# Its cold and my puppy won't go potty outside!



## Ardy (Aug 28, 2008)

Help! My puppy has been housebroke for several mo. She is 8 mo. old now. She likes to go outside, but she doesn't like to stay out there alone. It has turned really cold here, the temperature is at zero, but with the wind chill its even colder. it snowed some, but not alot and she has gone potty in the snow before. She hasn't peed or pooped this entire day. When we take her out she starts to squat like she's going to poop, but then she just sits down on her butt and doesn't want to move. I am wishing I had paper trained her, and I'm wondering now, is it too late to train her to go in the house on paper? And how would I go about It? I don't know how she can hold it much longer!


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## Mom2Sadie (Jan 28, 2008)

I would just continue to give her the opportunity to go potty outside. It's a pain, but just keep taking her out and telling her the potty command that you use. I've heard of dogs holding it for a looooong time. When she finally goes, praise her like crazy. Your other option is to bundle up and walk her until she goes. I feel for you!!


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

They will learn to go even in the worst of weather. I help mine out by clearing the snow in an area with some wind break. Mine make a dash for the area and a dash back for the house.
Teaching them that it's OK to go inside and outside usually creates potty problems....they stop telling you they need to go out and paper training is not always reliable.


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## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

She can't hold it much longer, you've almost won.


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## Ardy (Aug 28, 2008)

Thanks. I'm just getting very frustrated because it seems like I've spent the whole day trying to get her to go. She begs to go out, acting like she does when she wants to go potty, but then when we get out there, she doesn't go.


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

Ardy said:


> Thanks. I'm just getting very frustrated because it seems like I've spent the whole day trying to get her to go. She begs to go out, acting like she does when she wants to go potty, but then when we get out there, she doesn't go.


That's a side effect of potty training....getting your attention. That's not all bad. The trick is knowing which is which and finding a better outlet for her attention/interaction with you. Basic obedience (teaching sit, down, etc.) is a wonderful alternative.


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## noisebug (Nov 22, 2008)

Its -40'C here right now, but Max will go. Granted, he hates it this cold and I don't blame him... I don't really think its safe to keep a dog out this long in this type of whether. 

But if he has to go he goes, and then we run in the house.

When you say 0, do you mean 'C or 'F?

If it ever gets a bit warmer, you need to stay out with your dog until she goes... than praise her and give her a treat. If it takes 45 min, so be it. But she needs to understand that, that is the time to go. Once she knows it will click forever.


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## Ardy (Aug 28, 2008)

Its 0 F, but with the wind its well below zero. She finally went poop, but hasn't peed yet. I can't believe she can hold it this long, since 7 this morning, and its now 10 pm.


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## notamamayet (May 3, 2008)

it's in the -40's here now, poor Hurley is only 6lbs, so we've got him decked out in a sweater (which he whines when we take it off), and this week he's getting boots too. He's never gone out alone, as he could slip through our fence, but I still feel guilty about making him go out for those two minutes to potty!


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## Ardy (Aug 28, 2008)

I guess part of it was just her getting used to the extreme cold, cause she is doing better now. I hadn't thought of the fact that this is her first winter, she's never been out in this weather before. It got a little above zero today, and she actually stayed out and played in the snow. 
Thanks for your replies here, this was a new experience for me, never had an inside dog before, and it made me feel better when you all told me to just hang in there.


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