Peeing

Question
My 5 year old male (neutered) beagle is a few weeks new to being crate trained. We started putting him in his crate when we bought a new house because he always peed in the old house. He did great for weeks, but recently will pee 1-3 times inside his cage. He gets walked in the morning and again put outside 2 more times before we leave(peeing every time!). He is a rescue and has separation anxiety. We have tried Kong with peanut butter, etc but nothing works. He still pees! I need help! PLEASE!!

Answer
Hi Michelle,

This situation requires more information for me to have an informed opinion, but a few things come to mind.

1. Have you thoroughly cleaned out the crate using an enzymatic cleaner when your dog goes in the crate? You could also use a vinegar solution, but an enzymatic cleaner will break down the protein in the urine so that your dog will not be encouraged to eliminate again in the same place.

2. You need to treat the separation anxiety. It has probably been exacerbated by the recent move. First get a proper diagnosis from a qualified veterinarian or certified behaviorist and then work with a knowledgeable trainer or behaviorist to implement a behavior modification plan.

The plan should include behavior modification protocols such as systematic desensitization and counterconditioning to departures, and I highly recommend an Anxiety Wrap (http://anxietywrap.com) - not the Thundershirt - that is a knockoff and not as effective. Use the Anxiety Wrap as recommended by the manufacturer, and if there is anyone in your area familiar with the product and its proper use, have that individual guide you through the process. For example, you should start by putting the Anxiety Wrap on your dog when he is not anxious and avoid touching him after you put it on. There are videos on YouTube you can view to aid you in putting it on properly, adjusting it and taking it off.

You may also use some calming music such as the Through A Dog's Ear music (http://throughadogsear.com/music-to-enjoy/) that is specifically designed for dogs and clinically proven to be effective.

Make sure your dog is getting plenty of exercise, including a minimum of a once daily walk off the property, and do not leave him crated any longer than necessary. I do not recommend any longer than 2 hours maximum, and if you have to leave him that long, make sure he has had a good walk before putting him in there. Imagine how you would feel if you were enclosed in a small space and afraid and left alone.

3. See your veterinarian to rule out any medical causes for your dog's urination. He could have a urinary tract problem that is contributing to or causing his urination in the crate.

4. In addition to regular exercise, provide mental stimulation for your dog in the form of clicker training, which encourages a dog to think and will tire him mentally so he can rest better. I just started an online clicker training class 2 days ago which you could still join. It's only $25 - the cost of membership in the Musical Dog Sport Association, and runs the full month of October. For more information and to join, see this page: http://www.musicaldogsport.org/backstage/  Click on "Join" to join and then "Groups" to access the workshop page.

5. Remove all blankets from the crate and make sure your crate is not too large. Dogs will push blankets to the back of the crate once they have urinated on them, and a crate that is too large encourages a dog to eliminate when he needs to and just move to a different spot that is dry and clean in the crate.

Hope these tips help. Good luck -- make an appt. with your vet!

Cindy