Doesn't want to "go" in yard

[citygirl]

Madison has decided that she doesn't want to pee or poop in the backyard most of the time. I say most of the time because she will occasionally go out into the yard and do her business without giving it a second thought. However, recently, she's resisting going down into the yard the vast majority of the time. She is happy to be let out the back door onto the deck, but will hang out on the deck and refuse to go down the stairs (or the ramp -- we have both) into the yard. I've tried enticing her off the deck into the yard with treats to no avail. This is shocking because she is the most food driven dog I've ever seen. She wants the treats very badly, but not enough to leave the deck. She'll even go down to the last step on the stairs and hang out there like she's about to step into the yard, but she never leaves the step. Yesterday after the promise of treats in return for a pee/poop failed, I decided to put her leash on her and bring her down into the yard. She didn't like it, but she let me do it and she peed, got a treat along with much praise and then we went back into the house. This morning, after being in her crate all night, she didn't want to go into the yard. I put her leash on her and practically pulled her into the yard. She looked miserable and I felt terrible doing it. I do not know why this has started. She'd much rather have me open the back door and let her run back into the house and pee/poop on my floor. When this behavior first started it seemed like she objected to the wet grass on her feet. However, I don't think that's what it is -- she volunteers to run into high, wet grass while on our walks and if she's playing with Lexi and they run out into the wet grass, she never gives it a second thought. She's nine months old and it feels like we're going backward in the housebreaking process.

Does anyone know why she might be doing this AND does anyone have any ideas that I might try to get her back into the yard. She has a large, fenced area to use that is cleaned daily. I can't figure it out!

[imogene]

:) It sounds like you have a teenager on your hand - I have been told that a lot of dog regress on housetraining between 9-11 months. We were lucky with Belzie, other than a couple weeks of extremely passive behavior she has been brilliant. I would continue taking her out and down the stairs -keep up with the praise and treats until she works through it. Hopefully it will fix its self soon.

[L. Cammack]

I understand what you are going through. I got Maggie when she was six months old so she has been a challenge to house train. I don't think she understood the difference between the yard and the house when I brought her home. She had been living in a kennel with a doggy door and a large yard. I also have doggy doors so I thought she would already be house trained, but she would go outside and then come back in and poop and pee on the floor. My husband has his office at home so he has kept her confined to the utility room (she won't go in there because she sleeps in that room) unless we can watch her. She has been very stubborn, and I almost hate to put this in print, but I think she has finally caught on. She will be a year old 9/28 with no accidents for a month or so. When I was so frustrated, I read a posting on this forum, that said to be patient, they will eventually catch on with consistent training. Thinking about that posting helped me keep my patience with Maggie. Lily is four months old and she is doing well, but it may be me that his trained--not her so I am prepared for her to do as your Madison is doing. I think it is fairly common.

Linda

[citygirl]

:) It sounds like you have a teenager on your hand - I have been told that a lot of dog regress on housetraining between 9-11 months. We were lucky with Belzie, other than a couple weeks of extremely passive behavior she has been brilliant. I would continue taking her out and down the stairs -keep up with the praise and treats until she works through it. Hopefully it will fix its self soon.

If she doesn't stop this, she's not going to allowed to wear her new kimono when it arrives!! That'll teach 'er! ;)

By the way, my friend who I sent the pictures of Belzie in all her finery called me and absolutely loved her sun dress. She's an extremely talented seamstress and has offered to make my girls clothes. She coming to visit in late October and we've decided to go shopping for fabric for winter coats. Susan wanted to go with black velvet until I explained that my two cream colored dogs shed like crazy and it wouldn't remain black for long. Can you imagine picking Frenchie dog hair out of velvet?? :eek:

[imogene]

If she doesn't stop this, she's not going to allowed to wear her new kimono when it arrives!! That'll teach 'er! ;)

By the way, my friend who I sent the pictures of Belzie in all her finery called me and absolutely loved her sun dress. She's an extremely talented seamstress and has offered to make my girls clothes. She coming to visit in late October and we've decided to go shopping for fabric for winter coats. Susan wanted to go with black velvet until I explained that my two cream colored dogs shed like crazy and it wouldn't remain black for long. Can you imagine picking Frenchie dog hair out of velvet?? :eek:

No I can't imagine picking dog hair out of Velvet- but Belzie has one velvet lined collar - an it is holding up really well. Your lucky to have access to a seamstress. - is the sundress your referring to the blue flower print with all the ruffles? It is the one XL that never fit - even when she was 19 lbs. I haven't tried it again now that she is 20.5. Since it didn't really fit when she was smaller I didn't see the point:)

[citygirl]

Your lucky to have access to a seamstress. - is the sundress your referring to the blue flower print with all the ruffles? It is the one XL that never fit - even when she was 19 lbs. I haven't tried it again now that she is 20.5. Since it didn't really fit when she was smaller I didn't see the point:)

Yep, that's the one. The one with all the ruffles down the back. It's adorable. I don't know how my two are going to take to being dressed up. Their halloween costumes arrived last night (devil & angel). Stay tuned....

[imogene]

I am thinking about ordering them martial arts uniforms for halloween - belzie in white and sam in black:lol: - then we can have spy vrs spy wrestling matches to entertain the trick or treaters:lol:

[citygirl]

I am thinking about ordering them martial arts uniforms for halloween - belzie in white and sam in black:lol: - then we can have spy vrs spy wrestling matches to entertain the trick or treaters:lol:

Love it! Will Belzie still be wearing her cone? ;)

[imogene]

nope Belzie is cone free now :) http://www.bulldogworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2607&page=3

[citygirl]

Just an update -- Madison has suddenly gotten over her aversion to going into the yard to do her business. Who knows why -- I swear I don't understand dog psychology. I'm sure there was a good reason in her mind for not wanting to go out into the yard, but I'll never know what it was. She runs down that ramp right into the yard now without a moment's hesitation. I couldn't be happier (or more proud)! appicon