Crate Trained 3yr old, Pees in house

[daveyoungahl]

I have adopted a 3 yr old Beagle FS ("Sunny" aka "Pema"). Sunny became crate trained at the humane shelter (the Ark of Cleveland, TN Ark of CLEVELAND, Inc. ) So if I take her for her regular walk she urinates and defecates just like she ought to; but we want her to live in our home OUTSIDE of the crate... and she seems to figure like this; "OK... Don't pee in the Crate! Don't Pee in the Crate! Got it!" (like that's all there is to the lesson...)

THEY didn't let her OUT much, for the last 60 days, EXCEPT when she went for a walk, I imagine. SO if she is OUT of the crate and IN the house; she pees! I guess I thought that her being crate trained would help, but she's not making the transition. ONE solution would be to not put her IN the crate... (risky) the other is to keep her there ALWAYS (not what we want for her)

SO how do we house train this Beagle without losing ground RE: the crate training which she seems to have down pat? ALSO related: she imagines, "I'm free from the crate" as equal to "play-time" and so stays pretty excited (not OVER excited but quite "busy") when shes free (of course this is still a new house for her)

I believe we need to leave her OUT until she get's her curiosity satisfied and sleeps outside the crate a few times... so I can approach THAT part, but house training... that's scarier. We are here all day but I still have to concentrate on work Needlepoint Pillows online (which is another challenge but that means re-training US not to leave pillows out!)

RE: dominance/submission; it seems Sunny has no idea where she is to fit in... she's happy to NOT be Alpha Dog, (rolls over TOO readily) but also wants to lead the walk and is inclined to jump up... I am working on random walking with a Halti to bring her to heel. She is confused by "sit" and doesn't do that often (so it's hard to reinforce it "naturally')...

How many DIFFERENT things can she target at once?
thanks

[kjd]

Sunny isn't housebroken. She is crate-trained. Those are two different things. Follow the directions for housebreaking any un-housebroken animal. Until she is housebroken, use the crate at night. As an adult, she can hold it during the night, but she won't if she thinks it is OK to go in the house.

I've noticed, since I installed a dog door, my dog does go outside at night. Not surprising, since people also use the bathroom during the night! Since you may not get up at the same time as Sunny, take advantage of the crate. That way, she will never make a mistake during the night.

Also, please realize Sunny may always prefer to sleep in her crate. My dog goes and sleeps in her crate at times. If the door gets pushed closed at night, she will come wake me and ask that I open it for her (she can push it open if she is inside).

Although you are interested in getting the dog out of the crate, you don't want her roaming in the house when someone cannot pay attention to her. That will only lengthen the time it takes to housebreak.

Good luck with Sunny. She is lucky to have you.