I'm not being cruel to my dog, am I?

[YankNCock]

Our puppy is 10 months old, and he's had no accidents in the house for several months now. When we started housetraining we'd take him on the lead to a certain spot in the garden or the grass verge over the road and praise him every time he did anything (as the books said). After a while, we started just letting him out the back door into the fenced garden to do his business on his own, and cleaning up on a daily basis. Even at the start he rarely peed or pooed when away from home, but unfortunately we didn't recognise it as a problem til now.

Now we're starting the process of doing up the garden. It was all crazy paved by the crazy former owners, and we've ripped up about half of it. I'm worried about the weedkiller and stuff we need to put down soon, and when we put new lawn in he won't be able to go on it for a while. So we've been trying to get him to do his business whilst he's on his walks or across the street on the verge (where he used to go), but he's absolutely refusing!

I've tried several different times to avoid letting him out the back to go, but I get worried that he's holding his bladder and bowels for so long that he could do some sort of damage (is this even possible?). Today I've held my nerve a bit longer, but it's 5pm and he's still not peed or pooed despite going on a walk, eating his breakfast, and being taken outside 4 more times throughout the day!

Can someone tell me if there is any nice way to get this 're-education' to work? I feel really bad that he's not gone yet today, but he's had ample opportunity!

[silentcatastrophe]

Just wanted to bump for you. Your pup may be noticing the changes in your living arrangements and that could be causing the problem. He will go to the loo when he needs to, but it may not be where you want or expect. Could you make a new routine to help him relax? It may take a few days. I'm sure there are people here who have far more knowledge than I do!

[YankNCock]

Thanks silent, he finally went for a wee at about 6pm when DH took him for a walk after work. DH said it was a really long one!

No poo today as of yet, despite him being out loads of times.

[misdee]

ralph rarely poos on walks. does my head in as i know he will then do it in the garden later.

[MackerelOfFact]

Do you have any green open space nearby where you could let him off the lead? I've always found that a good runaround stimulates their bowels and usually produces a public poo.

Otherwise, can you block off the new lawn and do the garden in stages, so there is still a bit of space for him outside the whole time?

[Ephiny]

Mine is the other way round, does not like to poo in the garden and will try to 'hold' it until we take him out for a walk!

I would guess he'd get used to the new arrangment with time, it's maybe a bit confusing for him to know where he is/isn't allowed to go? Maybe give him a treat/reward when he does 'go' during a walk?

[sparks]

I had to do similar with my dog, it just takes time. Made me realise she has a bladder of steel . You are doing all the right things. With my dog, letting her off the lead helps. Sometimes (like yesterday) we need to go on an extra-long walk until she finally does a poo.

[YankNCock]

He's still not done a poo! None yesterday, none today so far.

There won't really be any way to separate off the garden, and I don't want to confuse him further because I'd really rather stop him from doing it in the garden. I'm in the process of setting up to be a childminder and I'd like to keep it poo-free out there!

When DS (22mo) is with me, it's tricky to have the dog off the lead because he has terrible recall at the moment. I'm not sure it is safe for either, they tend to run in separate directions on the few occasions I've tried. I've got a super long lead we use for recall training, maybe I could try that?

[sparks]

Yes try the long lead. We have one of those retractable 'flexi' leads. My dog won't do a poo when on the ordinary lead, but will on the flexi lead.