The club were unable to field a "competitive" team on Saturday and defaulted their game to Green Island.
CDK chairman Dean Delaney described it as a one-off and said there were plans in place to address the issues.
"We had a large number of players away with the under-19s and Hawke Cup ... and we just did not have the numbers to field a competitive team," Delaney said.
"That is it in a nutshell. But the secondary issue to that is that our teams are pretty siloed.
"There is a lack of capability and willingness for our second grade team to want to [step] up to seniors.
"I don’t want to make any excuses at all, but I think that is also a problem for the wider game.
"In the old days the grades were used as a feeder system, but that does not seem to be the case now. So when we have a whole heap of players taken out for representative cricket, and a couple of injuries, that really leaves us exposed.
"It has been a perfect storm, but we’ve got a plan in place to make sure this does not happen next week and we will just keep going."
Carisbrook-Dunedin and Kaikorai merged their premier teams for the 2020-21 season and later formally merged the senior clubs.
Initially, the premier grade team enjoyed much success. CDK won back-to-back senior banners in their first two years.
But last season proved a struggle and this season the Demon Dogs have been wading through mud.
They were dismissed for just 43 against Taieri in round two. They have also had a nine-wicket loss and an eight-wicket loss.
Otago Cricket Association community cricket general manager Andrew Petrie said CDK’s default was a concern, but was also a reflection of the sporting environment.
"The desire for the players at the next level down to play at premier level is possibly not there as it was in the past," Petrie said.
The other five senior clubs were able to field teams, but Petrie said CDK’s was more heavily impacted. They had five players away with the Otago under-19 team, for example.
Petrie suggested the numbers were healthy in Dunedin senior men’s cricket overall, but that comment came with a caveat.
"I’d say they are healthy, but in all sport now there is a desire for people to play socially and to opt in and out when they like at times.
"But we have confidence that CDK have a plan in place for the next weekend, the second week of the under-19 tournament."
There were two premier one-day games which went ahead and they were both tight encounters.
North East Valley secured a tense one-wicket win over University-Grange at Logan Park.
Volts left-armer Andrew Hazeldine whacked 59 and Sebastian Lauder-Smith (38) and Shawn Hicks (37) made useful contributions to help University post 220 for eight.
But Jamie Grassi top-scored for North East Valley with a hard-hit 76 from 83 balls, and openers Shaedon Miller (54) and Hunter Kindley (28) made valuable contributions.
They were both instrumental with the ball as well. Miller took three for 64 and Kindley two for 29.
Albion edged Taieri in the other match. Tommy Clout took six for 27 to help dismiss Taieri, who won the declaration competition, for 167.
The small target proved challenging, though. Albion opener Lucky Singh made 37, but experienced campaigner Josh Tasman-Jones did most of the heavy lifting in the chase with an undefeated 62 from 138 balls.
- Otago under-19 had a 40-run loss to Northern Districts in their opening game at the under-19 tournament in Lincoln on Saturday,
Yesterday, Otago made a bold attempt to run down Auckland's tally of 342. Will Jones clouted 105 from 85 balls and Nick Brown made 72 at the top of the order. But they were bowled out in the penultimate over for 323.
