Crate / potty training

[Shepherd Jones]

Based on experience, does it matter what type of crate you should use for a puppy and how confined do you make it so she won't potty in the crate?

My 7 wk old shepherd is doing extremely well potting outside however our house is elevated and inorder for her to get to grass you must use steps so I carry her outside and inside everytime it's time to go #1 & #2. Right now she still is not going to the door but it's only been 1 week so these things take time.

Probelm is the crate. I have a tiny (plastic) crate, not much windows that she hates and then a big wire pin (with adjustable divider) that seems to be too wide becuase she will go #1 on one side and move to the other side. Looking for advice on type crate for housebreaking that has worked for others.

[TheVintageAngel]

I have a 4 month old...and she had trouble with urinating in her crate at first too. Only a bit of time seemed to help. It didn't matter that she couldn't roam around her crate..she would still go on her bed where she layed...but after she was about 10 weeks old she was able to hold it and now keeps her crate dry when we leave for a couple hours at a time, or through the night in our bedroom.

[mthurston0001]

Material of the crate does not matter. It's just the owners preference. I like wire because that's what I use in my suv so I can see out of my windows. Plastic is a lot easier to move around though. Should be big enought that puppy can stand up and turn around, but that's about it.

[MaggieRoseLee]

I use a smaller plastic crate when my pups are young, then move to the larger metal crate.

When they are younger and starting up crate training, mine often have accidents in the crate too, frankly I'd just as soon have a larger crate so they aren't laying/stepping in it. And as long as I'm taking them out alot so teaching them to go outdoors, they learn to stop using the crate and can hold it for longer periods of time.

[Msmart]

Something that I read while doing puppy research was that as a general rule a puppy can hold "it" for one hour per month old. Obviously there will be accidents.

[doggiedad]

my boy came home when he was 9 weeks old.
he was in a crate that could fit a Great Dane (adult).
i took him out often to eliminate going in the crate.

[Shepherd Jones]

Thanks for the comments. Like most I'm assuming that I'm battling to issues at once. Things are good when we (parents) are awake but when it's time to sleep is when the training goes downhill. Our GSD whines when put in the crate. We tried setting the crate beside our bed but we have to move her to another room. By doing that we get sleep but then can't hear her when she wakes up therefore she messes in her crate.
Will get thought this stage, just frustrating at times (every morning for last week)

[WendyDsMom]

You could hang "Potty Bells" from the door of the crate and from the doorknob you use when you take her out. Teach her to "ring the bells" when she has to go potty.

It takes them 2 hours to learn the bells! Really! We got the bells after reading an article on puppy training, and now the 8 year old lab AND the 15 week old puppy are BOTH ringing the potty bells.... Life is good so far!