Crate problem!

Question
QUESTION: My 7 month old puggle is a great dog... but she is alone all day while I am at
work and has a serious problem about pooping in her cage.  I saw a previous
poster that you answered that had a similar problem, but not exactly.  My dog
is house trained completely, but pees and poops in her cage when I leave for
work.  I  have tried to come home during lunch or have family stop by to walk
her, but she still does it.  I have already made her cage smaller (just enough
for her to  turn-around in, but that hasn't' helped.  I am so concerned that
she is sitting in her pee and poop all day.  its heartbreaking.  I am going to
try the no-blankets thing.  any other suggestions??  keep in mind, she does
go outside and she sleeps through the night - 7 hours!!

ANSWER: Did you get your dog from a pet store, Jennifer? Often, pet store puppies are extremely difficult to crate train because they're used to 'going' in their cage. When do you feed her and water her, and how often do you take her out?? Have you had this problem continuously, or has it been recent? Is she spayed yet, or has she come into heat already?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I got my dog from a breeder, who did keep the dogs in cages, but let them run-around a garage type room. I feed her a small amount of food and water about an hour before I leave for work.  Most of the time, she "goes" before I leave for work.  I don't give her too many treats either.  she gets two "puppy" bones every day, no beef jerkey or anything like that.  I have had the problem since day 1 of having her, even when i had a family member walk her every day for the first month. then I left her alone for the whole day while i was at work and she still pooped in her cage.  when i made her cage smaller, she continued to do it for a while, then stopped pooping (but still peed in the cage) for about 2 1/2 weeks, then started again.   Unfortunately, some days she is alone for 9 hours at a time, but that doesn't seem to make a difference.  even when i run out to the store or something, she does it.  I walk her every few hours when i am home and she is perfectly fine.  she is spayed...for about a month now.

Answer
You said, "Most of the time, she "goes" before I leave for work." You need to make SURE she goes (pees AND poops) before you leave for work. Take her out on a leash, 20-30 minutes after she finishes eating, so that you can be certain she's not playing or being distracted, and IS actually going to the bathroom. Once she's gone to the bathroom, you can let her off the leash for some playtime if it's safe. Then, take her out again right before you leave. When you feed her, give her 15 minutes to finish eating, and then pick up the food bowl and put it away. If there's anything left in it, dump it back in the dog food container. Don't leave it sitting in the bowl all day. Take up the water bowl at least 30 minutes before you are going to be leaving.

At her age, she should be able to hold it all day while you're at work. Taking out the bedding ought to help, because as I said in another answer, some dogs will potty in their crates if they have bedding, but will stop if you take away the bedding.

Do you know *when* she's doing it? Could it possibly be anxiety? Try giving her a squirt of Rescue Remedy about 20 minutes before you leave, and/or put a DAP plug-in next to her crate and see if it helps. You might also try leaving a radio or the TV on for her, turned down low.