We just got our first puppy at 12 weeks and she is a puggle (pug/beagle mix) and seems to be taking to potty training fairly well. However in the last week she seems to be regressing. She sleeps in her crate at night and also when we are away at work. However in the morning when she whines because she is awake I have found that she has been pooping in her kennel and then whining to get out. It seems that she is doing it and then wants to get out or knows that she has done wrong. However she continues to do it. I am not sure what is going on. Can anyone help?

I have done a lot of reading and read the other suggestions of maybe the crate is too big? No the crate we got was orginially for a min pin that my in-laws have that has out grown the crate. So we don't think that is the case. I have also made sure to use any enzyme killing cleaners in her crate after she has messed and she still seems to be doing it in the morning. I also thought that since we got her from a pet store maybe she was used to just going and the floor taking care of it so one morning when I got up I took her outside like I always do to find she had already deficated in her kennel. I did not clean up the mess because I could tell that it had just happened, and thought maybe she is not learning because I am cleaing it up right away, put her back in her crate in hopes that she would not like being in there with it. The next morning same thing, she had another accident. I however have not tried the vinegar suggestions and will be doing that tomorrow I am sure.

I know that it is rare that they do this sort of thing but it has become a nasty little habbit of Gertie's.

Can anyone help us?

If she were my dog I would change her feeding times. Food in, food out. If there is no food in her then she wont poop. And of course take her out at night time before bed.
hope this helps