Yes, you read that right!

This is actually a common problem that comes up every now and then in the emails I get.

For whatever reason, the pet dog “holds it” and won’t poop or pee in the yard until the owner takes him for a walk. He refuses to go to the shower room in the yard. He will only pee or poop on walks.

You might be thinking, smart dog!

Yes, it’s very possible the pet dog figured out if he pees ideal away he gets taken ideal back inside. However, if he holds it longer he gets to be outside longer.

Of course, the real problem would be if he starts going to the shower room in the house because he doesn’t want to go in the yard.

Hopefully you’re not having that problem. If so, then it’s time to go back to the basics and treat him like he’s not potty trained.

Also see my post: how long does it take to potty train a puppy?

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Dog won’t pee or poop in the yard

Possible reasons your pet dog won’t go potty or poop in the yard

My pet dog won’t go potty while on a leash

What to do if your pet dog won’t go potty or poop in the yard

1. use the walk as a reward!

2. give him 10 minutes to poop in the yard and then head back inside

3. use highly valued treats

4. stay with your pet dog in the yard

5. invite other dogs to come pee in your yard!

6. try not to get frustrated if your pet dog won’t poop in the yard

7. Does he need to step around?

How to show your pet dog to pee or poop on command

How to show a pet dog NOT to poop in the yard

My favorite pet dog products to help

Dog won’t pee or poop in the yard

Possible reasons your pet dog won’t go potty or poop in the yard

He’s distracted in the yard. (Neighbor dogs, smells, noises, trying to find other family members)
He doesn’t like the surface in the yard, whether it’s woodchips, wet grass, dirty snow, etc.
She doesn’t like the smells from so lots of other dogs (common if you’re in an apartment)
She doesn’t like the smell of her own pee (if you have a small yard)
He doesn’t want to step in the pee from other dogs or from himself
Your pet dog prefers to pee on bushes & there aren’t any bushes in the yard
He feels like your small yard is an extension of the house & doesn’t want to soil the area
He’s never had a yard before so this is new to him – maybe he peed only on concrete at a shelter or only on walks in a past apartment or condo home.
The pet dog might be used to peeing while on a leash – try leashing him in the yard
Some dogs need to run around a bit before they have to poop!

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My pet dog won’t go potty while on a leash

One related issue for some dogs is the leash. For others, it’s not being on a leash!

So, you might try the opposite of what you’re currently doing. If that’s possible.

For example, if you recently adopted a dog, he might’ve lived in an apartment or condo before and all of his shower room breaks were on a leash. So now he associates potty breaks with being on a leash. So try using a leash in the yard.

Or the opposite could be true. maybe your pet dog is used to going potty off leash in a fenced area and now that you’ve moved to a house with no fenced yard, she is not used to going potty in that environment.

You could try using a longer, 30 foot leash or a retractable leash to give her a lot more space.

See this article: My pet dog won’t pee while on a leash!

What to do if your dog won’t go potty or poop in the yard

If the leash doesn’t seem to be the issue, the first step is to try to figure out why your pet dog is “holding it.” hopefully some of the above bullet points I pointed out can help you brainstorm.

If it’s a new environment for the dog, just try to be individual and remember to reward him for going potty in the ideal place. often dogs just need a few days or weeks to adjust to a new routine.

Here are some additional ideas for getting your pet dog to poop in the yard:

1. use the walk as a reward!

Stand with him for 5 or 10 minutes in the yard until he goes. then take him for a walk as a reward! even if it’s just a 5-minute walk. If he doesn’t poop or pee, then head back inside. No walk.

Also, don’t end his walks or head for home as soon as he pees. keep walking for a bit. The fun shouldn’t end because he peed or pooped.

2. give him 10 minutes to poop in the yard and then head back inside

If he doesn’t go poop in the yard, then take him back inside. put him in a kennel/crate if you’re anxious he’ll have an accident. then take him outside again in a half-hour. Repeat as needed.

I realize you only haveso much time in a day, especially if you’re trying to get ready for work, but that’s what I’d recommend if in any way possible.

Most dogs will go if they have to. If you have to get to work then you may need to include an actual walk as part of the morning routine so your pet dog will actually go. Then, keep your evening “walks” to the yard.

