# Dog has stopped toileting in the garden



## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

Logan is now 8months old. He toilet trained very quickly and hasn't had an accident in the house for months. However lately he's refusing to "go" in the garden. 
The garden is secure and he used to love going out there but now he is so reluctant to go out there and will hold it for ages. Today je has only peed in the garden once and the only poops he has done have been on walks. Because of his age we are limited to how much we can walk him. The nearest park in a 20minite round trip so can't keep taking him there. We think it might be because its cold and wet and he's being a prince but my oh just put his jacket on him and stood over him with a brolly. Still no pee. 
Sorry for the long post but I'm rather concerned


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## chissy 15 (Mar 13, 2013)

My Hogan is taking longer to pee on the garden at the moment, I have put it down to the grass being so wet and muddy with all this rain. He spends most of his time tip toeing around I have to use my stern voice with him and say WEE WEES, then my over excited praise voice when he performs maybe Logan is finding your garden a bit soggy? Or perhaps he can smell something different about your garden like wild life that has passed through it?
I can only suggest that you make the garden feel more exciting for him, maybe play with him out there and do training with him there ( sorry if you already do this), then he won't only see it as a place to toilet.


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## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

I'm begining to wonder if Isla has her own private cork which she uses from time to time. It's amazing how long she will hang on for, but if she doesn't want to go then she won't and that's the end of it. I sometimes manage to persuade her to wee at about 8pm then she doesn't go again until the morning about 12 hours later and even then she's reluctant to go out. I think the cold, wet miserable weather is partly responsible. However I did notice that she started holding on longer round about the age your dog is now. I presume if he doesn't go during the evening he's clean and dry the next morning?


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## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

Thank you. In all honesty now it's wet and cold we don't spend as much time out there as we used to. I think it is the wet and cold as he's slowly been toileting closer and closer to the back door. 
Will try playing out there with him and training see how we get on


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## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

Siskin said:


> I'm begining to wonder if Isla has her own private cork which she uses from time to time. It's amazing how long she will hang on for, but if she doesn't want to go then she won't and that's the end of it. I sometimes manage to persuade her to wee at about 8pm then she doesn't go again until the morning about 12 hours later and even then she's reluctant to go out. I think the cold, wet miserable weather is partly responsible. However I did notice that she started holding on longer round about the age your dog is now. I presume if he doesn't go during the evening he's clean and dry the next morning?


Yes he's clean and dry every morning. Has never had a night time accident. 
Feel a little reassured as we were concerned he might be I'll


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## emmaviolet (Oct 24, 2011)

Alfie did this after a few months of being completely toilet trained. He actually would refuse to go and cry as he needed to but refused to as he worked out when he wouldn't we may put his lead on and take him for a walk, which he wanted.

We stayed firm and kept him in the garden. Playing out there is a good idea, also maybe get another dog or a cat into the garden to mark, your dog may want to mark over it.

They can be awfully cheeky at times!


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## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

Thank you. He's clearly in need of a poop and seems pretty uncomfortable so we keep percivering with the garden. I'm also in my pjs so don't fancy walking to the park in my pjs and jacket


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## emmaviolet (Oct 24, 2011)

I cannot help with poo issues, Alfie refuses to go in the garden, actually we have had a few that prefer not to in the garden, but Alfie never will.


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## Jp kp (Mar 14, 2013)

my oldest dog hates toileting in the garden, but i like it that way. Its no bother really if you know he needs to go, just to pop his lead on and walk outside a bit is it? You havent got to go far. 
Get out of your pj's and take your dog for a poo!


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## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

Jp kp said:


> my oldest dog hates toileting in the garden, but i like it that way. Its no bother really if you know he needs to go, just to pop his lead on and walk outside a bit is it? You havent got to go far.
> Get out of your pj's and take your dog for a poo!


I was jesting about the pjs. He also won't go in the street, has to be the park which as you can see from my 1st post is a 20minute walk. With an 8 month old pup we can't do that too often


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## Jp kp (Mar 14, 2013)

Charliegirl68 said:


> I was jesting about the pjs. He also won't go in the street, has to be the park which as you can see from my 1st post is a 20minute walk. With an 8 month old pup we can't do that too often


Ok, is there a bit of grass nearby? 
My older dog will not poo in the garden, just like he wont poo in the house. 
Have you got a front garden to walk him to? 
Think some dogs just like to keep their patch clean!


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## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

Jp kp said:


> Ok, is there a bit of grass nearby?
> My older dog will not poo in the garden, just like he wont poo in the house.
> Have you got a front garden to walk him to?
> Think some dogs just like to keep their patch clean!


