housebreaking/crate training conundrum
 

I have a 6 month old female cairn terrier and we're trying to train her to do her business outdoors. We've been sticking with the crate training method and she seems to adapt well to it (no excessive whining or complaining about the crate). I've been walking her every hour or two, leaving her in the crate in between so she can't make any mistakes in the house. She will pee outside just fine, but doesn't seem to understand that the outdoors is a place for her to poop.

According to much of the crate training information I've read, consistency is key. If she doesn't poop outside, she goes back in the crate. My concern however, is that I don't want her to be confined in the crate all night if she has managed to hold her poop all day.

My soft side is telling me to allow her free in the house to poop (on newspaper, which she's always done well with) so that she doesn't have to hold it all through the night and possibly into the next day. However, I wonder if this would totally defeat the efforts of the crate training?

She seems to spend an awful lot of time in the crate (unless I misunderstood?) What part of the day/night does she spend out of the crate?

Well at the moment, the time she spends out of the crate is during her walks outside. I would like to have her play inside the house but to my understanding, the whole point of crate training was to prevent any accidents from occurring in the house. From experience, I know that if she doesn't poop outside, she'll poop inside on the papers within a few minutes of being released from the crate.

I have never been a fan of paper training. I am a fan of paying constant attention to the pup and getting them outside regularly. I have two four month old Alaskan Malamutes and both were trained to sleep in crates, but were lose in the house with us so long as we were there to watch. There were occasional accidents, but really not many. It's all about consistancy, yes, but that can just be you taking the dog out every 20 minutes. They really should only be crated when you can't watch them. If you want to have the pup out of the crate try tethering her to you with a leash. She goes where you go. Tie the leash around your waist if it's easier. But if she's attached to you she won't be able to wander off and have an accident, you will be paying attention to her and see when she starts acting as if she needs to go. You will quicky learn her signs. When she goes outside your exuberant praise will quickly teach her that's the place to go. At six months she should certainly be able to learn this. Good luck.

[QUOTE=sgrey;1056508]I have a 6 month old female cairn terrier and we're trying to train her to do her business outdoors. We've been sticking with the crate training method and she seems to adapt well to it (no excessive whining or complaining about the crate). I've been walking her every hour or two, leaving her in the crate in between so she can't make any mistakes in the house. She will pee outside just fine, but doesn't seem to understand that the outdoors is a place for her to poop.

According to much of the crate training information I've read, consistency is key. If she doesn't poop outside, she goes back in the crate. My concern however, is that I don't want her to be confined in the crate all night if she has managed to hold her poop all day.

My soft side is telling me to allow her free in the house to poop (on newspaper, which she's always done well with) so that she doesn't have to hold it all through the night and possibly into the next day. However, I wonder if this would totally defeat the efforts of the crate training?[/QUOTE]
I do not understand this method at all. The puppy has no idea why she being put into crate all the time. When does the poor puppy get to play and this help her to have a movement easier. Maybe if your dog got more exercise she poop when you take her out.

I think your puppy is spending much time in the crate - for what I understand - If you are home with the puppy, don't put her on the crate, play with her, keep a close eye on her, and take her out often, even if she doesn't go she can start getting familiar with it, and is also better to go out a lot than clean up a lot of messes in the house.

I think your dog needs to be around the house, otherwise how will she get familiar with the door to go outside? accidents are going to happen when she is learning no matter what, but you have to be consistent and patient. Our puppy took a while to learn to ask to go outside; once I sort of learned his routine I would hold him from the sides and help him walk to the door :D may sound silly, but it worked he now goes to the door all by him self. :thumbs up

I agree with everyone. If you want, block off a room, say the kitchen that way at least she's confined to one area and easier to clean, even better if your kitchen has a door to outside. You don't say if you're free feeding but if you are then it's easier to train them if they have a set meal. I've found it's usually eat, play, poop, sleep! Playing gets everything moving and you're with them so you can see when they start sniffing around looking for their spot. My dog is well past the puppy stage but for years her routine is to poop in the morning. Oh and of course, the better quality the food, the less poop, less junk in, less junk out!!

I agree that she's spending far too much time in the crate.

When she's not in the crate, keep her tethered to you if you want to ensure you can always keep your eyes on her. When you notice she's about to have an accident, she's right there to be scooped up and taken outside to finish her business.