Hi all. I have a 15 month old Victorian Bulldog named Magnus. He is completely house broken but the frustrating thing is he refuses to poop in our back yard. We moved about 3 months ago, and up to that point he would poop in the yard at the old house (it was not fenced). The new house has a fenced yard. He will pee back there but he has only pooped twice and that was when he had diarhea and couldn't hold it. We have to take him for a walk any time we want him to go, and this is not always convenient. When we first moved here we tried to get him to go in the back by only taking him in the back, but he didn't poop for 3 days. He finally did, and we tried again but he would still hold it for a really long time. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him to go in the yard?
potty training dilemma
- Thread starter magsmommy
- Start date
when you bring him out to poop how long do you stay out there? Try to stay out for a long time and walk with him to get things moving. Also bring one of his poops from him walk home and put it on the lawn so he can smell it, it might get him going there. Act like you do when you were house breaking him as far as pooping goes, give him a treat and praise when he goes poop in the yard, you probably will not have t do this too long once he gets the idea.
Thanks for your reply. I try to stay out as long as I can with him-usually 20 minutes to a half hour. I try to get him running to loosen things up but this doesn't seem to help. I tried putting poop out back so he could smell it but that didn't help. I will definately praise him/ treat him if he does go. I just feel sorry for him because I know he has to go but he won't. Is it too late now that we have been walking him for this 3 times a day for 3 months?
My parents had the same problem with their little Toy Fox Terrier...they used to take their trailer and car out to this specific race track every couple months, and when the went the dog would go to...but he wouldn't go to the bathroom until it was practically gonna explode out of him! All you can do is keep up with it, keep encouraging him and when he does go praise him like there's no tomorrow! =P He'll get the idea. He can't hold it forever. Took a few months for my parents dog to get the hang of it, but he goes with no problem now.
When you pick up his poop you can bring it back home
and put in the yard. I find this tends to get things started.
Taking extra time will be needed as well, but you can teach
your dog the "poo" command on my walks and try and
incorporate that into the backyard as well.
The last thing I might try would be one of those pee
pole things you can buy that might stimulate him some
more. (or you can get a pack of dogs to go in your
yard
)
and put in the yard. I find this tends to get things started.
Taking extra time will be needed as well, but you can teach
your dog the "poo" command on my walks and try and
incorporate that into the backyard as well.
The last thing I might try would be one of those pee
pole things you can buy that might stimulate him some
more. (or you can get a pack of dogs to go in your
yard
)
I agree that this is probably a "needs time" issue. You could also reduce his walks, now that you have a backyard. Try fetch or other ways to get his exercise in. Then, once he doesn't have the option of going on the walks, he may pick it up faster. I also agree with major treats and praise when he goes out back. He seems like a good dog -- it sounds like he is trying to hold it because he thinks that's what he's supposed to do. You'll just have to convince him otherwise.
My dog was an apartment dog for a long time -- we had to walk down the block a ways to find a stretch of grass for him to use! But, once we moved into a place with a yard, he eventually did figure it out. Now he can go out back into the yard without a leash and knows exactly what to do.
Don't give in. It's not "too late now." Dogs can be very adaptable and if you praise him for doing the right thing, he'll get it. Careful not to get too worked up about it yourself. If he's sensing your tension around going outside, he may be less likely to poop.
My dog was an apartment dog for a long time -- we had to walk down the block a ways to find a stretch of grass for him to use! But, once we moved into a place with a yard, he eventually did figure it out. Now he can go out back into the yard without a leash and knows exactly what to do.
Don't give in. It's not "too late now." Dogs can be very adaptable and if you praise him for doing the right thing, he'll get it. Careful not to get too worked up about it yourself. If he's sensing your tension around going outside, he may be less likely to poop.
Sounds as though he really enjoys his walks. Try not taking him for a walk until after he poos. Otherwise exercise himin the yard or walk him around the inside perimeter of the fence until he goes then go outside and get a good walk in.
He may be afraid that as soon as he goes then he has to go back inside.
He may be afraid that as soon as he goes then he has to go back inside.
Thanks for the match stick suggestion. I had tried this before (one of my fellow employees breeds/shows border terriers and she does this before they go in the ring). This doesn't seem to work for my guy. In fact now he won't let me near his hind end. I pity the vet the next time he has to take his temperature. Both my husband and I are about at our wits end with this. This morning I caved and took him for a walk since I knew he had to go and wouldn't in the yard. He was going to be crated for 8 hours and I know he would never make it that long. He pooped so fast on that walk I was amazed. I know it has only been 3 days but it has been so stressful (for us and for him) that we are wondering what the point of this is. I think we may just go back to his old routine and try and slowly reintroduce the backyard as an alternative.