My 10 month old puppy is clean in the crate overnight but when I crate him during the day he pees in there about 50% of the time. He's been checked for a bladder infection and he's fine. Do you have any suggestions?

Dear Cindy (and you too Ed),

I have a 10 month old Bulldog/boxer puppy who I got at 8 weeks. I have been home day and night with him for the last 6 months and I am returning to full time work in the next few weeks. He is never allowed to roam freely unattended as he is the equivalent of a drunk toddler; as I have always been home usually its a drag line or ex-pen. He sleeps like the righteous in his crate all night - no accidents. However when I do crate him for a few hours during the day its a 50/50 chance he peed.

I take his water away appx 2-3 hrs before putting him in, and a quick drag around the block to unplug the waterworks - so he is on empty when I leave.

It is not a large amount of pee. The dog has been checked for a bladder infection just in case - he is fine. Sadly, the lady who would normally check in on him midday died a few weeks ago.

Do you have any suggestions on building him up to leaving him alone for 8 hrs a day? No one wants to come home to a 62 lb urine soaked puppy.

Thank you so very much Cindy!

Simple advice clearly stated was what I needed. I was starting to think I was losing it. Puppies are uncharted territory for me - all of my prior dogs were adults when I got them. They house-trained quick and didn't need a good energy drain before I left the house.

Puppies, like people have fears - and will do crazy stuff in that state of mind. You combat fear with confidence and stability.

All too often folks think of puppies as the tiny, cuddly, goofy, poop machines up until the time they look like adults. My dog is still a baby, despite his large size - and as such is afraid of things - just like any other dog (bunnies & trash bags freak him out). I am grateful the issues Hudson is having is no where near as dramatic as others, but they still must be addressed. A little problem can become a huge one by ignoring it.

Thank you once again for talking me off the ledge of owner ineptitude!