# Aversion to peeing



## Ryan Venables (Sep 15, 2010)

I've built a specific spot in my backyard for the dogs to eliminate. Before we got our male pup the adult female would go there without issue.

Now that we have the new little guy she essentially won't go there... Opting to hold it until a walk, etc.

So my question is whether this is a behavioral issue or is this a natural reaction to not want to pee where he goes?! And the follow up to it is whether I should correct for not going (Esp when I know she has to go... As this is a dog that will eliminate on command) or employ a reward system for going?

Also nothing other than the prescence of the new dog has happened in that area, from the best that I can tell. I think she would just rather use the grass instead of the cedar mulch.


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## Jennifer Michelson (Sep 20, 2006)

I do the same--one place to potty. I think sometimes it is a surface issue. I have sand down and have tried pea gravel, but not mulch. I have had 2 dogs with no problem--the first one I trained and my young dog. My middle dog is a pia...he doesnt like the footing and is comfortable with holding it until he explodes. I do think he is also not happy with peeing where the new guy pees, he does try hard to avoid 'used' spots. 
Basically I have given him no option (tried other footings for him, I think he likes grass...). They do have a command to go potty and if he doesnt I just stand there until he does and he is not allowed to come out of the area until he goes. Granted he is an adult. As a puppy I remember standing there forever..... I cant see punishing for not going--not sure that can compute. Rewarding for going cant hurt. My dogs always got a party for going in the beginning. 

Because I hate picking up dog poo, I always make the dogs potty before leaving the yard or getting in the car. The boys pee a lot on walks, but I have made it a habit to at least pee a bit before we leave. You dont pee, you dont get to go anywhere!!


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## Ryan Venables (Sep 15, 2010)

I'm getting to the point where, if you don't go, then no walks no fun etc. I don't think it's a footing problem, and when she goes, she heads to the very corner goes and jumps my little fence so she doesn't have to walk back through it.

I also don't really have the time to wait her out while she sits there looking at me. I can leash her up and force her there, but she just this "help" look on her face, and after a few mins, I give up, bring her back inside and try again later. But she's like a frigging camel...she'll just hold it until I take her for a run, and then empty then.

I'm not sure if it's a behavioural (i.e. f-u I'm not going here, he went here)... if it is, I will punish for it; but if its an un-written code in the dog world, obviously I don't want to correct for it.

I've tried the reward, maybe I need to anti up and go with a tug or something instead of food.


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Sounds like the toilet isn't big enough for two. Unless you have a dirty beast, (or one kennel confined) a dog will prefer to eliminate (unless marking) as far away from the home as they can in my experience.

Have you a spot of grass or something not too far from your home where you can take her? Might save a bit of heartache and a confused dog.


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## Ryan Venables (Sep 15, 2010)

Right now the size of the space is for 2 mals... and it's dimensions are probably 10 feet by 4 feet.

I have a park across the street, and I've been using that, only problem with that is the traffic on our street is recently dramatically increased due to a detour and there are furry critters that she may chase... I generally take her out unleashed... but I guess in the end, if this is the height of my troubles, I'm laughing....

In the end, I wasn't sure if her not going was a behavioural issue or her just not wanting to pee where he peed because it's dog code or because it's yucky.

Looks like we're crossing the road at night.


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Ryan Venables said:


> Right now the size of the space is for 2 mals... and it's dimensions are probably 10 feet by 4 feet.
> 
> I have a park across the street, and I've been using that, only problem with that is the traffic on our street is recently dramatically increased due to a detour and there are furry critters that she may chase... I generally take her out unleashed... but I guess in the end, if this is the height of my troubles, I'm laughing....
> 
> ...


If it's a toilet trip, it's a toilet trip! No critter chasing, no fun, just quiet toilet trip.


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

Ryan Venables said:


> I'm getting to the point where, if you don't go, then no walks no fun etc. I don't think it's a footing problem, and when she goes, she heads to the very corner goes and jumps my little fence so she doesn't have to walk back through it.


You might as well write her a note, that's how much sense what you're doing makes to the dog. The result is the same and she just thinks you've gotten lazy and don't want to walk her. 