Yeah took him to a patch of grass at the end of the street. No dice. Managed to get a pee in the garden. Contemplating driving him to the park at this rate


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## Jp kp (Mar 14, 2013)

Charliegirl68 said:


> Yeah took him to a patch of grass at the end of the street. No dice. Managed to get a pee in the garden. Contemplating driving him to the park at this rate


There is always a way round something. 
Personally, id just keep taking him to the grass patch you mentioned. He has to go eventually, and fill him with treats when he does! 
Alternatively, just forget and relax about it. Will no doubt go in the garden when cant hold it any longer!


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## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

Thanks.


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## Jp kp (Mar 14, 2013)

Charliegirl68 said:


> Thanks.


:Bored Only trying to help


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

Do you have a cue word you can use to get him to toilet? Mine will go to ''be quick'' even if it means just squeezing out a drip!

Mine will wee in the garden but they don't like pooing in there and are actively discouraged from doing so at any rate. You will make a dreadful rod for your own back if you put up with a dog that will only toilet on a certain park. What if you move? Take him on holiday? He is hospitalized? Is injured and cannot go for walks?


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## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

Jp kp said:


> :Bored Only trying to help


Sorry that was a sincere thanks. I have found you really reassuring.

Ordinarily his cue words work and he has been known to squeeze out a tiny dribble just to get back in. However now he's just making a bee line for the back door. 
I agree, this whole not pooping in the back garden is new (last few days) and I really don't want it to continue. 
We tend to vary where we walk him theres a lot of parks we can get to and he is toileting on walks so hopefully we won't create to much of an issue. 
Just being a worried mum


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## Jp kp (Mar 14, 2013)

Charliegirl68 said:


> Sorry that was a sincere thanks. I have found you really reassuring.
> 
> Ordinarily his cue words work and he has been known to squeeze out a tiny dribble just to get back in. However now he's just making a bee line for the back door.
> I agree, this whole not pooping in the back garden is new (last few days) and I really don't want it to continue.
> ...


Dont think you need to worry, just need to find what works for your dog. 
Just keep taking him out local till he does his stuff and make a fuss of it! 
Come summer, adult dogs wee/poo just attracts loads of flies, so its really not nice in your garden. 
Take advantage that your dog wont mess up your property!


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## Ck&Milly (Nov 22, 2015)

Milly is doing this right now, she's 5 months and last poo'ed at 9.30am, she's had dinner and normally goes at 7.30pm but it's too wet for her. :Shifty We've been running around the garden (getting stupidly dirty and wet!- had to shower!) I know she won't go in the house so I'll just wait... And wait...!


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## Apollo2012 (Jun 10, 2013)

I have been known to walk my boy up and down the same area of grass until he goes toilet for anything up to 20 minutes (poo not wee he'll wee anywhere). Thankfully he usually gives in.

Lots of praise and try to introduce a command for going for a poo aswell. Apollo's is 'go toilet' for poos and 'go wee' for wees. The toilet one is hit and miss


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## Elles (Aug 15, 2011)

Could fireworks or storms have frightened him?


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Charliegirl68 said:


> Logan is now 8months old. He toilet trained very quickly and hasn't had an accident in the house for months. However lately he's refusing to "go" in the garden.
> The garden is secure and he used to love going out there but now he is so reluctant to go out there and will hold it for ages. Today je has only peed in the garden once and the only poops he has done have been on walks. Because of his age we are limited to how much we can walk him. The nearest park in a 20minite round trip so can't keep taking him there. We think it might be because its cold and wet and he's being a prince but my oh just put his jacket on him and stood over him with a brolly. Still no pee.
> Sorry for the long post but I'm rather concerned


I expect it is a strategy he is using as he has learned if he does not pee you take him for a walk.

Dogs are not daft.

they learn by cause and effect.

This is why I advise everyone to make everything contingent on emptying first, so no bowel or bladder movement, no food, no play, no training, no walk.

this has the advantage of not having to carry around a poo bag or at least one less and if you are ever ill, the dogs will happily empty in the garden.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Jp kp said:


> Dont think you need to worry, just need to find what works for your dog.
> Just keep taking him out local till he does his stuff and make a fuss of it!
> Come summer, *adult dogs wee/poo just attracts loads of flies*, so its really not nice in your garden.
> Take advantage that your dog wont mess up your property!


Not in my garden it doesn't; but then I clean it up promptly. It'll only attract flies if left there.

One of my 4 dogs prefers to poo away from home, and refused to poo at all in the garden of our old house (luckily there was a field next door she could go in).

Charliegirl, are you still rewarding for defecating in the garden?


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## Charliegirl68 (Jul 17, 2015)

We had got a bit lax in terms of praise and cue words so going right back to basics with him. Have managed a few "peepees" today but no poop and the second we got to the stables tonight to bring the horses in he pooped so he clearly needed one.


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## Jp kp (Mar 14, 2013)

Burrowzig said:


> Not in my garden it doesn't; but then I clean it up promptly. It'll only attract flies if left there.
> 
> I promptly clean up too if need be, but im sure you understood my point?


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