uncrate trained

[TNCorgi]

I am not sure what happened but it would seem Boots became untrained. I left him out this summer while it was warm. He loved it but now that I am trying to bring him back in he is pooing in his cage and wetting everywhere. Is he trying to tell me he doesnt like being inside anymore? Is he mad at me?

[MyPemCharlie]

That's odd for a dog to mess in its own crate. Are you crating him and leaving while you go to work, or are you talking about him pooing in his crate overnight? You might consider a vet check-up to make sure there isn't a medical problem.

The wetting could be territorial marking. Have you had him neutered yet?

If his health is good, you'll have to go back to square one on house training. Take him outside fairly often and congratulate/praise him for "potty outside" when he goes. Indoors don't let him out of your sight, even if you need to leash him to your belt loop. When it looks like he is about to pee, say "No!" to stop him and take him outside.

[Michael Romanos]

Perhaps he is emphatically telling you that he doesm't appreciate being locked up in a cage (a very good descriptive word for a crate).

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by TNCorgi

I am not sure what happened but it would seem Boots became untrained. I left him out this summer while it was warm. He loved it but now that I am trying to bring him back in he is pooing in his cage and wetting everywhere. Is he trying to tell me he doesnt like being inside anymore? Is he mad at me?

I agree, make sure that there isn't a medical problem first. Then if all's ok, go back to step one as if he were a puppy and rehousebreak him. It might not be the crate, but that he's not pottying outside like he's susposed to. Maybe he's not out long enough? Or he's playing when he should be taking care of business? He might not be assoctiating his being outside with haveing to go potty. If he was out all day this summer he was used to having a lot of time to take care of things. I think he just needs to relearn what going outside means and that he needs to get with it.

Peggy

[jakort1]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Perhaps he is emphatically telling you that he doesm't appreciate being locked up in a cage (a very good descriptive word for a crate).

I have crated ALL of my dogs (overnight) and they run to get in when I open the door. A crate can be very reassuring to a dog and if you live in an area that is a bit cooler with ceramic flooring a crate pad is going to feel cozy (my dogs have also had rugs and pads to lay on around the house, but, at night they're ready for bed...their crate.

John

[MyPemCharlie]

I agree with John. Charlie goes to bed (his crate) at night when I go to bed. His crate is on top of one of the nightstands by my bed so I actually pick him up to put him in. But when I turn off the lights he sighs and goes right to sleep and doesn't make a noise until I take him out in the morning.

TNCorgi, I think maybe Michael is thinking that you have changed Boots from being outside almost 24 hours a day to being crated almost 24 hours a day. Could you clarify the changes you made to Boot's schedule? How much time was he outside before versus now how much time inside loose and how much time crated? Also are you home with him, or gone during the day?

Dogs are creatures of habit. They do get accustomed to routine and some dogs are more sensitive to disruptions of their normal schedule. Very likely Boots is just readjusting, but has forgotten his potty training skills and has to start over learning.

[Michael Romanos]

I must disagree that dogs are creatures of habit. WE are the habit makers and the dogs just comply. I am often changing my Corgi's daily life in order to make things more interesting and challenging for both of us. Corgis love holidays, new or rarely visited areas and walks, and car rides. Why? Because they are different and takes them to different places (hopefully). It's a bit like their food bowl - ringing the changes to supplements almost daily clearly adds to the interest in the meal and the relish to which the additional food is consumed.

[MyPemCharlie]

Adding new and interesting experiences, e.g. new places and parks to walk, training classes, sports, new people are wonderful to add to a dog's routine. The dog sees the car or the leash as "Oh boy! Don't know where we're going this time, but the car/leash always takes me somewhere fun and different." It helps build their character and confidence.

And "habit" may not have been as accurate a word as "routine". I was referring to dogs needing a basic routine. The dog expects you to get up, take it outside to potty, feed it at approximately the same times everyday. In addition, if you take your dog out everyday for a walk or two, the dog starts to expect that as part of the daily routine (even if you take it to a different place everyday to exercise). At night, the dog will prefer to sleep in the same familiar spot every night, all part of its routine.

In relation to this thread, my comment was intended to suggest that if the dog has spent most of its days and also slept outside all summer, and suddenly is brought inside to live and sleep, then it will take some time to adjust to a new daily routine and require some retraining.

[Michael Romanos]

I have given Taylor lots of choices. So when it comes to sleeping, especially in the warmer months, he prefers to leave the extra comfort of his snug sheepskin rug and alternate in other rooms such as the lounges or the three other bedrooms where my children sleep. I take him for a morning walk and toilet anytime between 7am and 12noon daily. So there is no real routine there. There was of course a toilet routine when he was a puppy. I know a woman who owns a show quality English Bulldog aged 13 months and he is stuck in a routine - at six every evening he cries to go to bed. With Taylor, his bedtime is usually when its mine. And these days his late toilet walk is anytime between 6pm and 1am.