Help me get dod to poop in yard

[Anonymous]

We adopted a dog about two weeks ago who on all other accounts is AWESOME. However, he won't poop in our fenced in yard! He will only poop on a walk. I don't mind walking him (do it every day), but at some point in the dead of winter I'm going to want to let him out to poop instead of a walk. He will pee back there, but as of yet has not pooped. My mom suggested just not walking him for a few days so he'll get the message, but I don't want him to go in the house if it turns into an emergency and we're not home. I also thought about taking some of the poop we picked up on his walk and putting it in the backyard so he can smell it and know it's ok to go there (gross, I know). Haven't done either yet.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Anonymous]

My dog needs to walk for about 5-10 min before she will poop. Good idea to put the poop from walk in the grass.

[Anonymous]

We don't allow our dog to poop in our backyard since kids play back there, but that's your choice. We walk him even in the dead of winter.

No ideas re: how to make him poop back there, but I would NOT heed your mom's advice to not walk him for a few days so he'll "get the message." That just sounds cruel--dogs need their exercise (and it's good psychologically for them).

[Anonymous]

OP I just adopted a trained dog 1.5 weeks ago and took her to a vet for a wellness check. I said, "I can't get her to poop in the yard" and she said,
"Why do you want her to poop in the yard?"

and basically said in all her years as a vet, she's never been successful at this particular project--it takes so much time and commitment. One reason is there is no "latrine" smell in your yard.

She pointed out it's just fine to give her a little walk up the block, and I've decided it's just fine for her to not poop in our yard.

She also said, "if you really want to, tie her to a spot and walk away and come back later, praising her..."

Now the breeder said to take her poop from the street and put it in the spot you want her to go. And I took paper towels and mopped up her pee and brought it back to that spot, to establish a latrine smell. You have to remove the poop after a few hours or they will not go there again.

Anyways I had started with that technique, but when the vet said what she said, I abandoned it. There is enough to do with a new dog without working on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I just adopted a trained dog 1.5 weeks ago and took her to a vet for a wellness check. I said, "I can't get her to poop in the yard" and she said,
"Why do you want her to poop in the yard?"

and basically said in all her years as a vet, she's never been successful at this particular project--it takes so much time and commitment. One reason is there is no "latrine" smell in your yard.

She pointed out it's just fine to give her a little walk up the block, and I've decided it's just fine for her to not poop in our yard.

She also said, "if you really want to, tie her to a spot and walk away and come back later, praising her..."

Now the breeder said to take her poop from the street and put it in the spot you want her to go. And I took paper towels and mopped up her pee and brought it back to that spot, to establish a latrine smell. You have to remove the poop after a few hours or they will not go there again.

Anyways I had started with that technique, but when the vet said what she said, I abandoned it. There is enough to do with a new dog without working on this.

OP here. This is interesting to me because we lost 2 dogs this year, and they both pooped/peed in the yard. So one would think my yard does have the "latrine smell".

I will try to put the poop back there and see how it goes. I don't mind walking the dog, I really don't. I'm just thinking that there are days when a long walk won't be possible (he only goes after 15 minutes or so of walking) so it would be nice to have a plan B.

Thanks for this helpful post.

[Anonymous]

I keep seeing the thread title mis spelling and thinking "help me to get dad to poop in the yard"

and then I crack up

and yes, I'm in my 40s.

[Anonymous]

LOL. You can't. They will start pooping as the are walking.

If you don't want to walk the dog in the middle of winter, you should not have gotten a dog. That is insane. Walking is more than just a bathroom break, they need exercise.

[Anonymous]

Op I have the same problem with a dog I have had five years. Love her to tears but she needs to do her business every night and will only do it with a walk. If we skip the walk 50-50'chance of an accident. Over five years there are some nights i just don't want to walk. She is perfect isn every other way. Know other dogs who are just so efficient. You open the back door. They go out and get everything done in 5 mins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I keep seeing the thread title mis spelling and thinking "help me to get dad to poop in the yard"

and then I crack up

and yes, I'm in my 40s.

That is funny! (and I'm in my 40s too)

[Anonymous]

Walk him in circles on a leash in the backyard until he poops. Many dogs don't "shit in their nest" and see the backyard as the same as pooping inside on your rugs.

For my dogs I cookie trained them as puppies. Every time they pooped or peed they got a cookie. It really sped up them going to the bathroom and my dogs pee and poop on command now. I phased out the actual cookies after they learned the command. I've cookie trained so many dogs over the years and it's worked on them all. You could try that and then give the command in your backyard.

Fwiw my dogs are little and will not walk in snow as they're afraid of slipping or breaking a leg. They get very constipated when it snows here and end up pooping on the shoveled sidewalks instead. Thank god it doesn't snow here more.

[Anonymous]

This is funny as my dog will only pee in our yard (not on walks).

[Anonymous]

I think putting his poop in your yard might help. My dog prefers not to poop in the yard, but if we don't take her for a walk or to the dog park for a day, she will finally go in the yard. Your mom's suggestion might work, just time it when you're home and your dog has plenty of back yard time. You don't want him to poop inside! Give lots of treats and praise immediately when he poops in the yard.

My friend's dog won't poop in their yard and there are days when life is busy or the weather is extreme and she really wishes she didn't need to walk him every single time.

I have a different issue - my dog won't pee or poop while on leash. It can be a problem when travelling or if she has surgery and isn't allowed to run off leash.