Peeing in the crate

[Janneke]

It's a bit harsh to tell someone you don't know, who's trying to be good for her dog, to find a new home for it.. There are other solutions..

But I do agree with some points.. keeping a dog crated 8+ hours/day is 'not done' for me. If people work full time and they can't find another solution then crating their dog(s), they shouldn't buy a dog. Like Elscodobermann said: it's not a right, it's a privilege.. Like I said before, I very often read on this forum that people keep their dogs in crates during the day, sometimes even 10 to 12 hours! And the excuse that 'they aren't crated at night' just doesn't work for me.. they are sleeping at night… not trotting around...

If I were you, and I couldn't find a way to solve the 8 hour crating, I would try to find a new home for my B.. So I do understand westcoastflea1.. But I think there are some ways to solve it.. Maybe you can find a daycare? Or a dogsitter? If not: get up as early as possible and walk her, take her on bike rides and/or take time to do some obedience.. make sure she's tired! Looking at my B.. he wouldn't be tired from running around in the backyard..
Also: drive back home at lunch time, so she can be walked. It decreases the need to pee in the crate and it also gives her the possibility to loose energy (one-year olds have lots of that..)
You can also try to slowly give her more space.. Maybe you can put her in one room of the house? Or use an x-pen? You could make sure she's really tired in the weekend and then leave her loose for 15 min and see what she does? Maybe you can secure your backyard and work with a doggy door...?

I really do hope you can find a way to make it work for both the humans and the dog.

[pennypen]

Penny has never had the energy of any other basenji I've met. She's very mello to the point where yes i can take her to the park where she will run for hours but at home when she wants to play after about 30 mins she is done and will go cuddle up on the couch. I do know a tired basenji is a happy basenji and in that case Penny is happy A lot because she loves to relax.

I have thought about getting another dog because i think if she had a pack memeber to spend the day with she wouldnt be so sad we were gone. But i'm sure somone of you would have a HUGE problem with that since i am already an unfit mother basically.
Basenji's are pack dogs and just want to be around their pack and it suck thats her only 2 pack member work …. And i actually have changed my work shift to a couple hours later so she is only crated for 6 hours. I do what i can for her and i appreciate the poeple who understand and see thats because she is my world.

[renaultf1]

Janneke - I really respect what you are saying. For me, here's the thing. I can't NOT CRATE during the day. In my house, Brando broke his leg - compound fracture (so bleeding) - when I left him out in the house with Ruby for a half hour (while I walked Aaliyah). Before that he and Ruby were left out during the day when I worked. After that, they are crated. Had it been a work day, there is a good chance Brando would have been dead.

So if you had a dog that got injured during play - and then I believe Ruby attacked him after he was injured - would you still think crating was so bad. And if that was the case, you would give up your dog for adoption.

And I know Tanza will say that things can happen during crating, but I can only go by what has happened in my house. If Brando would have died, I would be forever saying "I should have crated him."

[DebraDownSouth]

@listeme:

What on earth? Is it a slow saturday or something?

Peeing in the crate has solutions. Workday crating has solutions. You love the dog, the dog loves you guys; this is not a "give up the dog" situation at all.

The poster is doing a lot of things to attempt to mitigate the crating unhappiness, and the pup is still young. I think she's on the right track!

I actually started to copy and respond to 2 people but you hit it on the nail. The OP wasn't rude, but others were.

The freaking pup gets lots of love and care. Dogs sleep 17 to 18 hours a day… being in a freaking crate isn't ideal but hell no she doesn't need to call BRAT, give up her dog, nor is it abusive. Bully for people who DON'T HAVE TO WORK, but most do. Guess we should just all euthanize every pet of every home that has to work. Good grief.

You might consider getting a GIGANTIC crate and put a tray with pee pads or litter pan or papers at one end. Better to let her potty, easy to clean up, and deal with it. OR, if possible a room that is totally basenji proofed (not easy). As for being destructive when you are gone, well... most are. Every poll I have ever seen, most of us crate when not home. As for outside, I don't care what kind of paved area, someone can poison your dog, shoot your dog etc. An inside crate is a SAFE place. Don't let others bully you.

You might limit water in the mornings you aren't going to come home at lunch, or try to get a neighbor to potty her on those days. But please do not think most of us here think what is happening is your abusing or neglecting the dog. At a year, physically she should be able to hold for 8 hours. Get her checked for UTI and just keep trying suggestions til you find the one that works.

[Janneke]

@renaultf1:

So if you had a dog that got injured during play - and then I believe Ruby attacked him after he was injured - would you still think crating was so bad. And if that was the case, you would give up your dog for adoption.

