Crate issues

Hi,

Was looking for a wee bit of advice if possible!

My 18month old boy Star has been crate trained since we got him at 10 weeks, as our 12yr old adores hers. Everything was fine right up until he was about 9 months old when he completely and utterly destroyed the door to his crate and we had to buy another one - which lasted 3 days before he bent the wires in the corner so badly we couldn't let him go in it anymore for fear he hurt himself.

We then moved onto a wooden kennel (in our kitchen), that he will quite happily go in and out during the day, hide in when he knows he's been naughty (mainly raiding bins if we forget) and sleeps in it every night with our older dog. The only problem is that he's eaten the wooden door and can get in and out it no bother even when it's locked!!

When he's getting out at night he's also having accidents on the floor, even if he's had nothing to drink since the last time he was walked before bedtime (usually about 20 minutes before). Both the two older dogs are locked in the kitchen at night and sleep in the kennel but we can't actually lock him in to save him from having accidents as he just chews his way out over the course of a week or so.


So.. question:

1. Indestructible crates? Do they exist?
2. Any idea why after 8 months he decided he didn't like being locked in?
3. How on earth do I stop the nighttime accidents? It only happens through the night and only started when he managed to break out his 3rd crate. Even leaving them to sleep just on beds, he does the same thing.


Thanks!

Has he been like this since you have had your new girly? he may be marking, can I ask what walks he has per day and for how long?. Also what do you clean the wee up with x

Hi,

Nope we've only had her less than a week and he's been doing this for nearly a year. It's not even every night either.  We've had him at the behavior specialists at our vets and although this has helped with him jumping about and being overly excited when we come home, not the crate issues.

He's out anywhere between 4 and 6 times a day, for about 20-45 mins per time, usually about 20 and a wee bit longer at night.

We clean up with Flash with Febreze All Purpose - I can't see anything about it having ammonia in it. We've tried everything from bleach to floor cleaners to multipurpose cleaners to mixing Daz in hot water but no luck!

He's a cracking wee guy apart from this - he won't soil his bed so my thinking is that he's escaping the crates to go to the toilet but surely at 18m he can hold it for 6 hours?

Mmm strange is Daz biological washing powder? as only know that biological powder breaks down the enzymes so he wont soil in the same place.