Outside Toilet Training for a Dog

eezipc

Hi,
This is a slightly unusual issue so hopefully somebody will be able to help.
We have two adopted dogs. One is a Springer Spaniel. She is around 5 years old and we have had her 3 years now.
She was already house trained so there were never any issues.
However, the last few months because of work we are away from home for the guts of 10 hours a day.
The dogs have a dog flap so they can go into the back yard so they have free access inside and outside while we are gone.
However, the Spaniel just will not go to the toilet in the yard. So when I get home she is busting to go the toilet. Yesterday she peed on the bed and I feel so sorry for her.

Is there a way to convince a dog that it's ok to pee in the yard? I assume because the yard is fenced off and connected to the house she probably thinks that she cannot pee outside.

Any help is appreciated.

DBB

Ah the poor thing
What sort of surface(s) have you in the yard?

eezipc

Bit of everything. Concrete floor. Small lawn. Gravel down the end of the yard.

DBB

I take it that she has never been able to pee in your yard, is that the case?
It is a toughie this, having an ultra-clean dog
But you might have some success if (and bear with me on this), you collect some of her pee whilst out walking, and use this to scent-mark a couple of patches in your garden... If she overmarks a spot that she recognises as being a safe place where she has (apparently) peed before, it gives you an opportunity to reinforce her for peeing in your yard!
How to collect pee? It needs to be a shallow container that you can slip undetected underneath her when she squats... I've used plastic take-away trays with great success. However, somebody here came up with the idea of using a ladle... Brilliant! Not as distracting for her as you don't have to bend all the way down! However, keep it for dog pee collection only, otherwise nobody will call to yours for a bowl of soup

eezipc

DBB wrote: »

I take it that she has never been able to pee in your yard, is that the case?
It is a toughie this, having an ultra-clean dog
But you might have some success if (and bear with me on this), you collect some of her pee whilst out walking, and use this to scent-mark a couple of patches in your garden... If she overmarks a spot that she recognises as being a safe place where she has (apparently) peed before, it gives you an opportunity to reinforce her for peeing in your yard!
How to collect pee? It needs to be a shallow container that you can slip undetected underneath her when she squats... I've used plastic take-away trays with great success. However, somebody here came up with the idea of using a ladle... Brilliant! Not as distracting for her as you don't have to bend all the way down! However, keep it for dog pee collection only, otherwise nobody will call to yours for a bowl of soup

As odd as it may be, that seems like a great idea. You are right that she has never peed in the back yard. The front garden and fields around the house has never been a problem though.
So that's my plan for this evening. I have an old ladle and I'm going to slyly hang around her while she is peeing.
Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it.

VonVix

Lol I can now visualize you running through your house with a pee filled ladle, trying not to spill any of the pee anywhere! :P Best of luck!

SillyMangoX

Would a pee post be any good for something like this? I've never used one but have seen them sold so don't know how effective the are but its just a thing you stick into the lawn that is meant to smell like pee to them.. Could be an option if pee collecting doesn't go to plan?

Cherry Blossom

I thought the pee post was for male dogs designed to encourage them to mark on it to discourage marking elsewhere? I also thought they had to pee on it before it smelled like pee. I didn't know it came pre pee infused lol.

aonb

DBB wrote: »

I take it that she has never been able to pee in your yard, is that the case?
It is a toughie this, having an ultra-clean dog
But you might have some success if (and bear with me on this), you collect some of her pee whilst out walking, and use this to scent-mark a couple of patches in your garden... If she overmarks a spot that she recognises as being a safe place where she has (apparently) peed before, it gives you an opportunity to reinforce her for peeing in your yard!
How to collect pee? It needs to be a shallow container that you can slip undetected underneath her when she squats... I've used plastic take-away trays with great success. However, somebody here came up with the idea of using a ladle... Brilliant! Not as distracting for her as you don't have to bend all the way down! However, keep it for dog pee collection only, otherwise nobody will call to yours for a bowl of soup

Wow, that is just a brilliant suggestion (but then most of your suggestions are on the ball DBB )

I would just add though that if you are far-ish from home and want to collect pee, the ladle might be messy! When my dog was having kidney/bladder issues, I became an expert at collecting his pee - course being a dog rather than a bitch, collecting it was easier. I had a little bucket (from Lidl - their greek yogurt) that comes with handle and lid - used to put the pee in there pop the lid on and off to the vet!! OP you might need to do this several days - and put a good few spots of pee around the place - to keep it "fresh", reinforcing the idea that its ok to pee in the garden, but also rain would wash it away....

