I'm lost..and so depressed..don't know what to do HELP!! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

viviansnickers · 03-06-2009, 10:47 AM

Hi Everyone..

Snickers the love of my life has got me so lost, depressed, and sad, I don't know what to do anymore. Really, he has been 100% potty trained for the last 1.5 months with 1 accident in the house since then (he pee's on duvet a few days ago--my fault!) Snickers is 8 months old and can't seem to hold himself while crated during the day. My husband comes home daily (for the past 3 days) with poop or pee in the crate. The crate is small and Snick is in there from 8:30am-11:30am. Only 3 HOURS!! Generally I come home to pee as well after his 2nd crating from 12:30pm-3:45pm again only 3 hours!! We don't know what to do anymore, Snick is small (3.4lbs) but shouldn't he be able to hold it?? Last month was good, this Mon and Tues were fine, but for the past 3 days he has daily had accidents in crate. He had a UTI in early Feb, and was treated and is fine, so no, it's not a UTI. Could the UTI be back?? Last week, we did try to let him be in the bathroom with babygate and he bombed...pee'd everyday on his bed or on the floor and NEVER on the pad we left. He does not get pads, he is outside trained. We think he has sep. anxiety but can't figure out why he will go in his crate and them have to sit in it. We DID get him from a pet store (prior to being educated.) What can we do?? Maybe the bathroom/babygate last week trail and now back in crate ths week was too much for him?? But he was fine this Mon/Tues!!

I hate the crate to begin with (guilty issues) and now I have more guilt that he might be rebelling that he is in there by peeing/pooping?? I don't think that can be. What about belly bands and keeping him in bathroom again? Or belly bands and crate? Another UTI? I don't think I can afford another vet visit and 300 dollar bill. He does not have UTI symptoms, holds it fine when we are home and ALL night (8+ hours)....I'm lost and almost had a panic attack when my husband told me he pooped again today and how is was all over the crate and even out of the crate!!

Any insight or advise is beyond appreciated....I'm so sad.

phfgkl · 03-06-2009, 11:00 AM

Rules of thumb on dogs holding it is like 3 mos 3-4 hours 8 mos. should be able to hold it. I dont like crating myself. Never have never will. I am 100% sold on xpens, I think that's the only way to go. Are you training him to piddle pads or to go outside? I have my 4 inside dogs trained to pee pads, and love it. I would suggest leaving a radio or tv on for him. People have always said they won't use the bathroom in their crates, which I find is not always true either, as I had tried one pup in a crate a few years back, and they peed/pooped in it everytime. Please try the radio or tv and check in to the xpen. If you lived closer to SC, I would give you my xpen as I have no more use for it.

viviansnickers · 03-06-2009, 12:47 PM

Thank you so much for your response. We did try Snick in the bathroom with a babygate last week and like I said, he bombed. That would be the equivalent of an X-pen I think. We kept his bed, pee pad, toys, etc in there with him and he had accidents 3 out of 5 days we tried it. He won't use the pad, would just pee in his bed. We think he freaks out when we leave and just stays in one spot and worries until we get home, and ends up peeing there out of worry. I don't know....Thats why he is back in the crate but now pottying in the crate for the past 3 days.

blueeyes_jd · 03-06-2009, 01:00 PM

Vivian Im sooooooooooooo sorry I know how furstrating it can be... I would leave the tv or radio on because it sounds like he has a bit of seperation anxiety... I could be wrong but thats jmo

the only thing that I have heard for helping with seperation anxiety is agility classes... Im not sure if that is something you can do... I would look into it...

good luck! and it will get better

Yorkiedaze · 03-06-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phfgkl

Rules of thumb on dogs holding it is like 3 mos 3-4 hours 8 mos. should be able to hold it. I dont like crating myself. Never have never will. I am 100% sold on xpens, I think that's the only way to go. Are you training him to piddle pads or to go outside? I have my 4 inside dogs trained to pee pads, and love it. I would suggest leaving a radio or tv on for him. People have always said they won't use the bathroom in their crates, which I find is not always true either, as I had tried one pup in a crate a few years back, and they peed/pooped in it everytime. Please try the radio or tv and check in to the xpen. If you lived closer to SC, I would give you my xpen as I have no more use for it.

