How to stop excited peeing in crate???

My husband brought me home a basset hound puppy this past spring. I needed another dog like I needed a hole in the head. Anyway, she stayed in the house for 3 days. I couldn't handle the puppy crying at night anymore. So she got moved to inside with us during the day, in the dog run outside at night. PERFECT. Now that's its getting colder, I'd like to bring her in the house full-time. She does great in the house, great in the crate UNTIL I GO TO GET HER OUT. She gets all excited and pees everywhere in the crate. I don't just mean a little dribble or squirt, I mean a full puddle. Even if she's only in the crate for an hour (and just peed right before). I've tried not talking to her to make her excited, just opening the crate and letting her out, but she always pees. She does NOT do this when just running around the house or outside.

I've housebroken probably a dozen dogs over the years using a crate. I've NEVER ran into this problem and I'm at a loss for what to to. The whole purpose of the crate is to confine her so she won't pee, but so far this is the only time she does! She's 6 months old and has a clean bill of health from the vet. Suggestions?

[farmmom]

If the crate has the sideways slipping latches, you could attach string and open it from across the room and head straight to the door to let her out without speaking to her. I did this with a dog I had that would come out of her crate soaked if I walked up to it. She had beautiful white curls on her legs that would instantly need a bath!

[Haven]

I would also probably lay a towel over the door of the crate so she cannot get a visual of you approaching it and opening it

[Jay27]

Excited peeing is hard to correct... I'd be interested to read responses. I do know to NEVER punish for it or excited peeing becomes submissive peeing, which is also difficult to correct.

I have a shep/lab that was an excited pee-er. He's 10 now, so the problem has resolved on its own, but it took 6 years. We would just not touch him, not make eye contact or indulge him in anyway until he settled down. Maybe you can approach and open the kennel with your back turned so she doesn't get as excited. Another idea, teach a really solid sit and stay outside of the kennel with ample food rewards for being calm and steady (bassets LOVE their food rewards!). Give the command from across the room prior to letting her out.

Just ideas... I'm interested to see what others suggest.

[Maura]

Can she sit in the crate? I find a larger crate helps with frustration. Go to the crate with her, tell her to go in, sit. Once she sits, praise and treat. Bring her out of the crate. Repeat over and over, like five minutes once every hour. Once she's keen on this, put her in, sit, (praise, no treat) close the door, treat (must be sitting) open door, let out. No treat for laying down, only for sit. You want her to start focusing on the proper behavior, sit, with the treat and being let out. Right now I think she has trained herself to pee. Peeing makes the door open. Now, sitting makes the door open. You should be able to tell her as soon as she can see you, "Lady, sit... good girl, you are so smart" and let her out, treating before you open the door so she is focused on the treat and not peeing. Åfter a week or so you can treat after opening the door, and eventually omitting the treat altogether.