Hi all!

I'm new to the forum - my husband and I just got Jiko (super adorable red and white girl from Dark Moon Kennels) about 1.5 weeks ago. We've been introducing her to the crate and she's been doing well with it (sleeps/eats in it, voluntarily goes in to lay down, plays with toys, etc). We have left the door open for the most part as she's still adjusting and hadn't previously been locked alone. The first night we locked her in, she pooped in it and then jumped around in it and got it all over the crate. We took her out, cleaned her and the crate very well and put her back. She did the same thing again. Both times were less than 6 hours apart. Has anyone experienced this - it seems odd given that basenjis are known for wanting to be clean? She didn't really cry that night either, so it was almost like she didn't mind being in the mess. Any thoughts? We're nervous to start a stricter crate training because we don't want her to be dirty or in a messy crate. On the flip side, we want her to be comfortabel in the crate and hope it would lead to better housebreaking. Is it worth trying to put her in there for a night and checking frequently (every 30 mins?) to make sure she hasn't gone to the bathroom? We've been taking her out several times before bed every night and she's been getting better about doing her business outside, but still manages to go inside overnight too. Any help is greatly appreciated!