut butter or cream cheese inside.  This will keep her busy while you are gone.

Best Regards,
Shelley Davis