I don't bellieve in crates either. First off take him back or another test to see if he is clear of infection. Next, I also suggest checking into the ex-pens. The metal ones are the strongest and you only need it to be 2 ft. high.

Phfgkl.........keep the ex-pen. You just don't realize how handy those things really are. You can take it on outings, traveling, pic-nic's, camping, put around something you don't want her getting into, use as a gate at any inside door way, put around the inside front door so she can't get out and so on. I have two metal ones we take everywhere. They are the best investments yet!!

phfgkl · 03-06-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorkiedaze

I don't bellieve in crates either. First off take him back or another test to see if he is clear of infection. Next, I also suggest checking into the ex-pens. The metal ones are the strongest and you only need it to be 2 ft. high.

Phfgkl.........keep the ex-pen. You just don't realize how handy those things really are. You can take it on outings, traveling, pic-nic's, camping, put around something you don't want her getting into, use as a gate at any inside door way, put around the inside front door so she can't get out and so on. I have two metal ones we take everywhere. They are the best investments yet!!

LOL We have 2 gates up in the kitchen, and have 2 more for back ups, just incase. We also have a huge cage if need be. I know I'll really honestly never need it again

Dudley's Mom · 03-08-2009, 08:24 AM

putting a kong in with him with peanut butter or some treat he likes to give him something to focus on other than you leaving?

QuickSilver · 03-08-2009, 09:25 AM

It sounds like Snickers might have separation anxiety. Many dogs pee and poop from anxiety.

If a dog doesn't want you to leave, it will act out most strongly just after you've left. He is probably pooping within minutes of your departure.

I would try training him out of his separation anxiety first, and then address the potty training. There are a lot of threads here on how to reduce your dog's separation anxiety. Basically, you leave and then come back immediately until he seems okay with that. Then you leave for one minute, then two, then five, then start mixing it up a bit.

Good luck! Let us know if this helps any.

lemonlauren · 03-08-2009, 01:51 PM

I'll have to agree with Quicksilver on this one, and add something as well. How much do you exercise your dog? If he is exhausted (or at least kinda tired) from a nice long walk you do together in the morning, he will be more likely to be happy to sleep in his crate when you leave, instead of freaking out and losing control of his bladder.

We crate Nikko occasionally for an hour or two during the day, either for us to go to the grocery or get some work done in the shop. We also have a baby monitor type thing. On days where we have already taken him for a walk and worn him out a bit, he only cries for us for about 5 minutes after we crate him, then sleeps happily for a minumum of one hour, often two or more. Lately though, since he's just been neutered and we can't exercise him, he has whined and yipped in his crate for 30-45 minutes before he quiets down... and then the whining and yipping starts back up another half hour after that. We've decided to do our best to avoid crating him until we can give him the exercise he needs again.

Lauren & Nikko

viviansnickers · 03-08-2009, 03:00 PM

Thank you so much for responding everyone!! We have desensitized Snick many times, by getting keys out, opening/closing garage door, putting coats and then not leaving, leaving coming back etc. There are days he is fine, and days he is stressed. On Fri night we went out and tried something new. We left him in the hallway this time w/ the babygate and a belly band on and a radio on and he did perfect. We were gone for about 3 hours. He will not go pee if he has a band on. (knock on wood) I also really think he being able to see out into the walkway we would come through was helpful to him. His crate is in our main room, but he can't see us come in, can only hear. I don't know...maybe that helps?? We are going to try again with the hallway tomorrow. My poor husband says he cannot clean up another messy crate...poor guy and poor Snick!! He did great over the weekend as well. I'll let you all know how tomorrow goes...I REALLY hope it works so we can do away with the crate once and for all!!!!!!!!

