pooch won't poo anywhere but the yard

    • Silver

    pooch won't poo anywhere but the yard

           We adopted Rosie, a six month old german shepherd/queensland heeler about three months ago. She's always been a bit funny about going to the bathroom.  When we first got her, she wouldn't go pee for 14 hours! Then, it would take her forever to go both pee and poo in the yard. Now, we've gotten that under control and now she won't go anywhere but in the yard!

    If we take her to the park or a hiking trail she won't go, even when we can tell she has to go.  She'll go pee eventually if we're very patient and vocal about telling her to go, but she will not pee on her own. She never poos anywhere but our yard.   When we took her to my in-laws in the suburbs, she peed immediately in the park, but she doesn't do this for pooing.  She will either go after 45 minutes of walking around being reminded to go or when we give up and take her back to the house, she'll either hold it till we leave or poo on their (white) carpet!  It's so frustrating.

    Any suggestions? We praise her like crazy and give treats when she does go outside of the yard, but it is so infrequent! We are planning on taking her camping for a weekend so that she will eventually have to go outside the comfort of her own yard. I've tried taking her on a walk around the time she normally poos, but still, nothing!
    • Gold Top Dog
    I wish I could help you. Our Heidi has the opposite problem and will nt poop in the yard at all. She prefers the street. Drives me nuts.
    • Silver
    Hi Rebecka,

    True, I'd choose my poo prob over yours any day! Good luck with that.



    • Gold Top Dog
    My female GSD was like that when younger. I remember taking her to the beach, miles & miles of sand & 8 hours - she wouldn't go. We stopped several times on the way home as she was crying, she wouldn't go. She held it until we got home. We ended up just making sure she went potty before going out. It took a while but she did eventually 'grow out of it'. It does help to put a command to each action. Go out into your backyard with your dog give a command & treat to "poops" or "potty" (the two I use - pick different commands if you like) Once she knows the name of both you can give the commands away from home & she will better understand you. Good luck.