My nearly 12 week old Labrador puppy has been a dream so far. He cried the first night but nothing since, he loves his crate (has done from day 1) and is (touch wood) housetrained. However...we have started taking him on short walks (yes he is off the lead and loving it - never strays from our side!) but he doesn't go to the loo at all, he waits and goes straight in the garden when we get home and does his business there... any ideas on how we can get him going on the walks ? Many Thanks ! Hayley and black lab puppy Chidley
Hi and welcome to the forum. Don't worry, this is very common and will come with time. He's just learnt to go in a particular place - your garden - and has to learn that it's OK to do it outside, too. He'll start to smell where other dogs have been and then he'll go himself. Give him lots of treats when he does, and you'll have a dog that's more than happy to go outside. It took Willow a little while to have a poo on a walk. Having a wee was a little quicker, but probably not for a week or maybe even more.
Hi and welcome. As Snowbunny says it is not at all unusual for a puppy to wait to get home rather than wee or loo on a walk. Juno was absolutely fine weeing and pooing on walks until she had surgery in March and when we finally were able to go out for short walks she waited until we got home - smells and being 'out' were much more interesting. She did eventually start seeing on walks again but it took several weeks. Relax and enjoy your puppy
It took my lab ages to go on a walk. Someone told me it was a defensive thing so that puppies didn't leave scent which allowed potential predators to find them. My spaniel on the other hand went really early so that may be nonsense. Whichever it is he'll work it out and then you can make a big fuss of him and tell him how clever he is
UPDATE- Chidley did his first wee wee out on a walk this afternoon ! Clever boy !! Thank you for all your advice everybody.
