[Califnative]

Hi All,

Thanks for everyone's advice regarding my accidents in the house situation.

As I mentioned, we back up to a green belt and have no "designated spot" for Strider to go. So I am now working on building a fence with construction to be started hopefully next weekend.

In the meantime, I've tried to get him to go in the backyard, but I think he's so used to now walking and going wherever, I am not sure how to get him to start going in the backyard, especially when the fence is erected. I know it'll take some training and I believe it can be done, but I would love some advice as to HOW I can begin the training back there.

I've put him on a tieout in the backyard, but he hates it because it's retractable and he doesn't like that. I've walked him around back there, but he does not seem interested. I was going to have his poop today bagged up and put in the backyard so he can smell it back there.

Any other ideas? Thank you.

 

[Mikey T]

I believe I have given you the link before but this method should help in creating a definative spot to deficate and/or pee Potty Training Trip

Also look into putting defication and peeing on cue. That is by telling the dog to go they will

see Housetraining Your Puppy

Use commands for elimination. I use a different word for each function, "Quickly" for urinate, and "Hurry up!" for defecate. You can choose your own words, just be sure they are not words used in everyday conversation, or at least have a unique way of saying it. One friend of mine uses "Zoom" for urinate. Each function uses different muscle groups so they are different behaviors. Say "Quickly!" repeatedly until the pup urinates. It becomes a habit for both of you, and soon you will only need to say it once and he will go immediately. This is the ONLY TIME I recommend saying a command repeatedly in training.

 

[oscar's_mom]

Hey, please try eliminating all odors in your home and establishing new ones outside.
If he can smell any previous scents indoors he will keep going there. As mentioned before, try covering up the "favorite indoor spots" with a different, stronger odor like shoe polish or wood polish and then scrubbing the daylights out of that area or repeat the process until all traces of the scent indoors is gone. Even rugs / mops that you have used to mop up spills need to be eliminated.

I am guessing when you brought him home, his first place he relieved himself was indoors?
I used to take my dog outside and stand / play around outside until "something happened". This could take ages, so take a book / activity / chore with you to keep occupied. Also, keep his food & blankets where he would usually go in the house.
He won't poop near his living areas or food dish, so if a favorite spot was on the kitchen floor, then move his food bowl there rather and build new associations with that area.

I had to kind of "trick" my dog like this. He doesn't "pee on command", instead he walks outside and does his thing there naturally.
I really think it's a question on the scent.
My dog goes in the garden, and I use a hose to spray all his poos off the grass, so they kind-of dissolve on to the outskirts of the garden. He follows his scent and now only poos on the outskirts too and not in the center where he used to.

Hope that helps and good luck. It can take months. A lady I know had the same problem with her toy pom. Her house is tiled, so she varnished the tiles so that particles couldn't get stuck between the tiles/cement (thus leaving a scent behind) and that solved her problem.

Let us know how it goes!