# Dog only pees on grass; just peed in sis's house at beach



## firedancer (Mar 26, 2010)

We adopted a lab/coonhound pup last September. He's now 7 months old, and we have a serious problem. 

At home, we potty trained our dog using the bell method. It was so great at first (and several people recommended this to us), but eventually he rang the bell EVERY time he wanted to go outside. Now he rings it, goes out for 30 seconds, barks to come back in, turns around and rings the bell again to go back out. Now it's a source of frustration. But that's not why I'm writing now.

For the last couple days, we've been at my sister-in-law's beach house for the first time with him (we're still here as a matter of fact, and puppy is being punished by sitting outside). I forgot to bring the bell, but since he's has NO accidents at home, we thought he'd let us know if he had to go. He's been seriously delaying peeing outside because he doesn't like to pee in anything but grass! He's been this way since we got him. There is no "green fluffy grass" out here at the beach. Just beach grass, which apparently does not suit him. Yesterday, my husband took him out for a LONG walk. Didn't eliminate whatsoever. Came into the beach house, he peed AND pooped on the carpet!! (We assured my brother this would not happen because puppy's potty-trained.)

This morning, my husband took him on a 10-minute walk. Didn't pee or poop. Came into the house, and he immediately peed on the carpet. My husband grabbed him in the act and whisked him outside, where he's been sitting for 20 minutes (and not liking it AT all because he's a spoiled indoor puppy).

I would be so grateful for any suggestions at all. We are beyond frustrated with him now, because we are a family who takes frequent beach trips. I'm thinking we need to get rid of the bell and start over with a different method of potty training, but that doesn't solve his aversion to peeing on anything but soft fluffy grass. I don't even know where he got that fettish. But we are embarrassed he eliminated on my sister's carpet - TWICE! And we're wary of letting him be inside at all now.


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## Liddy (Jan 12, 2010)

Yay! Another dog/owner with our same issues!!! Our pup (now 7 months) won't go except on grass, or something that looks like grass. My parents live in the desert and she struggles to eliminate on dirt or rocks... but let her out of your sight inside and you end up with puddles on the hardwood floor or carpet! We brought the bells to their home and have them hanging on the back door very similar to ours. 
The suggestions we have gotten are these: 
-Take the dog on a long walk after they eat and encourage them to eliminate
-Take them to the designated potty area and give them privacy (some won't go if they're being watched or if they don't have something to hide behind)
-Don't let them out of your sight in the house (sooo annyoing since our pup is potty trained at home and can roam wherever she wants... she hates being confined into the room we're hanging out in at my parents)
-and, of course, praise heavily when they do _go_ outside!


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## qingcong (Oct 26, 2009)

In my opinion, the easiest solution is to tether him to you indoors with the leash. This way you can keep your eye on him and catch him the moment he tries to eliminate and immediately bring him outside. Is it a pain having the dog tied to someone 24/7? Yes, but if you make this investment now the dog will be trained quicker.


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## firedancer (Mar 26, 2010)

Oh my gosh, Liddy! You DO have the exact problem! Thank you so much for posting. Your suggestions are good. He doesn't usually have issues with us standing near him when he eliminates. He DID pee and poop on the beach yesterday (a one-time event), but my hubby forgot to praise him. He hasn't gone outside since, and has been holding it a lot (then eliminating in the house). I guess one issue is there is no designated potty area. There is a small area of beach grass right outside - I guess that will be it.

qingcong - Thank you for your suggestion! Yes, definitely a pain to tether him to one of us the whole time, but I do see your point in swift training. 

I think not having a designated potty area was our first mistake, but we've got to somehow get him over ONLY wanting to pee in grass. That just doesn't work when traveling!


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## ara28 (Feb 18, 2008)

Not sure how realistic this is at the moment since you're on a beach, but maybe you could go buy a piece of sod or something? 

My dog used to be like this, only go on grass. We just recently moved to a new apt and there's a tree outside that's surrounded by rocks instead of grass. He loves to pee on that tree. He's even pooped on the rocks which I thought was really weird because he used to ONLY go on grass. Sometimes though on grass, he would make sure all four feet were on the grass and then pee on the cement same with pooping, he would make sure all four feet were on grass and then poop over the curb.  I taught him to potty on command so that helps too. 

Maybe when you guys get back home you can work on teaching him to go on command?

Are there any other dogs around anywhere? Maybe you can take him to a place where another dog has gone. Some dogs love to mark over the scent of other dogs.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

I found it interesting that he was being "punished" by having to sit outside, when you fully admitted that YOU forgot the bell, and just assumed that he'd "let you know" when he had to go. You are in a different place, without the bell, and with no grass, I would definitely expect accidents. 
Also, remember, 7 months old is still a puppy, like a toddler, and they will have accidents, even if you think they are trained. Especially if they are in unfamiliar surroundings. 
I think the best thing is to keep him tethered to you, in your sight at all times. Or, crate when you can't watch him like a hawk. 
And, as far as the accidents, I always bring Nature's Miracle, an enzymatic cleaner, when I travel, because I expect my puppy might have an accident in a new situation and new surroundings, and I want to be able to clean it completely. 
Don't be embarrassed about your puppy making a mistake, it's unrealistic to think they'll go through every new situation without making a mistake!


