# Getting Phoebe to like her crate again



## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

Phoebe it seems, hates her crate now. I know that it started around the time of her spay 2 months ago. At that time she had the UTI, and was peeing in her crate. I dont know if its a bad habit developed from that, or what.

As JMM suggested, I confined her to a small area with a pee pad and her crate open, and she manages to hold it all day in that set-up. No pee. I decided to try the crate a couple of days ago for a short outing. She drank all of her water and had peed all over herself in the matter of 90 minutes. 

I have read that dogs do not do things to "get even" or because they are mad, but I can't think of any other reason other than she doesnt like being in that crate. She doesnt really like the confinement the other way either, but she doesnt flip and drink and pee like a mad-woman.

I am reading alot of old posts about crate training and am trying to start at square one, but its almost like "been there, done that, didn't like it" attitude. What could have caused her to hate this so much? Bad habit? She runs as soon as she knows its time to go in there. She used to go in and out on her own but now she wont go near it, even for, get this- a GREENIE! I knew I was in trouble when that didn't work...

Anyway I am venting... If anyone has been through this I would appreciate knowing if it was ever outgrown, and if so, how. I want her to be happy in her safe place again.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

Janet, I think I would try a brand new crate.... do you use a wire crate or solid one? The one I use for K & C is 30" front to back, 23" wide and 21" tall and it is a wire crate and it is almost like they are not even in a crate because of the open feel. 

If she is drinking a lot of water then of course, she will need to pee. Perhaps keep her from drinking so much just when it is time to go in her crate. Kallie peed in her crate every day for quite a long time and then one day just stopped. 

Phoebe may just be in the habit of going in there and may not know she isn't supposed to.


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## AJ (Jun 5, 2005)

I know a dog who hated the crate and never stopped crying in it. However, when the owners put the dog into a wire crate, he didnt cry at all. Hope everything goes well with Pheobe!!


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

I have both but she came in one thats solid with grates on the top half kinda. She used to love it in there. I can try the wire one also and see if it seems to matter. 

The drinking I swear she is doing on purpose, either nerves or just aggravation. heck, maybe just so she can pee! I know its crazy. But she has access to water all the time, and never drinks that much but she drank every last drop in that 90 minutes. I could try taking it out of the crate for short trips like that, too. 

I got her a new yummy treat so I'm sitting her in there and giving her bits at a time. She wont give me her paw or anything if I ask while shes in there. Shes maaaaaad


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Jul 27 2005, 10:01 PM
> *I have both but she came in one thats solid with grates on the top half kinda.  She used to love it in there.  I can try the wire one also and see if it seems to matter.
> 
> The drinking I swear she is doing on purpose, either nerves or just aggravation.  heck, maybe just so she can pee!  I know its crazy.  But she has access to water all the time, and never drinks that much but she drank every last drop in that 90 minutes.  I could try taking it out of the crate for short trips like that, too.
> ...


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Oh, you keep water in the crate! I never have done that. I figure if they're not exercising they probably don't need water. They appear to get enough during the times they are out of their crates. Mine usually sleep when I'm gone... at least they appear to as they are always just stretching and waking up when I get home. and they don't go running to get water and the room is always comfortably cool.


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

I have always had food and water in there. Maybe I should cut that out. I know when I first got her, she had her meals during the night







so I didnt want her to starve. Actually she eats during the day while I'm working so that might not be a good idea.

Already she is getting closer on her own. I put a greenie in the back of her crate and she went to the door and stuck her head in, but that was it. I know its killing her haha So right now I let her have the greenie and I'm going to put it back in there once she gets all worked up over it. I'm evil


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Jul 27 2005, 10:45 PM
> *I have always had food and water in there.  Maybe I should cut that out.  I know when I first got her, she had her meals during the night
> 
> 
> ...


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Yes, if there is food in there I can see that she'd need water. At her age she should be able to go several hours without food. Up until about 8 months or so I fed mine 3 times a day and then now I feed twice a day with two very small snacks at midday and bedtime. If you feel you want to have water in there, just put a very little bit to "wet her whistle" but not enough to make her have to pee.

I truly don't think she associates drinking a lot of water with having to pee.









I hope everything works out!!!!


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## miko's mommy (Feb 8, 2005)

Janet,

I may have missed something...but why not keep her in a playpen or confined to a small area instead of a crate?


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

The main reason is that I want to be able to travel with her or leave her with someone, as I have done before, and its just so much easier with the crate. It went very well with them being able to crate her at night. The other is that my confined space is very ackward (sp) and it involves a baby gate







which she knocked over the other day. 

I never crated Holli but since Phoebe was already fine with it when I got her I guess I got spoiled. Its really nice knowing that she actually likes it there too.


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## LexiAndNikkisMom (Apr 13, 2004)

I've actually been told by my vet (and read it on the dog food bag) that up to the age of 4 months you should feed 3 times a day but after that you should feed twice a day.


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## paris (Apr 8, 2005)

Do you have any type of padding in the crate? If you do, maybe she can smell the urine. Maybe getting a new pad, mattress, pillow, blanket, whatever...and putting it in there will help.


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by paris_@Jul 28 2005, 02:07 PM
> *Do you have any type of padding in the crate?  If you do, maybe she can smell the urine.  Maybe getting a new pad, mattress, pillow, blanket, whatever...and putting it in there will help.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=85441*


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I actually resorted to old towels instead of her "mattress" since I was washing it so often. I change them after wiping out the crate with natures miracle so she should not smell anything. 

