[LucytheCheagle]

Hello and thank you for reading

I got my chihuahua / beagle mix from a local animal shelter about a year ago. She's a very good dog, mostly obedient, she's also pretty smart (we counted, she knows 37 words).

However, there's just one problem. Ever since I got her, she has not pottied in OUR yard one time. Well, she has peed, but she won't do her main business in our yard.

This was fine over the summer, as I was home and could walk her around our neighborhood, or the field across the road at any point in the morning and had no time restraints. But now, being a student, I have to be ready to be out of the door by 6:30am, and she obviously has to go before I leave, which means I have to get up insanely early so I can take her on, like, a 20-25 minute walk all around the neighborhood, in rain or cold, waiting for her to do her business...

I don't know how I can get her to do this in our yard, she seems to only want to go in certain areas, mostly where she smells other dogs. Maybe this is because she had 3 prior homes? I don't know.

Over the summer, I want to buy her a fence, so she can be in our yard whenever she wants, would this help?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!! :huddle:

 

[SchnauzerGirl8810]

One of my dogs is exactly like this. A fenced yard made no difference in his behavior. He simply will no go "number two" in our yard.

I SUPPOSE if I refused to walk him for a day or two, he would HAVE to go in the yard, but I think it would be distressing to him. So we walk, twice a day, everyday.

 

[MandyLena]

Maybe you could try gradually decreasing the distance you walk her? If it's just your yard she won't do her business in, maybe you could try taking her a short distance from your home, just down the street or around the corner, and then just wait until she does her business. Then praise her, give her a treat, and gradually work your way backwards until you're back in your own yard. Do you walk her into the yard on or off a leash? Because if you let her into the yard off a leash that could also be the problem. It could be she thinks leash=potty time. I work at a doggie daycare/boarding facility and we have regulars who will not do their business unless they're on a leash. So if you've been letting her out without one, try walking her around the yard with one on

 

[MollyDoggy]

Some dogs are smart in that they realize, once they do their business they get taken back inside from the exciting walk. So they try to prolong it as long as possible, that way they get a longer walk. I think this might be common amongst shelter dogs, because they only get so much personal time with the shelter volunteers, they put the dogs back in their pen right after they go and move onto the next dog.Owners sometimes continue this, because they have other things to do at that point and will go for a walk later. I could be wrong, but I've had this experience with both of my shelter dogs.

I'm not sure if this is what's going on with your dog or not, it could be. But if you think this might be the issue, then on days where you dont go to school, don't start the walk until he does his business in your yard. Walk around your yard for 10-15 minutes, if he doesn't go, then go back inside. Repeat until he goes. Eventually, he will have to go. Then immediately start your walk to reward him.

This way, he will learn that doing his business starts the walk, instead of ending it.

 

[SchnauzerGirl8810]

Molly, that's a great suggestion to start the walk in the yard. I'm going to try it out. Maybe the OP can try it too and we'll compare notes

However, I have always made sure our walk doesn't end when my dog does his business, to avoid him thinking that if he goes, his walk is over. And with my other dog who will do business in the yard, I make sure not to rush him inside right afterwards, for the same reason. I have seen the behavior that you described in other dogs who will hold out as long as possible.

 

[Eishun]

Why does your dog have to potty in her garden?
It's just not a normal behaviour for a dog to potty in the own area. Or would you potty in your living room?

Normally a dog needs to walk a little that it can potty without Problems. If you go for a longer walk you'll see that she does a second time a bit later.

Sorry to say, but if you have a dog then you are responsible for it and you have to go for walks, no matter what the weather is.
By the way; I start work at 6:30 so I get up much earlier to go for a walk. Thats not insanely.

 

[mathilda]

I suppose the most dog-friendly choice would be to just go on a walk with your dog.
you can problably force your dog to use the garden, if you wait it out and don't go for walks for a few days, but I think that's not the nicest way to do.