Thoughts on how to get a 6 month old puppy to wee on their own?

First time dog owner here. We've had Lexie (black lab mix) for 3 months now. She is very reliable in the house training aspect, however, she won't go out on her own. For now, it has been fine as the weather has been amenable. However, living in New England, the weather will be downright miserable over the winter. I don't look forward to having to keep her company outside 5-6 times per day.
She is a very timid pup. She will just wait by the door if I send her out alone. Any thoughts on how to encourage her to eliminate on her own & then come to the door? Is it a pipe dream at this point? I'm not sure what to expect or how to teach her this.

We take her on two lengthy walks per day, and she almost never eliminates during them. She waits until we are back in our yard before doing so. I plan on continuing her walks year round, but I'd rather not accompany her outside for her quick eliminations, if possible.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or suggestions.

 

I still keep mine company at 3 years old. They are social animals, she comes with me when I go to the loo too lol.

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Just this past weekend, my 6 month old decided he was fine going into the yard by himself to do his business. I opened the door, told him to "get busy" and off he went (of course he came right back for his treat!). I guess he just decided that he was fine with peeing without an audience. Perhaps it will just happen as she gets more independent?

 

I didn't trust Oban to go out alone till he was about a year old. Besides having deep snow like you do, we also have skunks, like you do. If I wasn't going out in winter to be sure he wasn't escaping over fences made low by deep snow I was going out in spring, fall and winter at least in the dark to clap my hands to scare the skunks away. Now I still am ususally out with him first thing in the morning to make sure he really does pee and doesn't just run around the deck on me and cheat. We kept boots, mittens and coat by the door for winter. Oban was a winter puppy but by the time yours sees her first winter she probably won't need to pee and poop 5 and 6 times a day. And by the way, Labs LOVE winter and snow and cold. You should go outside and play with her, build her a snowman so she can tear it apart, throw snowballs. The only thing we have to watch, still, at age 8 years, is Oban thinks the snowblower and shovel are things to play with, he has to stay in when we use them.

 

I still go out in the garden with my 3.5 year old dog - there is no way he'd have a pee otherwise. He'd just trot round the garden and come back looking all smug 'give me my treat'. He gets paid for a wee (yes, at 3.5 years, he gets a kibble for weeing in the garden, otherwise he won't and he'd wait for his walks) and not a fake wee! Anyway, he doesn't want to be in the garden without me, it's just the way it is.

 

Haha, mine are fine with the shovel, but Shadow and snow blowers - WOW!!! LOOK MUM, SNOWBALLS! MUM MUM MUM! SNOWBALLS! SO MANY SNOWBALLS!! SNOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

 

We still go out with or 6 mth old boy, but just to check he goes! Too many other distractions in the garden - ants, flies, beetles, plants that may have regrown a flower or leaf, brick to dig up and I am sure a million other things to his butterfly brain that said as we are having a few nice warm days at the moment the back door is open and Bailey happily wanders in and out - if he does go while on his own he comes running in to let us know!

I must admit I am hoping for snow this winter as my old lab used to love playing in it when she was with us - she used to try and "catch" the little bits of snow that come off the tips of your boots when you walk!

 

This is one of Willow's favourite games. I kick the snow and she chases it. Sends her loopy. Shadow, on the other hand, who would kill for a snowball, looks on with disdain. It's so funny how different they can be!

 

Can't wait to introduce Bales to snow! Silly really as I am a real warm sunshine loving person - but crossing my fingers we get some nice snow this winter, not the horrid slushy stuff

 

We have a dog door to the back yard. I know that Cooper was going out on her own by 4 months. She had learned how to use the dog door by the time she was 3 months. It has been long enough that I can't recall when Tilly went out on her own but I think it was about the same.

 

On a more practical note.....could Anak teach to toilet in a specific area then make a race back to the door and treat at the door, using a go potty cue when doing the business?

 

Oooh, I love this idea. Would it just be a matter of standing in a certain area & wait for her to wee? Is that how I designate an area? Or would I need to fence something in to provide a visual cue? Sorry if that's a stupid question.

 

Axel was timid to go outside at first too. It took him a couple weeks to go by himself. He would do the same thing. Sit by the door for awhile. We started at about 6 months old. Now he is almost 8 months and he goes by himself. But I go out with him first thing in the morning and once it's dark in the evening, just incase a bear is in the yard

 

Mags,glad I am not the only one that has company when in the bathroom!!!

 

Ana, I am in New England too and going out in the snow and/or rain in the middle of Winter is not fun. I used to go out with Cooper 2.5 years old now until he would go out to his fenced area on his own...probably around 6 months....but only in the morning. He still will not go out on his own when it's dark! You still have time to take Lexie to the spot you want her to potty in before it gets too miserable out there. The advice I always got was when she pee's you say the word or words you have picked for it....I say "wee wee" but "hurry up" or whatever you choose while she is peeing or pottying and then treat. I do not treat for either but am having problems with Cooper going when I think he should: first thing in the morning and before going to bed at night. So have to start all over again with saying the words and treating! Good luck and welcome to the Forum!

 

Not my specialist subject!
What Yvonne says I think. If you do it on lead maybe to start with?
@Boogie has always given good advice about designated toilet areas for her guide dog puppies.

 

A fence is needed, really - if they are free to roam they will wee where they choose - and spend ages choosing where that is!

I love having a fenced area because it's boring for the do, so they get on with the business much quicker. Then the reward is playing in the garden. I would definitely have had one for Tatze if I'd known at the time.

We have it by the back door when they are little the at the other side of the patio when they have fewer wees - 5 months or so onwards. I use a weak mix of Simple Solution in a watering can and swill every wee. We've never had any smell at all. The table is for horrible weather, so that tiny babies can shelter and not be put of, that gets moved once they are used to it.

Here is our spending area - in use, haha!


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The wine cooler is missing from that picture, Mags. I can just imagine you sat there with a book and a glass of vino, waiting for your puppy to pee

 

Cheers!


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I try not to have company when I go into the bathroom, but he's a slippery one and comes with anyway!. I will probably be keeping him company outside for a good long time myself, for all the reasons listed above. I don't trust him not to eat every since piece of mulch in my gardens, and I am not sure that he won't "fake it". I want to be sure he really did what he was supposed to.

I hate winter too (I'm in the Midwest) - but all these stories have reminded me how fun dogs can be in the snow. Perhaps I should get myself some gear so we can play outside in it.