4 month affenpinscher

Question
I got Nisa from a pet store. I've had her for 2 weeks now. The only problem I am having is when she is in her crate she poops. She has not gone on our carpet at all. She does very well going outside. When we have her out and playing she will go to the door and scratch it to be let out. I don't know if she is pooping in her crate because she is mad at us for putting her in there or what. She doesn't do this during the day because she is at work with. When we go out to eat at night for 2 hours we put her in her crate and by the time we get home she has pooped and it's all over her. I need some help as what to do! Thank you!

Answer
Pet store puppies come from puppy mills and are generally raised in elevated wire pens or other small areas that they must eliminate in. When they get to the pet shop, they are once again in small areas that they must eliminate in. Your puppy has no idea that she is supposed to be "clean" in her crate because she has never learned that. Actually, puppies instinctively try to be clean where they sleep; she has learned to be dirty.

I would suggest that you get an exercise pen for her and set that up somewhere with her crate in there with the door open. Put down some papers or "wee-wee pads" so that she can use them if she feels the need. Make sure her crate is not too large; put a cardboard box in the back of it if you need to make it smaller for awhile. Try to get her to eliminate before you leave.

Karen