Do let us know how you get on - will be v.interested to hear!

eezipc

Ok, quick update. (Didn't get a "pee post" but might do if this does not work)...

Spent the past few days just casually walking around the dog, whistling to myself, looking at the birds and clouds in the sky and BAM.... Out comes the ladle.
I have done this about four times now. Nothing has changed yet but I know this takes time.

There seem to be two slight concerns though.
1: Now she seems nervous just peeing near me. (understandable I suppose)
2: Now when she goes out the back yard, she seems very hesitant. I presume she can smell her own pee and might be thinking she is in trouble. (I want to be clear that I have never treated her badly but I do think she was treated badly by her previous owners). I am reassuring her it's ok but again this will take time.

Thanks again for the help. I'm off home now to try to collect some more pee........ Living the dream. :D:D:D

VonVix

Have you ever tried teaching her to go on command? It might ease her nerves? My boys were very nervous going in front of us for a while, due to how they were 'housetrained', they are a lot more comfortable now since I taught them to go on command.

A breakdown of how you do it if you have never done it before...

1. Wait for her to do her business.
2. Once she is finished, say your key word in a happy tone of voice, mine is "get busy, good!" the moment dog is finished, reward with a treat. Repeat this step several times over a few days.
3. Once she responds happily to your command (get busy!), start saying it BEFORE she goes, and point to the area you expect her to go in (in an area she is used to going in) and reward the same as above. Once she starts doing this regularly when you ask her, you can try it in the back garden.

eezipc

VonVix wrote: »

Have you ever tried teaching her to go on command? It might ease her nerves? My boys were very nervous going in front of us for a while, due to how they were 'housetrained', they are a lot more comfortable now since I taught them to go on command.

A breakdown of how you do it if you have never done it before...

1. Wait for her to do her business.
2. Once she is finished, say your key word in a happy tone of voice, mine is "get busy, good!" the moment dog is finished, reward with a treat. Repeat this step several times over a few days.
3. Once she responds happily to your command (get busy!), start saying it BEFORE she goes, and point to the area you expect her to go in (in an area she is used to going in) and reward the same as above. Once she starts doing this regularly when you ask her, you can try it in the back garden.

Thanks. I'll give the pee project a trial first. Then I'll try this.

eezipc

VonVix wrote: »

Have you ever tried teaching her to go on command? It might ease her nerves? My boys were very nervous going in front of us for a while, due to how they were 'housetrained', they are a lot more comfortable now since I taught them to go on command.

A breakdown of how you do it if you have never done it before...

1. Wait for her to do her business.
2. Once she is finished, say your key word in a happy tone of voice, mine is "get busy, good!" the moment dog is finished, reward with a treat. Repeat this step several times over a few days.
3. Once she responds happily to your command (get busy!), start saying it BEFORE she goes, and point to the area you expect her to go in (in an area she is used to going in) and reward the same as above. Once she starts doing this regularly when you ask her, you can try it in the back garden.

This got me thinking. Would it not be counter-productive? She is quite a clever dog (aren't they all). I would be worried that eventually she would deliberately hold on to her pee for longer just so she can get a treat when I get home.

Knine

eezipc wrote: »

This got me thinking. Would it not be counter-productive? She is quite a clever dog (aren't they all). I would be worried that eventually she would deliberately hold on to her pee for longer just so she can get a treat when I get home.

I have mine taught to go on command. I travel a lot for shows with so when I am staying somewhere it is handy to get them to go on command when staying in B& Bs. Mine don't seem to hold on for longer.

aonb

OP bring a bowl of little treats out into the garden with you and lots of spoiling and playing with her and generally making a fuss of her. Hopefully she will forget the old learned behaviour in due course