My daschund

Question
QUESTION: We have a 7 mnth old Mini who messes in her bed if she is crated at night. We brought her to bed with us because she doesn't mess in our bed, we thought that this would help her realize that she can hold it all night. And she does. But when she is in her crate she pees. She doesn't poop. That extends to a tendancy to mess on cloth she finds around the house if I don't pay attention and put her outside. That part is getting better all the time, but at night if in her crate she will pee everytime. I haven't left her in the crate without a blanket or something cause it tends to get cool. So I don't know what to do. Help, this is making the entire housetraining bit take longer I'm sure

ANSWER: Where did you get the pup from? If she was from a pet shop, she probably never had a chance to make a choice about peeing somewhere she can't get away from it. Is she trained to outside or to papers or pads? Pads and paper can be hard for a dog to differentiate from rugs, beds and clothes. I might try a different kind of confinement - possibly an exercise pen or a baby-gated utility room. Go out with her and praise her for going outside, and go out more often than you think she actually needs to. If you have opted for a place where she potties inside, I'd use a litter box (they make litter for dogs) instead of a soft flat surface. It's more like "outside" and less like other soft smooth absorbant surfaces in your house. You also need to clean "accident" locations with a good enzymatic cleaner. Sandy Case MEd CPDT  www.positivelycanine.com

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QUESTION: She did come from the local shop, from a breeder near by. I did have training mats, but we stopped using them as we transition to outside, now if we visit somewhere that has mats she doesn't even look at them. I just am a bit frustrated by the fact that she knows not to pee in our bed, and hold it all night. But if she is in the crate or in our bathroom (she's in heat or we're sick etc.) she goes ahead and just pees. Most of the time she will whine very quietly at the door, but I never hear her whine during the night. Unless it's cause she wants to be with us. I don't want to run her outside everytime she wimpers because she's lonely

ANSWER: I'm sure she'd rather be with you, and probably doesn't want to pee where you sleep. But being confined to a crate or in a small area is probably a lot like the pet shop where she learned to eliminate where she could, because she didn't have other options. I'd give her the option of the litter box and see if that helps, and while you don't want to "spring" her for whining - since that reinforces whining, I'd be taking her out more often than you think she actually needs to, and praising her for going outside (going with her - not just sending her outside). It's work, yes. But what it is going to take to housetrain her. You can also teach her a way to let you know when she needs to go outside - like ringing a bell hung on a doorknob. I have to ask, if she's a pet shop puppy, why she's not spayed yet. But of course that's your business. I would also check with the vet to be sure she doesn't have a urinary tract infection or a defect that would make her more likely to have trouble holding it. Sometimes dogs with a physical issue are able to control urination (with difficulty) in some situations, but in other situations, they still may have to go. Sandy Case MEd, CPDT www.positivelycanine.com

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QUESTION: I have bought a few books, nd looked in a few others specifically about mini daschund and they say that i should not fix her until she is a year old. It didn't expand on why so I have left it at that. Since I read it in a few sources i figured it was sound. Is this misguided?

Answer
As long as you can carefully supervise her when she is in season, a year is okay. There are pros and cons to waiting, but I actually prefer it to really early spay and neuter. She will have probably come in once before then. The important thing is to remember that male dogs (of any breed) will go to extremes to be able to get to her. If a big dog gets to her, it could kill her to have the pups. I had one friend whose neigbor's dog actually broke through her door and bred her dog in her house, when she was not home. Unless you're in a situation to work towards improving the breed, and in a position to keep puppies until you find the perfect home, and be able to take back your pups at any time during their life ,it is wisest not to breed and healthiest for females to be spayed though.