Well we're on Day 3 of our newest family member, we've a six week old Lab/German Shepherd cross boy called Merlin

All day he is really good. He eats, sleeps and plays well - with even our youngest child - he's calm, has accepted the crate in the car and is a pleasure to have... until bedtime! I *think* this may be a touch of stress but when we're all set for bedtime and Merlin is full, been to the loo and tired he goes off to his crate well, settles down well with minimum fuss but then after 20 minutes he starts whining.

We left him 10 minutes on the first night to see if he calmed but when I went to see if he was OK I found he'd poo'd in his crate. I take him out to clean it up and the noise from his tummy is always really loud. A sort of gurgling, fizzing, crackling noise (like colic in a child). Put him back in his crate he settles quickly then 1/2 hour later he'll poo again. This can happen up to four times. He never has this noise in the day. We can't have him in our room upstairs as the walls are paper thin and our 3rd child is a light sleeper, she'll be up all night too and will never settle her back once she hears him whining. He's currently in the utility downstairs.

Is this upset tum because he doesn't want to be left? Or should we drop the last meal / make it earlier (currently 9pm). He had a vets appointment yesterday and was given a clean bill of health.

Am waffling I know but any help to combat another bout tonight would be most appreciated

Hello Welcome to the site,

There has been a selection of similar puppy-poo-crate threads over the past week or so.

I would suggest considering that a 6 week old dog has a small bladder and intestine and also has yet to learn to control the urge to urinate and defecate.

Dogs do not naturally want to defecate where they sleep and being given no choice because he is locked in is unfair and setting yourself up for later problems with this dog. Dogs do not need to sleep on a full stomach, in my opinion you are giving the last feed way too late in the day.

To help the pup become house trained in the way you want it is better to construct the daily feeding/toilet schedule so that the pup is primed for success.

Keep a dairy of the times that you feed and when he poos so that you know how long food takes to transit from bowl to bum.

We gave the last meal at 6pm to our GR pup.

Also consider distributing the daily meal allowance unevenly during the day.

Half in the morning followed by two quarter portions in the afternoon for example. Less pressure on the stomach which might need to rest and stop fizzing for a while.

What food are you feeding?

Are the stools well formed?

Hi

Thanks for your reply - blimey new pups limit internet time don't they!! After a few sleepless nights and a process of elimination we're getting there

We put it down to just being scared to be alone, he now has a hot water bottle, ticking clock, cuddly bear, night light, favourite blanket and we sleep on the sofa in shifts near his crate and hey-presto gurgly tum has stopped

He so much more settled now in just a week and we're training him in the day to accept beng left for 5 minutes which after a quick look up to see where you went he's happy to do. The last meal we brought forward and hour which helped too.

We're slowly shifting from what the breeders had him on over to AG dried puppy food and we're half and half now. So far he's happy on that which is good. His stools are soft but well formed.

We're getting there slowly. This new puppy lark is a steep learning curve!!

Helen

Awwwww Bless, sounds like it was a case of 'butterflies' in his tum at the thought of being left alone. Glad to hear he's feeling more settlied now