# Dog doesn't like playing in our backyard alone



## DLB (Apr 10, 2011)

We just got our 6 month old puppy last weekend and we have a big backyard for him to play in. Its fenced in and there are lots things for him to play with outside. We are trying to train him to go outside and play in the backyard that way we can leave him outside sometimes when we leave and don't have to keep him inside all the time. But everytime we take him out, play with him a bit and leave to let him be by himself he comes running for the door and sits there and whines and barks. We have left him for a bit and he stops barking but still sits right at the door looking pitiful....and starts again. We do have another dog in the house that uses the backyard, but it belongs to the people who rent out the basement apartment. Is it possible he won't play out there because of the other dog's scent or just cause he has clingy issues? He hasn't met the renter's dog yet because he has been away working and took the dog....So, we don't even know how they are going to react when he shows up...but thats a problem for another day.... If there are any training methods or advice to get him to play outside please feel free to comment.


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## Labmom4 (Feb 1, 2011)

It sounds pretty normal to me. Understandable that he'd rather be with you guys than alone. As he grows and gets more independant, he'll probably be more comfortable staying in the yard by himself.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Many dogs don't really want to go out and play by themselves. If I let mine outside, they'll all just sit on the porch and wait for me to come back. Besides your dog is a collie/gsd mix, they're both pretty clingy breeds.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

I want to be more general and say that very few dogs will go outside and play by themselves. Usually, they may chew on a toy or something else, pull on rope hung from a tree, bark at noises, or dig. Then, they get bored... and if they are unthreatened and well-exercised otherwise, they fall asleep.

I'm still a throwback and I leave my dog outside a lot when the weather is nice. He'll bark once or twice if he wants me to come outside, and if I am busy, he lies in the grass on his back, working on his tan with all four feet in the air, and falls asleep. He seems to know the exact time when he has reached golden brown, because he will wake up, stumble over to a shady area, and go back to sleep. But other than tracking down grasshoppers, grass snakes, and moles, he spends most of his time sleeping, typical of large dogs. However, I do walk him 30 minutes every day, and spend at least another 30 minutes chasing him or playing tug etc... either inside or out, depending on the weather.

MY suggestion is not to expect a dog to play by himself. He needs a daily walk, for mental stimulation. In the backyard, he'd probably do better with a hard rubber bone to chew on, a bully stick, a partially frozen Kong, or a Buster Cube ... only one at a time....


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## Deeken (Feb 14, 2011)

Honestly, we might as well not have a yard, except it makes nightime potty breaks easier. I would say that very few dogs will play in the yard alone. Those dogs that do keep themselves busy, tend to do it in negative ways- such as digging, chewing siding etc. Your dogs exercise should come from interactive activities such as walks, fetch, hiking (although not at 6 months), etc. As suggested above, food dispensing toys such as frozen kongs are also great to mentally tire a dog. Can I ask why you want to leave him outside sometimes? It's typically much safer for a dog to be left in the house and he'll likely be more comfortable too.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

I find it funny.. dog owners want a Pack Animal who wants to be with others or people or both to go out and play by himself. Then they actually get a dog that will do this and the NEXT complaint is the dog doesn't pay any attention to them! 

I have a 50X50 fenced area out back and three kennel runs (two are 10X10 and one is 5X10). I am installing a perimeter fence (and that process may just kill me). My dog is almost never outside without me there EXCEPT for the outdoor kennel runs. I have had Atka for 4 years with no perimeter fence and the fence is only going in NOW because I have new neighbors with kids and the fence keeps the kids OUT! I am also going to have a puppy coming into heat and the extra barrier of a perimeter fence is just a good idea. 

A dog that would rather be outside with out you is going to be a dog that will likely blow off your obedience training too. Most do not want to be outside alone.


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## DLB (Apr 10, 2011)

See, we take him for 3 walks a day and play with him as well. I grew up with 6 dogs and other little critters as well as a horse and some ducks. I'm used to dogs even by themsevles going outside and playing for a bit and then coming in. I just want him to enjoy the sunshine and all. Plus if he needs to use the bathroom and we can't get him out for a walk, I want him to feel comfortable in the backyard even if we aren't back there.