Yes. If Tillo would get injured during play or die while loose in the house, I would still think that it was better for him to be loose than to be crated. I feel that putting a dog in a small cage for such a long time is cruel.. For me 5 x 8 hours of caging is much worse than the possibility of an accident. (and Tillo is home alone about 2 days a week, for about 2-3 hour). I feel the same about off leash walking. I believe a dog feels happier when he gets enough time to run free, do what he wants, chase things, act like a dog.. than always being walked on that stupid (and very safe.. I know..) leash. You can't control everything. You can try to make it as safe as possible, but that's it. Taking an animals freedom to make sure nothing can happen to it, is crossing a line for me..

In August our doggy daycare stopped and I had major stress. I emailed everyone I know, put a message on a Dutch dog forum and emailed some local dog clubs, just to find a (temporary) dogsitter. I found one, but if I hadn't, I would have tried to find a new home for Tillo. Just because I love him. He deserves the best. And that doesn't include being crated for lengths of time..

[DebraDownSouth]

@Elscodobermann:

Owning a basenji (or any dog) is a priviledge, not a right - and you really need to put the work in i.e. exercise & training to make sure both you and your dog have an enjoyable life together.

@Elscodobermann:

Tough. if people work full time during the day and want a basenji - it doesnt automatically mean they should have one.

As for the above… just a heads up about what you posted that, IMHO (since you are so big on this forum being about giving opinions) was beyond snarky and rude. Maybe you didn't mean it that way, but I'd have told you to take a flying leap.

The op cares for her dog better than 99 percent of animals on earth and is asking for help and she gets 2 people telling her "TOUGH" shouldn't have one, call brat to rehome. Y'all need to chill out. Take a deep breathe. Step away from the computer monitor. Abusing someone asking sincerely for help is a sure way to keep them from getting help. Your responses are appropriate for someone ABUSING their pet. This isn't abuse.

West is so over the top I am going to sign off and not respond. From someone on here asking for basic help to jump down the throat of someone who has one issue, well that's rich.

I lied, I am going to respond. Few dogs if any LOVE being in their crate. Big WHOOP. They learn to deal with it. You get them toys, you tire them out, and they learn to cope. Such melodrama in your posts, people have responded less dramatically to a dog ACTUALLY be abused.

You know West, your questions here have been so utterly basic and devoid of minimal dog training skills I can assure you if I were a BRAT coordinator you would NEVER EVER in a million years foster for me. Get over yourself already before you paint a dog not wanting to be crated as some life destroying event. It isn't. Nor did she reject tons of ideas, simply responded and rejected ONE, the outside.

@westcoastflea1:

is it your fault? NO everyone has to work but…
there were solutions given to help your b be happier when left alone but you said you were unable to use any of them

so where does that leave your dog?

isolated, in a crate unhappy 8 hours a day 5 days a week, happy and fulfilled the rest of the time

so if nothing else i hope my suggestion that your b might be happier with a family that could give her more then 8 hours a day in a crate has made you realize that if she is unhappy in her crate for 8 hours a day you NEED to do something about it

@westcoastflea1:

maybe you should call brat and arrange for them to find your dog a new home

a home where someone is at home most of the time or has the ability financially or otherwise to give your b what she needs

@westcoastflea1:

it sounds to me like the owner of this basenji has no workable options when it comes to making her basenji happy while she works

she has been given options and she has rejected all of them as not working for her situation, which is fine

however the dog is clearly unhappy being left alone for 8 hours a day

solving the issue of the dog peeing in her crate DOESNT solve the REAL issue which is that this dog IS NOT happy being left alone crated or uncrated 8 hours a day

[pennypen]

@DebraDownSouth:

@Elscodobermann:

The op cares for her dog better than 99 percent of animals on earth and is asking for help and she gets 2 people telling her "TOUGH" shouldn't have one, call brat to rehome. Y'all need to chill out. Take a deep breathe. Step away from the computer monitor. Abusing someone asking sincerely for help is a sure way to keep them from getting help. Your responses are appropriate for someone ABUSING their pet. This isn't abuse.