Thank again...REALLY!!!!
Smiles....

phfgkl · 03-08-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viviansnickers

Thank you so much for responding everyone!! We have desensitized Snick many times, by getting keys out, opening/closing garage door, putting coats and then not leaving, leaving coming back etc. There are days he is fine, and days he is stressed. On Fri night we went out and tried something new. We left him in the hallway this time w/ the babygate and a belly band on and a radio on and he did perfect. We were gone for about 3 hours. He will not go pee if he has a band on. (knock on wood) I also really think he being able to see out into the walkway we would come through was helpful to him. His crate is in our main room, but he can't see us come in, can only hear. I don't know...maybe that helps?? We are going to try again with the hallway tomorrow. My poor husband says he cannot clean up another messy crate...poor guy and poor Snick!! He did great over the weekend as well. I'll let you all know how tomorrow goes...I REALLY hope it works so we can do away with the crate once and for all!!!!!!!!

Thank again...REALLY!!!!
Smiles....

LOL I think I suggested a radio or television, as my sons yorkie had problems with anxiety when my son and his fiance would leave, so they did the radio and it worked like a charm. So glad it worked. i would still try the xpen though so you can keep the belly band off, just keep the radio or tv on so they hear voices and don't feel so alone

zekie's mom · 03-08-2009, 07:17 PM

Next time you take him to the vet to be checked for UTI, also have him checked for diabetes. That can cause a lot of peeing in a short period of time.

Baxters Mommy · 03-08-2009, 08:50 PM

If it is separation anxiety, you might also want to leave a piece of your clothing behind (that you don't mind getting chewed or dirty!) in the crate for him. I crate trained Baxter, actually still am, and he has never to this day peed or pooped in his crate. I always try and leave a chew toy and/or a piece of my clothing. I heard/read somewhere that they like the scent.

Good luck though!

viviansnickers · 03-09-2009, 05:08 AM

Thanks everyone....we always leave things that smell like us as well as a kong with PB in it. He could careless about the kong and will wait for us to come home and then fetch it and lick it.

Also, I am not sure how keeping Snick in the hallway with a babygate is different from keeping him in an X-pen?? If there is a sig difference, please let me know. Our hallway is about 4ftx5ft, we only keep Snick in that section of it. We keep toys and his bed with him. Snick does not understand potty pads as he outside trained.

We have been dealing with Sep Anxiety for a while. Like I said, some days awesome, some days sad. I might look into getting that plug in thing which releases phermones to calm him. The vet mentioned it.

Where can I find agility classes?? I don't think Petsmart does those.

Snick is from a petstore (yes-we were idiots) and we think he might just have pottying in his crate instilled in him from his mill/petstore days. IS this possible....

Let's all hope he had a good day....my lil babyboy!!!

Fashionlady · 03-09-2009, 07:54 AM

Hope your baby is doing better. i have my dog trained to go outside and on pee pads. i had to get the spray to make her use them. they think another dog went there. My dog is a girl but she still marks. And she is never left at home without the tv on. she watches it. Yorkies are very smart dogs. Sometimes to smart. I have heard some say it can take 2 years or more to train them. sophie is 2 1/2 she only pees when some new cames over. I was a long time to get her trained.

03-06-2009, 10:47 AM	#1
viviansnickers Snick&Viv= BFF Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,755	I'm lost..and so depressed..don't know what to do HELP!! Hi Everyone.. Snickers the love of my life has got me so lost, depressed, and sad, I don't know what to do anymore. Really, he has been 100% potty trained for the last 1.5 months with 1 accident in the house since then (he pee's on duvet a few days ago--my fault!) Snickers is 8 months old and can't seem to hold himself while crated during the day. My husband comes home daily (for the past 3 days) with poop or pee in the crate. The crate is small and Snick is in there from 8:30am-11:30am. Only 3 HOURS!! Generally I come home to pee as well after his 2nd crating from 12:30pm-3:45pm again only 3 hours!! We don't know what to do anymore, Snick is small (3.4lbs) but shouldn't he be able to hold it?? Last month was good, this Mon and Tues were fine, but for the past 3 days he has daily had accidents in crate. He had a UTI in early Feb, and was treated and is fine, so no, it's not a UTI. Could the UTI be back?? Last week, we did try to let him be in the bathroom with babygate and he bombed...pee'd everyday on his bed or on the floor and NEVER on the pad we left. He does not get pads, he is outside trained. We think he has sep. anxiety but can't figure out why he will go in his crate and them have to sit in it. We DID get him from a pet store (prior to being educated.) What can we do?? Maybe the bathroom/babygate last week trail and now back in crate ths week was too much for him?? But he was fine this Mon/Tues!! I hate the crate to begin with (guilty issues) and now I have more guilt that he might be rebelling that he is in there by peeing/pooping?? I don't think that can be. What about belly bands and keeping him in bathroom again? Or belly bands and crate? Another UTI? I don't think I can afford another vet visit and 300 dollar bill. He does not have UTI symptoms, holds it fine when we are home and ALL night (8+ hours)....I'm lost and almost had a panic attack when my husband told me he pooped again today and how is was all over the crate and even out of the crate!! Any insight or advise is beyond appreciated....I'm so sad. __________________ -Vivian Mommy to my cuddlebug baby boys-Snickers & Reesie