When he finally does pee or poop in the yard, give a treat right away and head out for a walk as a reward!

3. use highly valued treats

Go back to some basics and reward your pet dog with highly valued food for peeing/pooping in the yard. use jerky treats, real chicken, string cheese, hot dogs, whatever he loves! and try to walk him as a reward when you can.

4. stay with your pet dog in the yard

If you’re not currently standing in the yard with your dog, then try that. Some dogs are just nervous about being left outside or they are too anxious about what you’re doing.

This is especially true with newly adopted dogs or puppies or if you’ve moved to a new home with your dog.

5. invite other dogs to come pee in your yard!

Yes, this sounds a bit silly. However, a lot of dogs like to sniff on walks where other dogs have peed and then they “mark” the area.

Males and females do this. So, one idea to try is to actually ask the neighbor dogs or friends’ dogs to come pee in your yard!

*Enjoying this article? get sensible pet dog training ideas emailed once a week. Click Here

6. try not to get frustrated if your pet dog won’t poop in the yard

I used to get mad at my pet dog Ace when he wouldn’t poop in the yard. I’d be like, “Hurry up!” in a indicate voice.

My evident disappointment caused him to feel tense and stressed and maybe even terrified of me and then he wouldn’t go to the shower room for sure!

I learned to be individual and positive with him. He’s sensitive. ?

7. Does he need to step around?

Some dogs really need to jog around a bit in buy to, shall we say, get things moving in buy to poop! This is bothersome because nearly every pet dog I take running will poop about two minutes into the run! That’s just the way it is!

If you think your pet dog needs to step around a bit, try tossing the ball or chasing him around the yard. He might poop then!

As I pointed out above, typically simply using a long leash or retractable leash will allow your pet dog to step around and … “get things moving.” Or, if the pet dog just needs some space/”privacy” then the longer leash helps with that too.

How to show your pet dog to pee or poop on command

It’s valuable to show your pet dog a phrase that signals to go to the bathroom. That way, you can communicate to your pet dog what you want her to do when you’re in a hurry or when you’re in a new environment.

For example, some dogs are not sure about where to go potty when traveling. Silly dogs!

First, pick a phrase you want to use to signal to your pet dog to go to the bathroom. I use “hurry.” You could say, “go potty” or whatever phrase you want to use.

Start out by giving this command when you know your pet dog is about to go potty or when you’re in the area she usually goes. As soon as she’s going, say, “Hurry” and praise your pet dog with a treat.

Eventually, you will be able to say “hurry” and your pet dog will understand what to do.

I have not trained my pet dog two separate words for peeing and pooping, but I’m guessing some people have successful trained two different commands.

How to show a pet dog NOT to poop in the yard

Believe it or not, some people actually train their dogs not to poop or pee in the yard on purpose. They do so if they want to keep the yard cleaner or if they want to stop the pet dog from killing the grass.

So, it’s probably not the end of the world if you have to take your pet dog for a walk two or three times per day to give him a chance to poop. just plan the walks at regular times, and it’s really no big deal. Your pet dog will get used to going to the shower room on this routine.

If you need poop bags, I highly recommend the earth friendly bags from earth Rated. opt for the unscented version.

So those are my ideas. I know this is a odd topic but it really is a fairly common problem!

Have any of you dealt with this issue of the pet dog refusing to poop in the yard? how did you fix it?

Let me know in the comments what has worked for you!

*Enjoying this article? get sensible pet dog training ideas emailed once a week. Click Here

My favorite pet dog products to help

High valued treats: I recommend wellness Well Bites training treats.
Long leash: A long leash helps the pet dog step around and gives her a lot more “personal space.”
Earth Rated bags: These are the best poop bags! They are earth friendly and durable!
Fresh, raw food:My dogs eat fresh food from Darwin’s, delivered to our door. try 10 lbs of food for just $14.95 and complimentary shipping.

Other resources:

How to potty train an adult dog
How long does it take to potty train a puppy?
Stop my pet dog from peeing in the crate
How to train my pet dog to use pee pads
Stop a pet dog from marking in the house

Get all of That Mutt’s training ideas HERE.

Lindsay Stordahl is the founder of That Mutt. She writes about pet dog training, pet dog exercise and feeding a healthy raw diet.