> I also don't really have the time to wait her out while she sits there looking at me. I can leash her up and force her there, but she just this "help" look on her face, and after a few mins, I give up, bring her back inside and try again later. But she's like a frigging camel...she'll just hold it until I take her for a run, and then empty then.


You'll have to make the time if you're adamant about making this work. You two are having a stand off and you let her win every time. Set her up so you know she really has to go, then take her to the spot on leash, and give her the command, repeat a few times if necessary. Wait her out. If she does finally pee, throw a party! Seriously praise her, give treats, what ever her thing is. Repeat later and again be prepared to sit there. What you can also do is as soon as she pees, immediately proceed on to her walk. 


If the pup is peeing there consistently it's very likely she finds the area icky. Some dogs are picky like that. Maybe what you could do is separate the doggy toilette into a his and hers section. Also rinse regularly to help keep down any smell, or pick up and change the soiled shavings.


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## tracey schneider (May 7, 2008)

My votes for Yucky and probably confusion as to why you keep putting her in this yucky space and stare at her sitting in it lol. Need a bigger space or cleaner space is my vote.
T


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Weird. If anything, I notice the opposite effect with my dogs. They pee over each other's previous spots, both the dogs and the bitches do. No problems going in the same area of the yard when told, they seem to do that on their own most of the time. No matter that the chosen spot can get nasty and smelly... I walk them just to keep my yard cleaner...

I did notice with pups, they have a tough time going pee in new areas, they preferred to go where they've already been. They would sniff and look for their own previous pee spot  Older dogs, not so picky.


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## Ryan Venables (Sep 15, 2010)

tracey delin said:


> My votes for Yucky and probably confusion as to why you keep putting her in this yucky space and stare at her sitting in it lol. Need a bigger space or cleaner space is my vote.
> T


I think this may be the place... I clean the poops out every other day, so it's always clean... I think she just doesn't like going where he goes.

In the end, I win if there is no crap on the lawn... and taking her across the street isn't THAT big of a deal in the long run.


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## Ryan Venables (Sep 15, 2010)

Anna Kasho said:


> Weird. If anything, I notice the opposite effect with my dogs. They pee over each other's previous spots, both the dogs and the bitches do. No problems going in the same area of the yard when told, they seem to do that on their own most of the time. No matter that the chosen spot can get nasty and smelly... I walk them just to keep my yard cleaner...
> 
> I did notice with pups, they have a tough time going pee in new areas, they preferred to go where they've already been. They would sniff and look for their own previous pee spot  Older dogs, not so picky.


she'll drop anywhere on command...EXCEPT in her spot in the backyard...


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Ryan Venables said:


> she'll drop anywhere on command...EXCEPT in her spot in the backyard...


Sounds like my ex...


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## tracey schneider (May 7, 2008)

Dogs have a nose much keener than ours and they also communicate through their scents so what may seem clean still "stinks" to her. I have had dogs that would jump and tip toe around "spots", literally get into a fight over a spot... m/f no less, and then I've had some that just decided its tasty! Go figure! The ones that had the strongest aversion to it, were very clean keepers and always had fresh breath.... id take that over a shit eater any day.

T


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## Ryan Venables (Sep 15, 2010)

She's definitely a tippy toer... she will lift legs off the ground while in the area...

I'm just glad it's not a behavioural thing. She went a little wonky when we got the pup, but all is good now.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

You need to clean the area more often. Not just picking up the poop, but spraying it with something to neutralize the urine/odor. Or watering it a lot, just depends on the footing in the area. It was probably fine for 1 dog, but isn't large enough for 2, at least not in your females opinion.

My dogs won't go anywhere near the designated potty areas at a dog show, they take one look/sniff and put the breaks on, it's way to dirty to them to be willing to go in there, no matter how bad they need to go. 

There are a number of commerical products you can purchase to neutralize urine odors, that are safe for plants and pets. Or if it's an area you don't have plants, and won't want plants in the future, you can just use bleach and water in a hose sprayer.

Soak the area really good, let it sit for awhile to dry out some (all the way if using bleach) and then put your female out there and see if you get a different reaction from her.


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