03-06-2009, 12:47 PM	#3
viviansnickers Snick&Viv= BFF Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,755	Thank you so much for your response. We did try Snick in the bathroom with a babygate last week and like I said, he bombed. That would be the equivalent of an X-pen I think. We kept his bed, pee pad, toys, etc in there with him and he had accidents 3 out of 5 days we tried it. He won't use the pad, would just pee in his bed. We think he freaks out when we leave and just stays in one spot and worries until we get home, and ends up peeing there out of worry. I don't know....Thats why he is back in the crate but now pottying in the crate for the past 3 days. __________________ -Vivian Mommy to my cuddlebug baby boys-Snickers & Reesie

03-06-2009, 01:00 PM	#4
blueeyes_jd YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 1,451	Vivian Im sooooooooooooo sorry I know how furstrating it can be... I would leave the tv or radio on because it sounds like he has a bit of seperation anxiety... I could be wrong but thats jmo the only thing that I have heard for helping with seperation anxiety is agility classes... Im not sure if that is something you can do... I would look into it... good luck! and it will get better __________________ Jessica, Gracie's mommy PROUD MEMBER OF THE SPOILED ROTTEN CLUB! and now YTTA

03-08-2009, 08:24 AM	#7
Dudley's Mom YT Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Hemet, Ca Posts: 359	Have you tried putting a kong in with him with peanut butter or some treat he likes to give him something to focus on other than you leaving? __________________ Mommy of Dudley( RIP), Mickey, and poodle Mitchell http://www.dogster.com/dogs/1326033

03-08-2009, 09:25 AM	#8
QuickSilver Thor's Human Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 5,929 Blog Entries: 31	It sounds like Snickers might have separation anxiety. Many dogs pee and poop from anxiety. If a dog doesn't want you to leave, it will act out most strongly just after you've left. He is probably pooping within minutes of your departure. I would try training him out of his separation anxiety first, and then address the potty training. There are a lot of threads here on how to reduce your dog's separation anxiety. Basically, you leave and then come back immediately until he seems okay with that. Then you leave for one minute, then two, then five, then start mixing it up a bit. Good luck! Let us know if this helps any. __________________ If you love something, set it free. Unless it's an angry tiger.

03-06-2009, 11:00 AM	#2
phfgkl BANNED! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,376	Rules of thumb on dogs holding it is like 3 mos 3-4 hours 8 mos. should be able to hold it. I dont like crating myself. Never have never will. I am 100% sold on xpens, I think that's the only way to go. Are you training him to piddle pads or to go outside? I have my 4 inside dogs trained to pee pads, and love it. I would suggest leaving a radio or tv on for him. People have always said they won't use the bathroom in their crates, which I find is not always true either, as I had tried one pup in a crate a few years back, and they peed/pooped in it everytime. Please try the radio or tv and check in to the xpen. If you lived closer to SC, I would give you my xpen as I have no more use for it.