You are my hero Debra. Seriously thank you to everyone who has given me good solid advice and help and stood up for me because i was going to delet my membership. I was honestly so excited to become a memeber and get to talk to basenji owners like me whom i has asumed were all really great and nice people … it sucks not everyone is but I am eternally greatful to those that are.
Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

[westcoastflea1]

this isnt a question of crating or not crating

good dog owner or bad dog owner

or whether one, two or dozens of basenjis dont mind being in a crate all day

this is about a dog who has made it very clear that it doesnt want to be alone 8 hours a day, that it doesnt want to be in a crate for 8 hours a day and is actually peeing while in the crate when its perfectly capable of holding its urine when not in the crate

so why is this dog crated 8 hours a day 5 days a week?

because the owner has to work

the owner has been given suggestions on some things that might help her dog adjust to being alone or crated so much of the time but has turned down every one of them

the owner has made it clear that she is not able to change the situation for the dog so it seems clear that the dog will continue being left alone and crated 8 hours a day til it finally gives up and accepts it

have i missed anything here?

perhaps suggesting that the dog would be better off in a home where it was not isolated 8 hours a day in a crate is what will motivate this woman to do what she needs to do to meet her b's needs for less isolation and crate time

[pennypen]

@westcoastflea1:

this isnt a question of crating or not crating

the owner has made it clear that she is not able to change the situation for the dog so it seems clear that the dog will continue being left alone and crated 8 hours a day til it finally gives up and accepts it

have i missed anything here?

Um yes you moron I did state that i recently changed my work hours (whihc dont take effect until next week) so she has 2 less hours in the crate.

ALso i would like to know how when i come home and Penny sees me she is so HAPPY and wags her tail like crazy to see us. She may hate being in the crate but as soon as we are home she could care less because she has us back. I can honeslty say she is the happiest basenji i know and is not destructive in any way (except underware eating … whats up with that btw)
Shes unhappy when someone other than us is watching her and we are not there.

If i were to give her up that would mean i didnt care and to penny i would have abandonded her.

I think you are a COMPLETE idiot and i feel SO sorry for the poor dogs that have to spend any time what so ever with you.
Oh and i have gone through and read some of your own posts .... and I am the bad owner??? ... LMFAO!
Right now i have a happy pup laying next to me chewing a bone and blissfully happy. And later after dinner i will go on a 3 mile run around the park and tomorrow we will spend 4 hours at the dog park like we do all the time .... bad owner my effin ass.

Also if you had read some of my previous posts I have tried to leave her in a room she could not destroy and she pees and poos all over it when i am gone for 30 mins ..... so i am so sure i have not tried everything i can for her to make the time we are at work better for her.

[listeme]

If it helps, this isn't a "normal" thread tone around here. Hang in there!

P.S. I have had several underwear eaters. Rotten little beasts If anyone ever comes up with a magic solution for THAT, please let me know!

[westcoastflea1]

the woman who posted said her dog hated being crated
hated being alone

yet was being crated and left alone all day so was peeing to show her unhappiness

the woman was given ideas on how to help her dog
building an outside kennel
doggie day care
a dog walker
she rejected all of them
she is buying a house and planning a wedding so cant afford it

am i the only one who caught that?

so if the attitude is my dog is peeing and i know she is unhappy but i cant afford to do anything about it then yes
i think it might be a wake up call to say "maybe you need to rehome her with a family that can or is willing to work a little harder to meet her needs, rather then give her tips on how to make life easier for her when her dog spends everyday in a crate and pees to protest

do i seriously think she should rehome?

of course not
what a stupid idea
i cant believe anyone would take it seriously

but maybe throwing that idea out there is what it takes for her to seriously consider making some changes

if so then i guess all the nastiness this comment generated will have been worth it

[pennypen]

@listeme:

If it helps, this isn't a "normal" thread tone around here. Hang in there!

P.S. I have had several underwear eaters. Rotten little beasts If anyone ever comes up with a magic solution for THAT, please let me know!

Thanks i get that its only a couple bad eggs … i guess every club/forum can;t be perfect.

I know ... the underwear lol The closet must ALWAYS be closed. She has eaten some and then burried it back under some clothes lol She is currently still trying to figure out how to open a door knob .... she just cant grasp the knob (no thumbs and all) but she gets the michanics of it cause she tries to shimmy it... its unreal how smart these dogs can be.

[DebraDownSouth]

@westcoastflea1:

have i missed anything here?

perhaps suggesting that the dog would be better off in a home where it was not isolated 8 hours a day in a crate is what will motivate this woman to do what she needs to do to meet her b's needs for less isolation and crate time

@westcoastflea1:

she is buying a house and planning a wedding so cant afford it

am i the only one who caught that?
do i seriously think she should rehome?
**
of course not
what a stupid idea
i cant believe anyone would take it seriously**

but maybe throwing that idea out there is what it takes for her to seriously consider making some changes

if so then i guess all the nastiness this comment generated will have been worth it

Typing slow. The dog doesn't like it. What you MISSED is big whoop, you work on getting the dog to accept it.

As for your patting yourself on the back about you comments, the only thing your comment did was make you look like it made you look. I'll let you decide what that was. It didn't help the OP or anyone, it was just, as you admit "stupid." It wasn't helpful or inspiring. It was so stupid as to be distracting instead of helpful.

