hi everyone, always the best place to ask for advice So what to do with my one year old male who now absolutely refuses to go in the yard? Before not a problem. I now have to take him for little walks all the time. I am wondering if he has perhaps included the yard in "this is my room so I will not go there" and is expanding his definition of home or if he is just wanting to go for walks. Does anyone have experience with this or tips for us? I have tried to wait it out in the yard but he absolutely holds it in forever..and forever.
Re: refusal to go potty/pee in the yard I have two like that, though the younger one who is two and a half has just started weeing in the garden at last! The other one is eight and a half and still won't go in the garden. They seem to cope OK, I take them out about 11.30 am and again at about 3.30pm until 5pm and they last the night and beginning of the morning.
Re: refusal to go potty/pee in the yard Gudny, I'd say both your guesses are right - he'd prefer not to wee/poo in his own home, plus he wants to go for a walk. Plus he's kind of taught himself that 'pooing and weeing have to happen on a walk'. My dog is similar and prefers to hold it in till his morning walk. I don't think there's a quick solution. But one option is to put it on cue and then try using the cue in your yard: - out on walk, dog make move towards peeing or pooing - at the very first sign of this behaviour happening say 'toilet' (or whatever) - as the last drop of wee is dripping or as the last poop is falling then mark (click if you use a clicker or marker word if you use a word) and treat - repeat 10 times (over a succession of days) Then try cueing it outside the yard before he starts to pee/poo. If it works, great, if not, go back to the teaching stage where you use the cue when you're 100% sure the behaviour will happen. Once he'll do it on cue, try cueing it in the yard. Reward with treat. Then immediately go for a walk as an extra reward. Anyway, that's just an idea
Re: refusal to go potty/pee in the yard Awesome advice Oberon - I had not thought of putting it on cue. Will try that for sure Thank you, I can always count on this forum to give me ideas. Or as we say in Iceland "you never visit an empty cabin" when visiting the labrador forum! Sayings always sound funny when translated
Re: refusal to go potty/pee in the yard Mine poo and pee on command to the second but NOT in the garden the wretches.
