# Dog won't poop in my yard?



## jfinner1 (Mar 4, 2009)

This is a bit of a strange one. I found a dog (full story in the introductions), and he's mostly potty trained. I was trying to crate him, but the first day he yowled and screamed, for several hours before calming down, and the second day he somehow escaped the crate. Twice. I still don't know how. So When I came home after and 8 hour work day to the dog running around the house playing with the cat, and no messes, nothing chewed, nothing damaged, I decided it wasn't worth stressing the dog out trying to lock him up.

The first day I had him he didn't eat anything, and didn't poop. The second day, he ate a little bit, and pooped when we were on a walk, but only once all day. The third day, I let him outside in the morning when I got up, he peed, but didn't poop, and ran back to the door, so I though he didn't have to. We get back inside, he wants to go back out. I take him back out to the backyard, he sniffs around, but still doesn't go, so I take him back in. He promptly runs to the basement and poops. But he was just outside... Later that day, I take him on a walk, and he poops twice in other peoples yards. Yesterday, day 4, almost the exact same thing happened. I took him out, he peed, ran back to the door. I took him in, he acted like he had to go out. I took him out, walked around the back yard, nothing. He ran back to the door, I took him in. He still wanted to go out, so I took him out, walked him up and down the driveway, in front of the house, around the back yard, all over my property for almost 20 minutes. Still nothing. I took him back in. He pooped in the basement. He will not poop in my yard. I don't understand it. He has no problem peeing in my yard. I really don't understand what's going on. I would take him for a walk first thing in the morning, but I feel bad making him wait to go out until I've gotten showered and dressed, and I'm sorry, but I'm not walking him around the block in my PJ's... And it seems that if I let him out to pee, then bring him back inside, he can't hold his poop any longer or something... I don't know. I'm very confused.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Do you have him on a feeding schedule? That should eventually get him to poop on a schedule. 
When he poops in the basement, try picking up the poop and putting it in the backyard, so he can see and smell it. When you take him out, and you think he should have to poop (like maybe 20 minutes after eating), but he doesn't, keep him outside a few minutes longer. If still nothing, take him back in, but don't give him any freedom. Don't let him wander free about the house. Keep him in the same room as you, that way, when he sniffs, or starts the poop squat, you can rush him back outside.

When you bring him in, and he didn't pee, and you let him wander, then, he'll likely continue to have accidents in the basement, with you not finding out til it's too late to rush him out.

I didn't read your intro, but, here are some thoughts:
- it's very common for dogs to develop a preference for what substance they like to pee and poop on. He may not be used to pooping in the yard on dirt or grass, depending on his past.
- it's also common for dogs to develop potty training issues if they were scolded or punished in the past for pooping. Dogs don't generalize well. They don't make the same type of connections we make. If they're scolded or punished for pooping, they don't think, "Oh, it's because I pooped INSIDE", instead they think "Oh, pooping must be bad if they get mad when I do it". So, if someone in his past punished or scolded him for pooping, it may have given him a fear of pooping at all, at least in front of someone. 

So, at this point, I'd say, be extra vigilant about taking him out more often than you think you need to, and watching him like a hawk in the house if he hasn't pooped yet. That way, you don't even give him the chance to have accidents.


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

Thanks for saving the dog. I've had a couple of rescues who refused to do anything in the back yard. I don't know why. I just walked them all the time even though I had a large fenced in yard.

You don't have to walk in your PJs. You could get dressed and walk the dog. No one cares if you haven't showered yet. Just hop up, throw on some jeans, go for a poop walk, then go back and get ready for work.
Or shower the night before if you don't want to go out unshowered.

One of my girls wouldn't potty in the yard until I adopted a second dog who pottied in the yard. I'm not saying adopt another dog, but having another dog go in your yard might help. (it's quite unorthodoxed of course)

Or the problem could be the opposite. Some dogs don't want to potty in a dirty yard. So you can try to make sure the yard is maticulously clean.
I tried those potty sticks for my dog to no avail.

I've also found that lots of rescues don't like people looking at them when they poop. My Lupe has lived with me for 5 years. She is potty trained but to this day, she will not poop if she knows that a man is looking at her (women are okay)
I've had her out on walks with a man; she will look like she needs to poop; I'll ask the guy to turn his head; and she will poop really fast.

I agree with everything DM said. Reverse housetraining could be an issue - more info on potty training here: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/latrenda/potty-training-101/

Also, she might just not like pottying in her own yard for some unknown reason - my brothers dog would only potty in his neighbor's yards. Probably because he considered the yard part of his domain and didn't want to soil it. Of course that won't explain him going in the house.


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## jfinner1 (Mar 4, 2009)

Thanks guys. We're still working on it. He's on a feeding schedule now, but he hasn't figured it out yet, so I'm worried he's not eating enough. I fill up his bowl, put it down for 10 minutes, and keep directing him back to the bowl, otherwise he probably wouldn't eat at all. Hopefully he'll get the point in a few days. I haven't found any more poop in the basement, and he's been getting more walks. In fact, it seems like all he wants to do is walk... And just hanging out in the backyard isn't good enough. Today I had him out with me for three hours while I was weeding. Eventually we came inside, and he was whining and jumping at the door again... Still trying to figure him out. But being that I've only had him for a week, I figure we'll get there eventually. Thanks again!


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