# My dog is suddenly afraid of going on the grass to go potty?



## SquareDorito (Jul 8, 2013)

I have a Yorkie, and she is 10 months old. I got her in the winter and I had no problems with going potty in the snow. When the snow started going away there where no problems going potty on the dead grass. When summer came and the grass started growing she still had no problems going. When we would take her out she already knew what to do and walked straight to her potty spot. We walk out the door, down a step, through a patch of mulch between two small bushes to her potty spot. When I would take her for a walk she would even pull towards there automatically from being so used to it. About a month and a half ago I noticed that she would become more hesitant of going, making a little pause but would still go. No, she just pulls back because she knows she is going on the grass. She will go on the mulch but that is her limit. I can sort of ease her on to the mulch by talking or if I have a treat. But the grass is a no go. If I give her a high praise treat she will walk towards it hesitantly, quickly grab it and try to make a dash toward the sidewalk. She will also spit out her regular training treats while on there. I honestly don't know what to do anymore. She was trained to ring a bell anytime she wanted to go potty and she was going perfect with no accidents. Now she pees inside the house because she won't go outside. Help me please :Cry::Cry::Cry:


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Did something happen while she was out there recently? Maybe fireworks going off just as she went to pee?

I would retrain her on another patch of grass. Something has frightened her regarding that spot, that's what spitting out the treat means. If there is no other patch of grass available, you'll need to go slower with retraining her, getting her closer and closer slowly and paying close attention to see when she starts to get stressed and backing off at that point.


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## SquareDorito (Jul 8, 2013)

Nothing has frightened her there. She will go on the grass now if I lure her with a treat. Take the treat and make a dash toward the concrete. I have tried walking on and off the grass giving her a treat when she steps on the grass. Nothing. I gave her frosty paws on the grass, and high praise treats. Nothing. All useless. I have made grass a positive experience that way but she doesn't seem to care. The problem is that in order to get to a different patch she has to get through her original one which she will not. When the grass is wet it makes it even worse. At that point she wont even leave the front step. Because of this she now pees inside the house and it's really stressing me out.


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## joker_girl (Jul 10, 2013)

We are having trouble with this, too, all of a sudden. Our Chihuahua is 7 and has never liked fireworks but he won't go outside now unless absolutely forced, normally he loves to go out, and will ask to be let out more than he needs even, because he likes to play and goof around on the deck and yard. 
I think the fireworks started it, but this is the first time he didn't get over it. He will go out in the morning, once, and that is it. He has begun peeing and pooping in the house because he can't hold it. 
If asked does he need to go out he will put his ears and tail down and run and hide. He seems suddenly afraid of me and my hubby, too. He will follow me into a room but hide behind furniture. When we go to bed, he doesn't lay in his doggy bed but hides under the bed. He acts like we are going to hit him when we go to pet him.
I just don't understand it. This has been going on a week or so.


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## SquareDorito (Jul 8, 2013)

Im sorry to hear that. Over here this started long before fireworks. We live in quiet suburbs


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