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## JessCowgirl88 (Mar 15, 2011)

i know i had a pup who was like that once he got older it changed though plus not to long after i got him i got anohter pup so he had a sibling to play with as well. when i left them outside with a whole lotta toys but they were never outside long the only time they were was when i was busy and it was ncie out maybe an hour max or if i had to leave to do some arrends and they couldnt go. once they got older they didnt mind it at all they loved it cause they knew i would come back/go outside when i was done.


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

DLB said:


> See, we take him for 3 walks a day and play with him as well. I grew up with 6 dogs and other little critters as well as a horse and some ducks. I'm used to dogs even by themsevles going outside and playing for a bit and then coming in.


Playing with what? I mean, if there's a bone or something yummy to eat, my dogs will chew it until it's gone and then come back in, but all of their other toys are interactive and therefore require my presence. Tug is no fun unless I'm holding the other end of the rope. They can't play fetch because they need me to throw the ball. Without me in the yard, there is no playing...there's just hanging around, which is not particularly interesting.



DLB said:


> I just want him to enjoy the sunshine and all.


YOU want him to enjoy the sunshine. HE wants to hang out with you. Why require him to sit in the sun when he's not interested?



DLB said:


> Plus if he needs to use the bathroom and we can't get him out for a walk, I want him to feel comfortable in the backyard even if we aren't back there.


Housetraining is a completely different matter, totally independant of a dog liking to spend time outside alone. Neither of my dogs like to spend time outside alone, but neither of my dogs has any problem using the dog door to go out and potty.

In social animals like dogs (or people, for that matter), isolation is generally a negative experience. I don't force isolation on my dogs unless I have to (eg, I'm at work).


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

My dog is perfectly comfortable alone in the backyard. 

However, he does not "play" there at all unless I am outside. Oddly, I don't actually have to interact with him to get him to play, I just have to be there so I often sit outside with a book and read while he runs around, sniffs things, chews sticks, chases squirrels etc. If I step inside for a few minutes, he comes up to the fence and sits down to wait for me. I never leave the house with him outside, but sometimes I go in and out doing chores or whatnot and will leave him in the yard (visible through a window). After he does his business, he sits by the gate. If I take too long to come outside, he lays down by the gate. 

If your dog wants to be with you, that is a good thing. Especially in a puppy that is new to you. Bond with the dog and spend time with it. Potty train him and make sure the backyard isn't a scary place but don't expect any sort of magical dog-sitting abilities out of vacant land.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

DLB said:


> See, we take him for 3 walks a day and play with him as well. I grew up with 6 dogs and other little critters as well as a horse and some ducks. I'm used to dogs even by themsevles going outside and playing for a bit and then coming in. I just want him to enjoy the sunshine and all. Plus if he needs to use the bathroom and we can't get him out for a walk, I want him to feel comfortable in the backyard even if we aren't back there.


If you had 6 dogs growing up, they likely played with each other, which is an option your dog doesn't have.
We have 2 dogs. They play chase and tug a lot when they're outside, but sometimes they just wander and sniff and look at plants and sticks, and bugs and stuff.

Right now, he's a puppy, he feels safe and secure with you. He also has limited options outside, because he's an "only dog". You can set up an outside play area, have a box or basket with some "outdoor toys" that you don't mind if they get lost of dirty or muddy. Then, he can go get a toy if he feels like it. You can also use a little "kiddie" pool, but fill it with sand, or dirt, and put some toys there, too. That would be his "acceptable" digging spot, if he likes digging. 

But, the bottom line is, even with stuff to play with outside, he probably still gets lonely for you....

As far as the bathroom issue, if I'm understanding correctly, you just want to have the option of letting him stay outside sometimes when you leave, instead of staying in the house, that way, if you're late getting home, he can pee outside instead of in the house. Is that correct? 

You know, all sorts of things can happen to puppies when we're gone. In the house, you have probably gone through and "puppy proofed" the area he has access to. Have you done that in the yard? Have you checked to make sure none of the plants or flowers you have are toxic to dogs? Is your fence secure with no areas he could wiggle out of, no places he could dig under? What about things you can't do anything about, like other animals coming into your yard (unless your fence is high enough), etc.
It's one thing to let him out to get some sun, or play or investigate the yard, when you're home, but when you're not home, it's different, IMO, for a puppy. Of course, I'm a bit of a worrier....


