Tara has been digging at the part of the lawn she can access, and making a right mess, so we have had the patio extended to the fence. Now she will play out there, and seems OK with the loss of her grass, BUT, she refuses to use the patio for toilet. She used to use both grass and patio, but refuses point blank to use the patio. As a result, I have to walk her as soon as we get up, then three more times a day (outside her normal long walks). Is there any way we can get her to go on the patio, or must I prise up some slabs, and give her back a yard of grass!!!!
Oh sympathies I've got a dog who has to be walked to toilet.....he will hold himself for 10 hours during the day rather than go in the garden....he will only toilet on sand or stones and I've only got grass or paving To offer him .I couldn't crack it and gave up ,I was worried about him holding for so long....if it's grass she wants could you try a square of turf ,reward her massively for going on it and gradually reduce the size of the turf until she is used to just going in the area and forgets about the grass? Angela x
I also have dogs who will not go in the garden and they hold it for 15 hours! I notice my one seeks out a gravel drive when we go out (if I haven't got him on the lead!), so I wonder if you tried an area of gravel as part of the patio? For my German Pointers I had an area of bark and they always use that, but Labs won't!
Try putting some small slate pieces or gravel on part of the patio - that might encourage her. Easy to wash down too
There is a small (2 sq. yd.) area that she also digs in, which is gravel on a membrane sheet, but she refuses to go on here. I do have some spare turf, where the rest of the garden is being altered, so I will lay some on the gravel, to see if she will use it. If she does, I will dig out the gravel, and properly lay the turf all over that area. I know she will dig it up again but, hopefully, it will work.
My dog doesn't like going in the garden - he'll only poo in the garden in an absolute emergency, and only pees in the garden because ever since he was 8 weeks old he has been rewarded for peeing in the garden and we still reward him now. I do this because sometimes I'm on a tight schedule before work and I need him to have a pee on cue. But he reluctantly squeezes out a pee, and if he thinks I'm not paying attention he'll cock his leg on a bush, not pee, then come for his treat! Cheek of him....yet walk him down the street and he'll pee on every gatepost and lamppost going.... Then he was injured and had no choice but to have a proper pee in the garden - you can just wait them out then reward when they go. You do have to wait though....but of course they will eventually pee or poo on whatever surface is available.