Last night she went in for the greenie and right back out, so we might be making some progress


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## paris (Apr 8, 2005)

little by little, step by step...


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## Chelsey (Dec 17, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Jul 27 2005, 10:01 PM
> *I have both but she came in one thats solid with grates on the top half kinda.  She used to love it in there.  I can try the wire one also and see if it seems to matter.
> 
> The drinking I swear she is doing on purpose, either nerves or just aggravation.  heck, maybe just so she can pee!  I know its crazy.  But she has access to water all the time, and never drinks that much but she drank every last drop in that 90 minutes.  I could try taking it out of the crate for short trips like that, too.
> ...


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Maybe she drank all the water cause she nothing else to entertain her in there...
We chester in his crate because, if we put it in a bowl outside his crate he will not eat it all. when we feed him in there he does not get distracted by other things so he eats it all. 

Chelsey also wet herself today but it was my fault , I gave her a lot of water because it was hot and then I had to attend a meeting. I should have let her out 15 min after I gave her the water. She still tired to hold most of it because when I let her go out ,she still went potty. Sometimes they just have to go .


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## Chelsey (Dec 17, 2004)

Just put some of her favioret toys in there... and a nice treat... Dont put her in or pay any attention to it. let her go in and out of it by her self. Keep her old xpen set up.
so this one is kind of like a hide away for her. 

Chelsey will not go in her creat untill I put food in it. That because she knows when she goes in the crate it rest time/ bed time. She can play all day.
Chester used to be the same way... now chester always go in there by him self. He even opens the crate door because that is his den. If I need chester to go in his crate... I say chester go home and he walks right in... But his crate is as big as a small x- pen. lots of room even chelsey can fit inside there with him...


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## paris (Apr 8, 2005)

How is Phoebe doing today with her crate?


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

She still hates it







I put her in there last night, gave her a beef jerky and closed the door. For 3 seconds. She spit out the jerky and came running out as soon as I opened the door








How can she go from loving her house to hating it so badly!! I am just going to keep trying a couple of times a day, slowly increasing time, and see what happens. She is spoiled and thats all there is to it


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## paris (Apr 8, 2005)

Any progress?


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

It appears the problem isn't her peeing on purpose, its her drinking too much for whatever reason. She drinks every drop of water I give her, so of course she can't hold it. The last few days, I have had to crate her, as we are babysitting (dog sitting actually) an Australian shepherd, so I cannot risk what he might do if he were able to get past the two doors that separate him from her, while unattended. So, I gave her just a little water, and crated her, and it was all gone but she did not pee. So, that is the secret I guess. She still runs when she knows its time to go in there, but we are working on that. 

So far these two are having a blast together and this dog is an angel. He is so gentle with her, and I even tried having him sleep on the bed with us but Miss Phoebe decided it was play time ALL NIGHT, so we had to make him sleep on the floor beside the bed... She loves him! Its too cute


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Aug 4 2005, 09:58 AM
> *It appears the problem isn't her peeing on purpose, its her drinking too much for whatever reason.  She drinks every drop of water I give her, so of course she can't hold it. The last few days, I have had to crate her, as we are babysitting (dog sitting actually)  an Australian shepherd, so I cannot risk what he might do if he were able to get past the two doors that separate him from her, while unattended. So, I gave her just a little water, and crated her, and it was all gone but she did not pee.  So, that is the secret I guess.  She still runs when she knows its time to go in there, but we are working on that.
> 
> So far these two are having a blast together and this dog is an angel.  He is so gentle with her, and I even tried having him sleep on the bed with us but Miss Phoebe decided it was play time ALL NIGHT, so we had to make him sleep on the floor beside the bed...  She loves him!  Its too cute
> ...


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Janet, have you mentioned to the vet that she is drinking so much water?


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

Yes and the vet didnt seem concerned. They did bloodwork and nothing was out of whack after her infection cleared. But shes only doing it when I have her in the crate. We originally thought it was due to the infection, but since that gone, I want to say its like a nervous thing.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Aug 4 2005, 11:18 AM
> *Yes and the vet didnt seem concerned.  They did bloodwork and nothing was out of whack after her infection cleared.  But shes only doing it when I have her in the crate. We originally thought it was due to the infection, but since that gone, I want to say its like a nervous thing.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=87118*


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Ahhh, I see.... well, glad to know that any disease process has been ruled out.... Bless her heart.... well at least you know she wasn't peeing in her crate out of spite... I hate to say "told you so"!!!


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## paris (Apr 8, 2005)

Glad to hear you have things under control (so to speak) and that Phoebe is in good health.


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

You can say it! I didnt really think it was to spite me, but I did think she was flipping out because she was in there and she didnt like it- maybe the same thing?







but I do think there is a problem with the crate. I mean, I dont think she is drinking alot because she is hot. I think she is aggitated. I am definately going to ask the vet about it though.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Aug 4 2005, 11:32 AM
> *You can say it!  I didnt really think it was to spite me, but I did think she was flipping out because she was in there and she didnt like it- maybe the same thing?
> 
> 
> ...


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I can't remember if I mentioned this before but perhaps an all wire crate might be best because she can see out of it and doesn't feel so confined.


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