we have a 9mo black lab, he's really dh's dog and i agreed to get him when we had a four month old baby only when dh promised to train him, walk him and clear up after him. ha HA ha.
he is quite bright ((the labrador, i mean - jury still out on dh ), was easily toilet trained and never messes in the house. however he does crap all over the lawn. as ds is now nearly walking and i really want him to be able to use the garden that's got to stop, but how?
have tried taking him to a corner of the garden to do it but he just thinks he's in trouble, sits there looking sad and then the minute he's released into the wider garden craps on the lawn.
i think he should be walked twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and should be able to learn to do it then in the park etc leaving the lawn clear. dh, apparently, can't be bothered - sporadically the dog gets a morning walk, but i think it has to be every day or he wont learn the routine. i work ft and have enough to do getting the baby ready every morning without walking the sodding dog as well. is there any other way? and is it reasonable to expect a dog to be able to hold on until he's out of the garden (if walked twice a day)? we bought this bloody house to provide ds with a garden which, as things stand, he will only be able to look at out of the window.