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## Puddin's Training Tips (Apr 9, 2011)

Great posts from everyone especially shell and doxiemommy. It's great that your dog wants to be with you. Many dogs will get bored in the back yard and escape. So be mindful of that if you leave him alone for 8 more hours out there. 8 hours is plenty of time to dig a tunnell and get out. And if your dog is clingly, he might just do that - looking for you when you are at work or something.
If you want him to be okay with the yard, take baby steps. Go out in the yard with him, play and get him tired, then give him a treat, go in the house for 2 seconds then go right back outside - BEFORE he starts whining. If he does fine, then the next day, leave him alone for 3 seconds. Stay under threashold. If he starts whining, you have moved too fast. Then try 4 seconds etc..
I believe a crate in the house is safer than a yard. If you use a crate, you will have to do the same kind of acclimation.
If your puppy is this clingy, yoiu don't want separation anxiety to kick in. So in addition to these excercises, you will want to make sure that you never have long sad goodbyes or giddy, excited hellos.
Some excellent books on Separation Anxiety and Crate Training (the crate info can be applied to the yard as well:
I'll be Home Soon
Puppy Primer


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

I see you are from Toronto. Besides the comments in this thread about dogs not being great at being alone/entertaining themselves safely in a yard, Toronto has strict dog barking bylaws AND dogs are stolen from backyards quite frequently. Bored dogs find ways to get out. The heat and humidity in the summer is unsafe etc etc.

Work on crate training the dog or set up a dogproofed area in the house. Give him some time to settle in (he's still new to you) and ensure that his housetraining is complete (he's also still a puppy) and use the crate/dogproofed area for when you have to leave. I would never leave a dog unsupervised in a backyard for any length of time. It is simply dangerous for the dog and a frustrating experience for dogs that are not strictly independent breeds, which your dog is not.


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

Time outside alone is punishment for my dog. She whines, barks, scratches at the door, and basically goes ballistic until someone lets her back in. Occasionally I'll use it as a time out spot for short periods, but never more than 5 minutes.


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## Indigo (Mar 31, 2011)

Really bad idea to leave your dog alone outside when you're not home. He's vulnerable back there. He could escape, another dog or animal could get into the backyard and hurt him, possible theft, poisoning, or cruelty by someone who decides they don't like your dog. He could potentially annoy people with fence fighting or barking. Just not a good idea.

If you just want him to go out on his own and play sometimes, that's fine, but depending on your dog's temperament, he might never *want* to do that.

My last dog would go outside and sniff and sniff and sniff every inch of the yard. He liked to try and track down squirrels and chipmunks. Sometimes he didn't want to come back inside but I'd make him cause he would get too hot in the summer. Most of the time though he'd rather be with his people. I never understood why people got dogs to just keep them out in the yard away from them.


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## JessCowgirl88 (Mar 15, 2011)

winter and chisum go out alone to just go to the bathroom, there are times where they start playing together so i let them, and then either join them or after a few minutes longest is about 10 ( or when they stop playing) minitues, i bring them in


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

I don't like playing in the backyard alone, either.


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## Yvonne (Aug 6, 2010)

I have always felt Americas back fenced yards are the decline to dogs and it becomes all too easy to just toss them out there. I do not have a fenced yard and have not in over ten years. Anytime my dogs go out I go out with them. Great exercise for me and great bonding with the dogs. In this day and age dogs really are not safe being left in back yards with sickos and dog fighters and such out there in society anyhow. I do have a secure kennel within site of a major window of the house and away from the public that I can put the dogs away in if it is needed. Great for washing floors or stuff like that. The dogs are safe. They treat it like a crate and do not mind it. It is safe and they can easily be monitored. My dogs are rarely ever crated or kenneled unless I am doing the floors though.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Oh I love my fenced in back yard, but I live in the city where it's not safe, practical, or neighborly for them to be outside off leash unconfined. But I agree, Yvonne, just tossing the dog in the backyard doesn't do them much good at all. Squash and Maisy are young enough that they will play with each other in the yard, but as others have already stated I've noticed they are definitely more active when I am out there with them. Unless I'm letting them out for just a quick potty break, I go out in the yard with a book or something and sit with them. It's actually quite interesting to watch them doing their doggie things and it's a nice setup for practicing attention and recall, too.


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