# Peeing in his own bed?



## liluckylutz (Jul 9, 2010)

My 6 year old Maltese (whom I just adopted about a month ago), has been peeing in his bed while he is crated. While I'm gone, he stays in a crate that's big enough for his bed and his food/water bowls. That's when the accidents happen.

What's going on? I thought they weren't supposed to tinkle where they sleep! Should I remove the bed from the crate (I've been washing it daily), and make him sleep on the hard floor? Will that help? Any suggestions are welcome!


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## Chalex (Feb 19, 2010)

It's true that dogs don't tinkle while they're sleeping, but apparently he's not just sleeping. If you want to crate train him, you need a small crate that holds him comfortably and nothing else. It would be unlikely he would tinkle in that unless you leave him too long (there's only so much you can expect from the guy), he has a bladder infection, or in the 6 years you didn't own him he wasn't kept in a clean environment.

You also don't want to leave him in it too long. I don't leave the house with my dog in a crate (although he does sleep in one all night). If I want to confine him, I use a pen that has water, a wee wee pad, and enough room for him to find a spot to sleep. He doesn't mind sleeping on the floor (especially in the summer-he prefers it). If he's not really well trained on pads, I wouldn't add the bed quite yet. 

Good luck!!!


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## Orla (Jul 5, 2009)

To crate train properly he needs to be in a crate that is just big enough for him to stand up in and turn around.

Dogs don't pee where they sleep because they don't want to lie in pee.
If a crate is too big they can pee at one end and sleep at the other - so crate training will not work.

Do you have vetbed in the states?
I find it great for crates.


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

I have had some go in the crate, before. It happens, but eventually it stopped. A month is not long and he is probably still adjusting to his new situation. Since he is an older dog, he may need more time to adapt. Will he use a potty pad? He might do better in a small room or part of a room that you have closed off during the day, then crate him at night and give no water during this time. I would also feed him morning and evening at the same time which will help him eliminate more on a schedule. If he has not been neutered, that should help, too. With time, and patience, he will get it.


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## spookiesmom (Mar 28, 2010)

Maybe hr has some kidney or bladder issues a vet should know about?


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## liluckylutz (Jul 9, 2010)

Thanks, everyone for your thoughts. I took him to the vet recently, and he checked out clear of a UTI or some other kind of bladder issue.

The crate I'm using may indeed be too big. Before we got it, I tried leaving him in the bathroom, but he tinkled in there, so that's why I went for a crate. When we got him, the previous owner also gave us a tiny little crate that she kept him in while she was gone during the day. I did keep him in that a couple of days, and he had no accidents, but I just felt so bad for him! It was smaller than the ones I use to transport my cats -- there was not even any room for water!

Amby, I've heard this several times before -- that the crate should only be big enough for him to turn around in. But what about water? Won't he get thirsty? I just feel so bad to leave him in such a tiny box.

I suppose we will switch back to the small crate until this problem gets under control -- and then perhaps try again with the larger crate. Does that sound reasonable?


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Dogs will go in their crate if they have been left so long they cannot hold it any longer or are frightened.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

How long does he stay in there ?


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## liluckylutz (Jul 9, 2010)

He stays in the crate for 5-6 hours tops -- usually less than 4. I just left him for 3 hours in the crate, and he peed ... and he'd just gone right before I left, too.

I am starting to think that perhaps the problem is that our weekends are so different than our weekdays. During the week, we are very rigid in our schedules, but our weekends are very different. He seems to have a lot of problems at the beginning of the week. Should I be crating him during the day on weekends to make it consistent with the workweek? That hardly seems fair...especially since I spend my weekend days out on the dock!!! Any suggestions on how to keep the weekends more consistent with our very rigid workweeks?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Dogs thrive on a schedule. And down time is also good for dogs. Sticking to the schedule on the weekend sounds like a good idea. You could do a shorter crate break. 

For that period of time, he'll do fine without water (actually only my dog with health problems gets water in the crate). But you do have the option of getting a clamp on bowl that you screw onto the door or side of the crate.


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