6 Mo old Boxer deficating in crate and floor (Sometimes)

Question
Hello,

My boyfriend and I adopted our boxer when he was about 2 months old. He is 6 months old now and neutered as of last week.  He has an awful time of vocalizing that he NEEDS to go outside.  He will go to the door and stand there, but never barks.  We can only watch him so much, so he then just stands there goes back to living room and pees.  This has been going on for maybe 10 times since we adopted him.  He knows its wrong, and when he does this, we immediately take him outside to go 'potty'.  He knows the words 'potty outside' and we praise him when he goes every time.  Today was not a good day with him.  This morning he peed in his crate which my boyfriend said the pup tried to lick up (this was early in the morning, he is usually able to hold it over night), and tonight (after already being let out) pooped in his crate  after only being in there for an hour, and I see he tried to eat it, to maybe cover it up?  He only has peed in his crate maybe twice since we got 4 months ago... so I am horrified.  He was doing so well - so I am very confused.  We feed him in the afternoon.  He refuses to eat much in the morning.  He gets water during the day, but I also give ice cubes (his favorite) to try and slow down his need to go outside all the time.  We feed him Science Diet puppy formula, which he seems to really like.  

I am afraid hes going to make himself sick eating his feces and his pee.  I don't know what to do.  I've never seen a dog eat his own feces, is this because we neutered him?  I am not sure if this is some bad habit he learned at doggie daycare..

What should we do to get him to vocalize his need to go outside?  We try to learn his hints, but they are so vague.. sometimes we think he just wants to go roam for the cats.  I am not sure how to combat the fecal problem as well.. All advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Dear Shauna,
Thanks for writing. Sorry for the delay in responding. I should have placed myself on vacation as the holiday season keeps me away from my computer.

House training can be a very frustrating experience. Changes in schedules, diets and many other things can cause setbacks. It can be a roller coaster ride for sure. It sounds as if you are doing lots of stuff right. The ice cubes are a nice touch.

Many pups eat feces, either their own or other animals'. Usually puppies grow out of the stage.

Some adult dogs eat feces. It's how bitches with newborn puppies keep their nest clean. Since the puppies are too young to walk, they eliminate wherever they are laying. Momma dog cleans this via consumption.

Consuming other dogs' feces places a dog at risk for contracting many diseases, but I've never heard of puppies that get life threatening diseases by consuming their own feces. Ask you vet, because I'm not a medical expert.

At this point your pup is not really house trained and should never be free to roam into a back room. You must always supervise him.

Place his meals on a schedule. Give him a few minutes to eat and then take the bowl with any uneaten food away. Keep a log of feeding and elimination so you'll know when he is likely to NEED to go out. You'll see a pattern in his habits.

Teaching a dog to ring a bell is my favorite method for signaling. It's easy to do if you use a clicker or some sort of marker. You might invest in a clicker training book. Clicking With Your Dog is a good book, Peggy Tillman is the author.

Hang in there, never give him opp;opportunities to eliminate inside and he will "become" house trained. Never punish him for eliminating inside. That won't teach him where to go but will teach him to avoid you when he needs to eliminate.

Visit my web site for instructions about house training. Thanks for writing. Good Luck!

Alan J Turner
http://howsbentley.com