# Newly adopted dog, problems with going in our yard



## guarn3md (Jun 9, 2010)

We recently adopted a one year old mixed terrier dog. Well the rescue thought she was a terrier mix w/greyhound or whippet. She is probably almost a year and a half, spayed, approx. 22lbs. We brought her home last Saturday (12/8). She is doing really well!! She does great in her crate at night and while we are at work. She doesn't like going in but is getting better. She has had one accident, last Friday, when my husband was working from home and letting her run up and down the stairs between the basement and the kitchen. He wasn't watching her well enough. He said she peed like there was no tomorrow. We have her gated in our kitchen and family room area. The biggest concern I have is that she will not pee or poop in our yard. There are approximately 16 houses in our community and almost everyone has a dog. We walk her around the backyard many times but eventually have to take her for a walk. She will pee when we go for a walk but usually not a good pee - She appears to be saving it for multiple locations along the walk. I have tried to use a key word and praise her as soon as she goes - but it seems to distract her and she stops. I have picked up her poop from our walks and put them in a spot in our backyard where she has peed a couple of times. We don't have a fence backyard - so we have to walk her on a leash. Her foster parent had a fenced backyard where she lived for a month before coming to us. I am assuming that when she was in the shelter and foster in NC she probably went in another gated area. So I am assuming that this will take time and have to get her use to going on a leash and get comfortable with us. I guess I'm just looking for advice. We start obedience training in two weeks so I feel like I have no where to ask my questions!  So any advice is greatly appreciated!!
Thanks
Debbie


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Some dogs like to eliminate as far away from their house as possible. I have sort of 3 yards- a front unfenced, a back fenced and a second further back fenced (gate between the two "back" yards). My dog absolutely refuses to use the two yards that adjoin the house until he is very desperate (I am trying to teach him to use the back yard for when winter is here and the weather is bad) and he won't use the front yard at all. You could simply wait her out and praise after she's done peeing (immediately after, but not during so you don't distract her)

I would suggest putting her on a long line (a long rope or tether) and seeing if she will do her business in the yard when she has the chance to wander away from you.

Since so many of your neighbors have dogs, she might just be a marker and want to pee where the other dogs peed. It isn't just boy dogs that mark. Sometimes just walking briskly and only stopping once during a walk can encourage them not to stop all the time.

Google "crate games" for advice on how to help train her to like the crate better. It really does help.


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

The praise is a good thing, but wait until she finishes, then praise and treat to avoid her stopping while going. For what it's worth, my westie mix (also a terrier) didn't go to the bathroom for 3 whole days when we adopted her - taken out multiple times into the yard, etc.. I think she had to wait until she felt more secure. Once she went - wow! After that initial success, she was fine. I didn't take her for a walk in the neighborhood until she started going potty in my yard. I didn't want her to get into the habit of not using the yard. After all, that's why I fenced in my back yard - so I could open the door and let the dogs out w/out me having to take them for a potty walk!

If your dog is peeing/pooing in the house after refusing to go in the yard, I'd crate her and take her out every 30 minutes (to the yard only) until you have success. Then, as mentioned before, praise and treat after she finishes going.


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