So she can't afford it… you who whined about your roomies and not doing what the rescue needed because of them. HMMMM you don't have the MONEY to have your OWN PLACE so you can do what is RIGHT for a dog, but are chastising her? So next time you consider fostering, or getting a dog, consider that YOU are not skilled, don't have the right set up, have roomies that might make proper training an issue, and go get a goldfish. Now, that is about as helpful as you were to her. Tell me, did it INSPIRE you? Motivate you? No? Well, neither was your snarking for her to place the dog. When YOU had issues, couldn't let the dog bother your roomies, did we say send back to BRAT for another foster because YOU wouldn't take suggestions? NO. People tried to work with YOU with YOUR limitations. Give the same courtesy. Just a thought.

I can't afford a day sitter either. Wanna come get my dogs on days I have to be gone? Yeah, over my dead body. And now I am done. You contribute nothing helpful but undeserved smugness.

[westcoastflea1]

well deb its nice to see you back in your usual form

youve been so nice lately i was getting worried, thought maybe youd been taken over by the pod people
glad to see thats not the case

[pennypen]

:)A lot of these posts were really upsetting but after hearing all the amazing positive things other people had to say, I know I am on the right track and doing the best i can and Penny knows that too.

[lvoss]

I have out training my own dogs today so have come in late on this discussion.

It really sounds like Penny has an issue with anxiety which is causing her to pee and poop when left alone. Since she also is not keen on the crate, crating her is only causing more anxiety. There is a lot that you will need to work on and it would be really good if you were able to consult with a behaviorist and if that isn't feasible sometimes just getting into a good positive reinforcement training class with a trainer you can talk to about at home issues can make a real difference. In the meantime, start building positive association with the crate or maybe even set up an ex-pen and use that instead. Feed her there and give her special rewards there so it becomes a place she has lots of positive experiences associated with before you have to start leaving her there which is what triggers the anxiety. Consider using a DAP diffuser in the room with her to see if it helps keep her calm and build up time if possible.

I have a dog with crate anxiety and even at 13 years old he isn't really over it but luckily for us he is not destructive and doesn't have separation anxiety just crate anxiety so he can be left alone in the house and not have problems.

[DebraDownSouth]

@westcoastflea1:

well deb its nice to see you back in your usual form

youve been so nice lately i was getting worried, thought maybe youd been taken over by the pod people
glad to see thats not the case

My dear, I am nice when warranted and respond in kind to posts like yours.

[pennypen]

@lvoss:

I have out training my own dogs today so have come in late on this discussion.

It really sounds like Penny has an issue with anxiety which is causing her to pee and poop when left alone. Since she also is not keen on the crate, crating her is only causing more anxiety. There is a lot that you will need to work on and it would be really good if you were able to consult with a behaviorist and if that isn't feasible sometimes just getting into a good positive reinforcement training class with a trainer you can talk to about at home issues can make a real difference. In the meantime, start building positive association with the crate or maybe even set up an ex-pen and use that instead. Feed her there and give her special rewards there so it becomes a place she has lots of positive experiences associated with before you have to start leaving her there which is what triggers the anxiety. Consider using a DAP diffuser in the room with her to see if it helps keep her calm and build up time if possible.

I have a dog with crate anxiety and even at 13 years old he isn't really over it but luckily for us he is not destructive and doesn't have separation anxiety just crate anxiety so he can be left alone in the house and not have problems.

Thank you … someone earlier had mentions DAP and i am going to look into that. I agree with you that its deffinitaly an anxiety issue with not just the crate but separation from us as well.

I did try the first 3 months to feed her in the crate and she would eat her food but would stretch if she had to to keep at least one toe out it seemed lol She use to take treats when i would put her in the crate but now she refuses to take anything once she is in the crate and have been this way since i'd say 8 months. It's like she is telling me "no i will not be bribbed to like this place".
Thank you again for all your input i do appreciate it a lot.

[lvoss]

What she is really saying is that her anxiety about the crate is so great that not even food is good enough to relieve that anxiety so she can't make the positive association you are trying to build. You will really need to change the picture for her and take it really slow to build positive associations with a place that she can be confined.

[listeme]

@lvoss:

What she is really saying is that her anxiety about the crate is so great that not even food is good enough to relieve that anxiety so she can't make the positive association you are trying to build. You will really need to change the picture for her and take it really slow to build positive associations with a place that she can be confined.

This is what we have learned with the things that Simon is afraid of – the not taking treats is actually a pretty sure bet that it is based in fear.

Anxiety and fear are not very different, so I think this is a really good clue.