puppy has taken to sleeping outside

[koalalou]

Hello, owner of a fairly new puppy here. She is nearly 17 weeks and we got her at 11 weeks. She's a 'Jug', a jack russell/pug cross, and from day one she has settled easily at night, sleeping in the bathroom with a pad on the floor. Initially, her house training was going fairly well but she did not like being outside at all on her own. Then, at around 15 weeks, that changed and she started to love being outside so we got her a kennel, for shelter during the day - thinking she would carry on sleeping inside - but she has started wanting to stay in her kennel and is now sleeping there all night.

The reason for my concern is that her house training has started to decline and she quite often will come into the house and wee soon after she comes in. We are trying to manage this by going outside and running around with her before coming back in but I wonder if we should be managing things a bit differently? Are there any experienced dog owners/puppy trainers that could perhaps give me some advice on managing an 'outdoor' dog, as in she sleeps outdoors but is in and out most of the time during the day?

[Floralnomad]

I would start keeping her in and go back to basics with the house training ,only going into the garden to play / toilet . I don't know how things are where you live but there is an increase in dogs being stolen from gardens ( even secure gardens) and its pretty risky leaving her out .

[koalalou]

I am in Sydney, Australia. Perhaps it is different here?

[lastnightiwenttomanderleyagain]

I'm far from experienced compared to some here, but one thing did jump out at me. You say she slept in the bathroom - did she have a crate or anything?

Our 17wk (snap) dachsie has a crate in the kitchen. We don't properly crate him and shut the door, but that's very much deemed to be 'his' space and if he goes in there we know he just wants to be left alone. He sleeps in it too. If your puppy doesn't have a space that is obviously 'hers' she might be using the kennel as an opportunity to get her own little bedroom?

Can't advise on her being an outdoor dog, but that may be an idea if you want her back indoors?

[digerd]

I read that most dogs in Australia sleep and live outside. But all the dogs I have known want to sleep in the house with their human masters - in their beds with them if possible.
So surprised she had slept outside out of preference, especially a small dog. Do your neighbours have dogs sleeping outdoors?

[koalalou]

Hi, yes there are dogs sleeping outside though not directly next door. I am okay with her sleeping outside, just wondering how to make sure she is still house trained as I still want her to come into the house during the day.

We haven't used a crate but she does have a bed inside which we move around, as well as one in her kennel.

Sleeping in the bathroom is okay but can lead to a messy floor if she doesn't use the pee pad. She doesn't seem bothered about not sleeping with us in our rooms/beds.

[digerd]

It must be an ozzy thing with ozzy dogs Thought perhaps it was something to do with the very hot summers indoors as dogs do suffer from the heat. Or that she can smell the other dogs even hear them snoring and it comforts her?

My nephew lives in Sidney - has been living in Australia for decades.