03-08-2009, 01:51 PM	#9
lemonlauren YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Nevada Posts: 454	I'll have to agree with Quicksilver on this one, and add something as well. How much do you exercise your dog? If he is exhausted (or at least kinda tired) from a nice long walk you do together in the morning, he will be more likely to be happy to sleep in his crate when you leave, instead of freaking out and losing control of his bladder. We crate Nikko occasionally for an hour or two during the day, either for us to go to the grocery or get some work done in the shop. We also have a baby monitor type thing. On days where we have already taken him for a walk and worn him out a bit, he only cries for us for about 5 minutes after we crate him, then sleeps happily for a minumum of one hour, often two or more. Lately though, since he's just been neutered and we can't exercise him, he has whined and yipped in his crate for 30-45 minutes before he quiets down... and then the whining and yipping starts back up another half hour after that. We've decided to do our best to avoid crating him until we can give him the exercise he needs again. Lauren & Nikko

03-08-2009, 03:00 PM	#10
viviansnickers Snick&Viv= BFF Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,755	Thank you so much for responding everyone!! We have desensitized Snick many times, by getting keys out, opening/closing garage door, putting coats and then not leaving, leaving coming back etc. There are days he is fine, and days he is stressed. On Fri night we went out and tried something new. We left him in the hallway this time w/ the babygate and a belly band on and a radio on and he did perfect. We were gone for about 3 hours. He will not go pee if he has a band on. (knock on wood) I also really think he being able to see out into the walkway we would come through was helpful to him. His crate is in our main room, but he can't see us come in, can only hear. I don't know...maybe that helps?? We are going to try again with the hallway tomorrow. My poor husband says he cannot clean up another messy crate...poor guy and poor Snick!! He did great over the weekend as well. I'll let you all know how tomorrow goes...I REALLY hope it works so we can do away with the crate once and for all!!!!!!!! Thank again...REALLY!!!! Smiles.... __________________ -Vivian Mommy to my cuddlebug baby boys-Snickers & Reesie

03-08-2009, 07:17 PM	#12
zekie's mom YT Addict Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: PA & FL Posts: 403	Potty problems Next time you take him to the vet to be checked for UTI, also have him checked for diabetes. That can cause a lot of peeing in a short period of time.

03-08-2009, 08:50 PM	#13
Baxters Mommy YT Addict Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC, United States Posts: 295	If it is separation anxiety, you might also want to leave a piece of your clothing behind (that you don't mind getting chewed or dirty!) in the crate for him. I crate trained Baxter, actually still am, and he has never to this day peed or pooped in his crate. I always try and leave a chew toy and/or a piece of my clothing. I heard/read somewhere that they like the scent. Good luck though! __________________ Baxter

03-09-2009, 05:08 AM	#14
viviansnickers Snick&Viv= BFF Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,755	Thanks everyone....we always leave things that smell like us as well as a kong with PB in it. He could careless about the kong and will wait for us to come home and then fetch it and lick it. Also, I am not sure how keeping Snick in the hallway with a babygate is different from keeping him in an X-pen?? If there is a sig difference, please let me know. Our hallway is about 4ftx5ft, we only keep Snick in that section of it. We keep toys and his bed with him. Snick does not understand potty pads as he outside trained. We have been dealing with Sep Anxiety for a while. Like I said, some days awesome, some days sad. I might look into getting that plug in thing which releases phermones to calm him. The vet mentioned it. Where can I find agility classes?? I don't think Petsmart does those. Snick is from a petstore (yes-we were idiots) and we think he might just have pottying in his crate instilled in him from his mill/petstore days. IS this possible.... Let's all hope he had a good day....my lil babyboy!!! __________________ -Vivian Mommy to my cuddlebug baby boys-Snickers & Reesie

03-09-2009, 07:54 AM	#15
Fashionlady Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Palm Beach,Fl,Usa Posts: 115	Hope your baby is doing better. i have my dog trained to go outside and on pee pads. i had to get the spray to make her use them. they think another dog went there. My dog is a girl but she still marks. And she is never left at home without the tv on. she watches it. Yorkies are very smart dogs. Sometimes to smart. I have heard some say it can take 2 years or more to train them. sophie is 2 1/2 she only pees when some new cames over. I was a long time to get her trained.