Whoo-missed a question there. Puppy man was born first week of August-so heck, he's um, four and a half months? 20 weeks, I think. Been with me for two months now.

I sometimes cover the crate to keep stimulation low... alot of pups see stuff happining..get all excited. and pee...

For some reason this puppy has issues. he hates the crate, not sure if you can change that. You might have to give up the idea of crateing him and put him in the kitchen, bathroom or whatever you have. By this time he should be housebroken. Does he pee in the house outside of the crate?

What about securing him in a small area( not his crate)? You said he only has accidents in his crate so.....perhaps try w/out a crate.A SHORT tie to a secure object w/a comfy bed to sleep on might do the trick!!?? A small bathroom??? A puppy pen made small, etc,etc...Just a thought <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Hey Kim, we were on the same wavelength!!!!

I think you all are probably right-the pup may need a playpen. He does not pee in the house anymore-as long as I take him out alot! For pee needs, he'll go to the door, give it a very meaningful look, then look at me. For poopy times he's much more forceful, gets vocal and jumps on the door. It took him a long time to learn to signal me for pee. I am thinking this dog is just not particularly troubled by urine on him, in his area. I really had to start shaking the fool out of him when he peed to get him to begin cuing for outside. When he's in the crate, my theory is he knows I won't discipline him for peeing there, and since he has no personal qualms about it, he goes. Why he hates going in, though, who knows. We had a little struggle this morning actually, which hasn't happened for some time.
The thing is, by god, I want him to be crate-trained. I feel like, somehow, I have failed in some fundamental training aspect. Is it giving in to curable doggy issues to stop crating him? The last week I have really tried to avoid putting him in it until bedtime. (meaning minimal errands, grocery shopping, etc.) It seems the more time he gets out of the crate during the day, the less he wants to go in it at all. And because I am a knucklehead too, the more he resists the crate, the stronger is my desire that he should learn to like the thing.
I think maybe a new wire crate will be what I get him for Christmas-then maybe he can see more and feel not so enclosed. I don't know. This guy sure tries me sometimes.

another option in addition to everyone elses would be a couple of baby gates - this way you can let them have a little more freedom in a safe dog proofed room but still have good supervision. I ditto the wire crate idea as it lets the dogs see what is going on and they seem to like them better. Sounds like a pretty strong-willed puppy with a good dose of stubborn! The stubbornest bat rastard puppies I have had have turned out to be my best dogs but sometimes I wonder how I ever survived the puppyhood (and some of the stuff they pulled I wonder how they made it through, too)

my 2 cents is, i agree, he may need to just be put into a very small room or place instead of the crate, i personally wouldn't even waste anymore money on another crate, i also think that the pup has learn over time (2 months, or whatever) that everytime he pisses in the crate he has to get right back out again so you can clean it up, so he wins and you lose. i feel for ya, i have been down that road, still there, but i love my little pisshead LOL

If your considering creating a pen area in a bathroon or kitchen, you may need a higher gate than a child gate. At four months your pup may have good ups. When you crate him how strongly does he resist and how do yourespond?

If your considering creating a pen area in a bathroon or kitchen, you may need a higher gate than a child gate. At four months your pup may have good ups. When you crate him how strongly does he resist and how do you respond?