I'm so confussed...

[Gracie Belle]

Okay so Gracie is having some potty problems.  She is now 1 year and 3 months old and (before this week) totally potty trained.  Well, this week has been really difficult to understand.  Gracie typically sleeps in her crate at night.  Well Monday and Tuesday morning I woke up to a stinky surprise in the crate with her.  It was not sick poo, so I am not worried about her having diarrhea as it's solid.  I just thought the first time that maybe I didn't walk her late enough and she just couldn't hold it.  Well when it happened again the next day I called the vet thinking maybe there could be a problem worth looking into or just to see if it sounds more behavioral.  His recommendation was to feed a little more in the morning and less at dinner time (which is at 5:30) and increase her exercise.  Breakfast is at 7 am by the way.  Our last walk is around 9:30 or 10 pm so I feel that is enough time to digest.  So that is exactly what we have done but to no help at all.  I even woke up around 2am this morning (I had to do that in the beginning of the housebreaking when she was a pup) in hopes that she would go before relieving herself inside. I've started to let her sleep out of the crate because it's actually easier to clean the steamers off the hardwoods over cleaning the crate.  Every morning this week I've gotten a surprise even with the early morning walk this morning.  So, my question is has anyone had a problem like this where they have seemed to have forgotten about the pee/poo outside only rule???  How did you correct it?  Oh, and here is a side note.  We can leave her out of the crate during the day while we are at work and we never have any problems.  I'm so confused...

[Ali]

Wow - that is odd. Maybe just her way of saying, "Hey mom - just in case I don't tell you enough - I love you and I appreciate you!" Dumb question, but when you take her out at night before bed, and at 2 a.m. does she, uh, "park a Buik"? Maybe her digestion is changing and the food she is on is now "moving her mail" a little too quickly, if ya know what I mean. I have no idea. I just wanted to see how many poo euphamisms I could use in one post. By the way, loved "steamers". That's a great one. Not to have to clean up though - I feel, er, smell, your pain.

[lorim2]

Has any of your routines changed lately?  The past two weeks here have been so very hectic and Marley left me a couple of surpises one day...Both on the kitchen floor..omg did they ever smell!!  Then today to my wonder and surprise, my FAVORITE pair of orange flipflops were torn to shreds...!!!  The whole fam has been in and out like crazy this week and I think its just the change..The one bad thing about working for the school district...the y get really used to us being home and then at the beginning of school its really hard...Hope that might help a little

[Gracie Belle]

Wow - that is odd. Maybe just her way of saying, "Hey mom - just in case I don't tell you enough - I love you and I appreciate you!" Dumb question, but when you take her out at night before bed, and at 2 a.m. does she, uh, "park a Buik"? Maybe her digestion is changing and the food she is on is now "moving her mail" a little too quickly, if ya know what I mean. I have no idea. I just wanted to see how many poo euphamisms I could use in one post. By the way, loved "steamers". That's a great one. Not to have to clean up though - I feel, er, smell, your pain.

Ali!!  You're good..  I've heard "Pull the caddy out of the garage" and even "dropping the kids off at the pool" but never "park a Buik".  That's good and totally disgusting.  Nice..  So, just an update on Gracie Belle, my delicate princess, she has pretty much kept us on our toes with her behavior.  She just isn't consistent even though we are.  We have good day's and bad day's.  We are going to just continue to walk more often for exercise and watch the food at dinner time.  She isn't getting too much as I pay close attention to her foot to weight ratio and the pups are eating Canidae so I know she's on a good diet.  Maybe she is growing or changing or just being a toot.  Who knows.  But she does look like she's put on a couple of "Mastiff" pounds and looks a little more filled out.  On the up side, we had a perfect weekend.  No accidents at all.  Wish I could  say the same about last night.     gross.....  Thank you guys for all the advice.  It's very much appreciated.       

[Winslow 151]

Hi,

Hmm start with the priase, rewards and treats when she gets it right outside!! Maybe if she see's you get all proud of her outside she'll remember to keep that up!!

[sc.trojans]

A walk may not be cutting it for her at this point/age.  Increase free exercise and get her to run - this is what facilitates digestion and moves things along. Without sufficient exercise, many dogs may see things slow down and therefore if she is not ready to go on that walk at night...she has no choice in the middle of the night.

Changing her food to a more digestible food may help as well. Kibble can stay in the GI Tract for over 10 hours depending on digestive efficiency. Or adding a digestive enzyme, or a little chlorophyl.

[angel101798]

We had a similar problem with Cheyenne.  She is also crate trained.  Does your dog sleep with a blanket or bed in her crate?  When we first had this problem she would soil one side of her crate and squeeze herself on the other side so she wouldn't come in contact with her mess.  A sad sight to see first thing in the morning and she never once cried, whined or barked to get out.  Our vet told us to clean the entire crate with bleach-based cleaner to remove any scent and replace her blanket.  If she's going outside of her crate as well, she may have some digestive problems with her food.  Since she's just over a year, her digestive tract may be changing.  If you feed her only wet food, try adding dry food too and see if that helps or vice versa.  Or Ali may be right, she might just miss your attention and this is her way of telling you.  Good luck!

[Duramax]

you arent the only one out there with a potty train relapse, max has had 3 supprising accidents this last week! i dont know what got into him, and it wasnt for tummy upset or lack of going out side, ive done every thing suggested as you have, but like yesterday for instance, we were in my bedroom, the boys have their own queen bed in our master bedroom and max is on it goofing around while im doing laundry and im talkin to him and playin a little bit with him. and seriously out of no where, he just stands up and starts to pee in the middle of the bed!?!?! i said NONONO and you could just read his thoughts through his expression he was thinkin ' what the heck....what am i doing!' he cut it off and that was the end.
i had no clue what to think about that.