Dog won´t pee or poop outside

[Nick2510]

Dog won´t pee or poop outside

Hi, I know there´s is a lot of topics like that everywhere on the internet and trust me, I´ve googled a lot over the past few days but I cannot seem to solve this problem. We bought a 2 month old Westie. I didn´t get a crate because I thought "Im not buying a dog to have him in a cage most of the day" but now...I get why it´s important.

Anyway, I read online that if the dog pees (or poops) in the house, I should tell him "No" and carry him outside. I tried to do that but when I picked him up, he would pee or poop while being carried and just get it all over the floor and I never got him to finish outside. What happened was, he got scared of doing his business in front of me. I never shouted, and I obviously never hit him, I wasn´t in any way agressive, but still, he is now scared to go in front of me.

The second problem is that, I guess, he thinks that inside is the only place to pee. Im constantly cleaning the spots where he goes but it´s pretty much random. Today fed him, he drank a whole bunch of water and I went outside with him immediately. I stood there for about an hour and a half and nothing. So I went inside, made sure he didn´t soil in the house, gave him more water and went again, still nothing. As soon as I let him lose home, he ran around a corner and went. If he peed outside at least once, I would praise him and give him a treat but he´s not giving me a chance. And I think if I bought a crate now, since he already ran around the house, he would just bark and squeal inside.

 

[milos_mommy]

He's still very young, so I think it won't be too hard to fix this. You're right that he's frightened to go in front of you, so he probably tries to hide it from you outside, or waits until he can't hold it at all.

It sounds like you're doing the right thing, but letting him loose inside the house isn't going to allow him to learn to go outside. You need to keep him either crated, or gated in a small area (like an ex-pen or the bathroom) covered in pee pads for now. Crated will work much, much, much better. You're right that he might cry and bark to get out, but that's ok. Like I said, he's very young, so he'll get used to it. You can cover the crate, provide him with toys or treats in there like a bully stick, and let him out when he's quiet. You can also keep the crate open throughout the day and toss treats in there, without shutting the door, so he can go in and get them and think the crate is a fun place to be.

When he's outside, maybe try to look as if you're not watching him to potty? Turn your back, or try to hide behind something (still keeping an eye on him). Or you can put a small gated area (like an ex-pen, or a baby play pen with no bottom so he's right on the grass) and leave him in there if it's safe (shady, etc.) and keep an eye on him from a window or further part of the yard?

He sounds like he's a fairly sensitive puppy, if he's afraid to go just from you saying NO and picking him up, so I wouldn't even say anything if he goes in the house, even if you catch him. You can try to look for signs when he's running around inside that he needs to go, like sniffing around or going in circles, and then take him outside.

 

[PuppyInMotion.com]

In addition to crate training or a confined area, it also may help jump start things to get your pup to pee outside if you brought something he has already peed on outside. The scent will trigger his desire to pee on it again.

I bet he is super adorable being so young!