This is a recent question from a reader of my website.

Question:  I’ve adopted an eight month old Labrador. He’s been raised in a kennel all his life, never taken out of the kennel except for hunt training.  He’s done his business in the kennel, all his life.  I need advice on housebreaking him.  I’ve got him crated but he relieves himself in his crate, just as he’s been doing all his life. I’ve now got him in a crate that he barely has room to lay down in, and that seems to be helping somewhat, but there are still times when he just pees and sits in it, he doesn’t seem to care. I take him outside to a designated spot regularly, every three hours at least, after eating, before he goes in the crate, as soon as he comes out of the crate, etc.

Answer:  This is my least favorite problem to deal with.  Most dogs have a natural aversion to being in their own waste but dogs like yours have been trained to lose that distaste.  It is a shame and you likely have some work ahead of you.  Here are some tips:

- If you are able to take the dog out every three hours I wonder if he needs to spend so much time in the crate.  If you are home with the dog don’t leave him in the crate.  Supervise him heavily while he is outside of the crate.

- Be very judicious with his water.  If you notice that he will often pee in his crate first thing in the morning limit his water in the morning.  If he pees in his crate overnight limit his water in the evening.  Try to learn his schedule a little better and see if you can avoid the problem before it starts.

- Is there any way to not use a crate.  Do you have a way to keep him safe outside while you can’t watch him?  Have you tried a laundry room? 

- Make sure the dog is healthy and an infection isn’t causing this problem. 

Good luck.  Experiment with as many techniques as you can.