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## firedancer (Mar 26, 2010)

Ara28 - thank you for the suggestions! I laughed about the sod idea but then thought, "That's actually a pretty interesting idea. I never would have thought of that!" Unfortunately, we're leaving this afternoon, so that won't work. He just peed and pooped right on the beach - he had no problems with that. I remembered to praise him abundantly this time! We are back at the house and I am watching him like a hawk, but it sucks to have to do that constantly. It's not very relaxing.

The story of your dog was very interesting. Since Danny was a new pup, every time he'd start to pee outside I'd say, "Go potty! Good boy!" But, apparently it hasn't done the trick. He still won't go on command. I need to try something new, I guess. But that's a good suggestion and something I will work on when we get home. And yes - there have been lots of dogs around here, but unfortunately it's not making him want to go where there's no grass.


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## firedancer (Mar 26, 2010)

Doxiemommy - Ouch. But you're right. We are new to owning a doggy and sometimes we're erroneous in our thinking about what he should and shouldn't know. We did forget the bell, but in the past he has also just gone to the door and it's obvious he needs to go out. That's what we thought he would do in this case. And he actually DID go to the door (but it's a second story deck outside that door), and then he decided to turn around and play with his toy (which I thought meant he didn't actually have to go potty). I should have trusted my instincts that he had to go, because it was 2 minutes later he pooped and peed in the corner. I do take responsibility for his first accident. And he was not put outside. But we took him outside (not leaving him). It was the second time he peed on the carpet that we got upset and put him outside. I don't know what else to do. He refuses to go out in the beach-grassy area, and the minute we bring him in, he goes on the carpet? How could I not put him outside?

You are right in that he's just a pup, still learning, still training. I guess we were surprised because he's done so well and only one accident at home since we've had him. So this was a surprise to us. But it's also the first time we've taken him anywhere. I agree with you that it being a new place, and new surroundings, and no bell, and not anything like home, there would be confusion. And of course he can't communicate to us. Thanks for your wisdom.


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## firedancer (Mar 26, 2010)

PS doxiesmommy - Thanks also for the suggestion for the cleaner. We were wondering what we could use, so I appreciate you giving us a good product recommendation!

I do appreciate the wisdom you shared. I agree that sometimes we have unrealistic expectations of our pup. We have a lot to learn.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Sorry, didn't mean to sound so harsh! I also have unreasonable expectations of my puppy, too! But, of course, we all think our own little guys are perfect!


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

It is very common for pups to "appear" housetrained at THEIR house and then have accidents somewhere else so ya, this is something that is normal. 
Outside to them often means "outside of MY house" so everywhere else is free for peeing on. It takes a while for them to understand the literal terms of "inside" and "outside".
I second the idea of tethering when you are in a new place and in listening to that little voice in your head..lol. When it doubt, take him out LOL. 
Also...I would up the praise thing to a praise and REWARD with food for all outside pottying. I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again...it's called "relieving" themselves because it is a relief to go (anywhere) and so it is intrinsically rewarding to void..if you make the voiding outside even MORE rewarding you are likely to get the 'inside' v 'outside' conundrum solved much faster. 
As for different substrates, many dogs prefer to go on grass or carpet because it is a soft surface. If you want to train to go on different surfaces you need to get the urination on cue. You can also try taking a paper towel soaked with his urine and place it on a piece of concrete, on the sand etc etc to see if the smell will encourage him to try to go there.
I would also think about "no walkies" or play until the pee has happened. The long walk thing is a great idea in theory...but using the walk and play as a reward for doing his business where you say will help you to get the pee on cue.

Hounds are VERY food oriented so use that to your advantage in all your training.


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## firedancer (Mar 26, 2010)

No worries, doxiemommy! Thank you for the kind follow-up. 

Cracker - My goodness... some really great insight there. Everything you said makes so much sense! And it was his first time away, and thus our first experience with him... "away" with us. What you said makes perfect sense, how he can seem perfectly housetrained at OUR house, but everywhere else is "outside" our house and free territory. Right! How would he automatically know that someone else's house is a no-no, too? I should applaud him for even going to the door (of course it did look just like our door at home, ironically). And my WORD - you aren't kidding about him being FOOD oriented!! I find that is a great source of irritation for me because he is constantly sniffing around for food and begging and scrounging and ooooooh!!! I hate it! I am working on training in that area.  Thank you so much for all you shared. I really do have so much to learn but you gave some great wisdom.

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. I REALLY appreciate it, and already I have hope that things can turn around. Thank you!!!


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