My 8 month old Puppy won't stop peeing/pooping in her crate. Help! This happens almost every time she is put in her crate and left alone. I switched her to a better food several months ago, which hasn't helped. I take her out all the time, which only slightly helps. Even if she has just pooped sometimes she'll still poop in her crate. If I'm in the same room as her, shes fine in her crate, for the most part anyways. As soon as I leave the room or house, she freaks out and craps and pees herself. It has happened in literally two minutes before, where I'll leave her and then she'll be quite for like thirty seconds and I'll go check on her and she'll have soiled herself. I'm home all day so she gets plenty of love and attention and exercise, but as soon as I leave she craps. I take her out all the time too. I don't know what else to do. Her crate is a carrier thats as small as I can get for her. Shes 12lbs and she has the second to smallest carrier available. The smaller one is waaaay to tiny, so its not the crate size. Does any one have any ideas on how to help???? I know a lot of it has to do with her anxiety, but I don't know how to show her I love her any more.

[lulusmom]

I had the same problem with one of my babies. I got her when she was 7 months old and she had been crated most of her life and was not given much opportunity to do her business outside the crate. That obliterated whatever instinct she may have had about not soiling where she slept. I never could get her to stop soiling in her crate so I got a very, very large crate and put a piddle pad in one corner and that worked. She was 3 lbs and the crate was big enough for a Great Dane so she had plenty of room for her food, water, piddle pad and bedding. Here's a link to a site that might be of some help.

Crate Soiling - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company!

this is a typical sign of separation anxiety. when she cannot see you anymore they panic and they potty. my dog used to do this. I would consult a vet however.

If she is experiencing separation anxiety, a very effective method of eliminating the feeling of abandonment is to place a shirt or a towel which holds the bodily scent (sweat) of a family member in the crate with the dog. Usually, an article of clothing from the hamper will do. This gives the dog a sense of security.

Hope this helps!
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You could either do as stated where you have large enough of an area to designate a space for potty, or the opposite in which you only give a small amount of area. Really the crate should be only big enough for them to turn around in side of. Try feeding your dog in their crate and have her sleep in it. Dogs naturally try to avoid going potty in areas that they eat or sleep.

If you are just gone too long, get somebody to come by and take the dog outside to go potty. Once dogs are on a consistent schedule of eating and bathroom breaks, they're pretty predictable on when it is time to go potty.