Messing in the crate

Since Toby went a couple of weeks ago, rave has started messing in her crate.
It's mainly just at night time now, I take her out and ensure she toilets in the garden then I'll put her in her crate for the night (she was messing within 5minutes of being in her crate but I have stopped that). I've tried getting up several times in the night to let her out but she still messes in there. I think it's a developed habit rather than her necessarily needing to go.
Any ideas? As up until Toby went she was clean.

Could be stress? Is Toby another dog? Maybe try consulting your vet :-S xx

Its not stress.

I bred her, Toby was her litter mate that left later than normal when he was 4 months due to going to live abroad.

I think it just happens to have started when he left, not because of him leaving...I think she is quite glad he has gone!

Is she in the same crate, and did they used to go in together?

Messing in the crate is usually caused by it being too big, so a dog can 'seperate' it into their den and somewhere to toilet. If you reduce the size, you'll find she stops messing in there.

It could be something else, such as anxiety after he has gone, but I'd try this first.

They were crated seperately from 9 weeks. They also spent a huge amount of the day away from each other.

Her crate is the correct size, big enough for her to turn around in and sleep comfortable but not so big as to 'encourage' her to mess.

What time is her last meal, Layla? I found it helped with Jack making his last meal around 5 pm. He then has half a bonio at bed time.

This is very odd! Has anything changed that she is eating?! So maybe she 'can't hold it as such!? Just an idea...? x

Her last meal is now at 4pm, it was at 6pm but when she started messing overnight I made it earlier hoping this would help, to no avail.

Nope, she's on exactly the same food as before, I really do think it is now a habit that has formed, I just have no idea how to break it!

Some brands of food seem to make it harder for dogs to control themselves, so I'd suggest altering the diet (gradually of course) to see if that alters anything.

Other than that, maybe a trip to the vet to check there is nothing medical causing it ...

Its a tough one - I was going to answer earlier - but knew you would have the correct size crate, fed at certain times etc..

Could you not put her in a Pen instead of a crate and see if it is just a habit of going in the crate - just an idea, it may work, may not..