[Vness]

Ok so I got my 8 week old puppy Marco on the crate while I'm at work. I've read all about having a crate not too big. Well he's small and I usually leave his toys and a bit of water in a med size crate which he would fit just right when he grows. You guys don't use any newspaper at all? What do you put on the bottom of the crate? Like do you just leave your pup to poop and pee anywhere in a small space? I can't help of making Marco feel a lil comfy in his crate. he's not really pooping in the crate because I take him out at the right times to poop (mostly) put he will def pee in the crate. I need some advice. Thanks,

 

[BeagleBabe]

No, they should not be allowed to poop or pee in the crate.

Abby has a crate cushion, and a sheet and small blanket in her crate because she likes to cover up.

 

[Vness]

ok so what if he pees in there? I don't know how he should know he can't. Would he "get it" as he gets older?

 

[BeagleBabe]

How long are you keeping him in there at a time? An 8 week old puppy needs to be walked every few hours. You wouldn't expect a baby or toddler to be able to hold their bladder for hours at a time and you shouldn't expect a puppy to do so either.

You need to take him out as often as necessary to prevent him urinating in the house. It is VERY difficult to untrain a dog that has been taught that it is "OK" to "go" in the house, whether it's on puppy pads or newspaper etc.

You may have to get up a couple times a night (or have someone come walk him if you work during the day) but consistent training done with a loving mindset will help house train your pup better than allowing him to pee in the crate, then trying to correct that behaviour later on.

Positive reinforcement is the key to training a beagle. When you see him start to pee (or poop) in the house correct the behaviour by clapping your hands together and a sharp "NO!" then take him outside immediately. It's very important that you correct the behaviour as soon as you see him doing it.

When he pees and/or poops outside pretend it was THEE absolute best thing in the world. Give him lots of kisses and rubs, say "good Marco!" (or whatever it is you say) in a cheery voice.

 

[MyKale]

first... how often are you letting him out...

when diesel was 8 weeks i had someone over every two hours to let him out.. now that he is older is every 4 or 5 hours.

when you let him out. first thing carry him to the door and take him out to his potty spot. prais him for pottying outside and as his bladder gets stronger he will be able to stay in there longer with out peeing in his crate....

 

[Vness]

well i leave the house around 7:15 when he gets walked in the morn then I go home for lunch at 11:45 to walk him, feed him and walk him again. I realize he's small and is normal for him to pee while in there. My mother will walk him around 2:30 and watches him til I come home around 5. He has been very good about not pooping but the peeing is a little out of control even if I take him out every couple hours or so. Plus he drinks a lot of water. other than that He's good at nite, I'll walk him before i we go to bed and maybe get up another time in the mid of nite but he could hold it until 6 or 630 am.

 

[BeagleBabe]

Something else that could help is giving him water and food on a set time frame.

 

[angi]

I've been kind of wondering about this topic myself. When we get our little guy, I will be able to stop home at lunch some days and we've got others to stop by to let him out as well.

We were originally going to leave him with the breeder until the end of the school year (I'm a teacher), but were told by another breeder that the longer puppies are with their parents and siblings, the harder it will be to separate them. They can even make themselves sick with depression from being pulled away. She recommended that we get a big enough cage/crate that he will have a potty area as well as a sleeping area so that if he does have to go, he won't have to go in his sleeping area.

So...opinions? I really don't want to leave him at the breeder longer than necessary if it is going to affect his health.

 

[Murphys Dad]

That's a good idea, and gradually reducing the area where he can go potty. I know some people who used the crate this way and it worked like a charm.
The only thing is that you need to make sure that you clean the potty area well, with special detergents, so that he can't "go back" to the potty area.

 

[MrsNix]

I am living testament to how HARD it is to potty train a puppy who has been allowed/forced/given no other option than to eliminate in the crate.

She came to me 7 months old having always been left with no guidance whatsoever about where to go.

Breaking her of peeing/pooping in her crate was our first job, and it has taken us 3 solid WEEKS just to break her of going in her crate...and she STILL has accidents. This is ONLY the crate, mind you. She still goes willy nilly in the house if I'm not on top of it every moment she's awake.

I'm a stay-home mom, so I am with her all day and night. We take her out once every two hours and, IN ADDITION, any time she is behaving like she might need to go.

House training a beagle who has decided it's okay to go inside is a bloody, hair-ripping NIGHTMARE.

Just...so you know.

Don't let little Marco get used to going in his crate. My advice, if you simply cannot be home during work hours often enough, is to puppy-proof your bathroom and use a paper training method.

Beagle babe gave me good information about this method, and it seems to me with such a young pup that this might be the way to go for you.