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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Using garden as a toilet

17 replies

Miloticc · 07/04/2023 12:54

Hi just wondering if anyone has advice for if their dogs use the whole garden as a toilet?

I have a fully grass garden and two big dogs, they do their business on walks but as I’m home all day I often leave the back door open for them to lay in the sun/play.

If they ever need to go in between walks they just go anywhere in the garden. I pick it up straight away but it feels really unsanitary for the kids. I was hoping they’d go in the same spot every time and I could fence that bit off, but it’s just everywhere!

Anything I can do?

OP posts:
colourPink · 07/04/2023 12:55

No advice but I sympathise! I have two dogs and it feels like there's poo everywhere. Now it's getting warmer/garden weather I will spend my life picking it up.

Labtastic · 07/04/2023 13:03

I was hoping they’d go in the same spot every time and I could fence that bit off, but it’s just everywhere!

Surely the answer is to fence a bit off first, and then just take them in there every time until it becomes habit? (Which it will pretty quickly).

Whiskeyinthejaroh · 07/04/2023 13:05

Take them to the same spot every time they want to go out. If they don't go, bring them back in. Next time they want out, take them to that same spot again. Repeat until they get it.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 07/04/2023 14:06

You can train them to go in one spot, but it may not be easy to enforce if you let them have free-rein of the garden during the day.

Personally I would just pick up before the children go out and there hose/squirt off any remains, and make sure the DC wash their hands when they come back in and especially before they eat.

Gardens aren't exactly hygienic places anyway!

Bananabreakfast123 · 07/04/2023 14:18

Whiskeyinthejaroh · 07/04/2023 13:05

Take them to the same spot every time they want to go out. If they don't go, bring them back in. Next time they want out, take them to that same spot again. Repeat until they get it.

We did this and it works really well. We'd take our dog to the same spot as soon as she was let out and she wouldn't be allowed to roam until she went to the toilet. She soon got the hang of it and now we don't need to direct her there, either when we first let her out or even once she's been out wandering and enjoying the garden for a while as she'll take herself back to go again. It was difficult at first with our strong willed girl but worth the effort to have an unspoiled lawn.

Topseyt123 · 07/04/2023 14:19

Gardens aren't sanitary places. Many creatures visit them and poo or pee in them (birds, insects, cats, foxes, badgers, hedgehogs).

Just pick up the dog poo daily before the kids go out into the garden and hose away any excess if it was a squishy one. That was all I did when we had two dogs. My three children somehow survived and are all now healthy adults in their twenties.

peppermintteagirl · 08/04/2023 00:32

I'm assuming you're talking about poop - how often are your dogs pooping if they're going on walks AND in your garden? One of mine goes once a day on her morning walk, the other goes first thing in the morning, and then again on his morning walk. That's it.

If your dogs are pooping multiple times a day then maybe look at changing their food to something that doesn't go straight through them.

Doveyouknow · 08/04/2023 01:02

Why is it less sanitary to do it for n your garden than in a public place?

DiscoBeat · 08/04/2023 01:31

We have a small area fenced off for toileting, and he only goes in the main garden if we're with him. He never does anything there now as he's so used to 'his' area.

DiscoBeat · 08/04/2023 01:32

Surely the answer is to fence a bit off first, and then just take them in there every time until it becomes habit? (Which it will pretty quickly).
Yes this is what we did from 8 weeks. It becomes ingrained.

TheSandgroper · 08/04/2023 03:31

commenting to say choose a spot you have to spend a couple of months taking the dogs there and keeping them in that small area until they have relieved themselves. Only then are they allowed the run of the garden.

It takes time and effort in your part but trainable dogs will get the message.

Fleabea · 08/04/2023 06:30

You can train your dog to only go in a particular place. We did this with ours and even had to retrain her to go somewhere else after the garden was was re-landscaped.

Surprised your dogs poo regularly in your garden if you are taking them out for regular walks. Our dog prefers to only wee in the garden and holds it in until walks (I think she prefers not to poo in "her" space)

NotCopingWell1 · 08/04/2023 07:18

peppermintteagirl · 08/04/2023 00:32

I'm assuming you're talking about poop - how often are your dogs pooping if they're going on walks AND in your garden? One of mine goes once a day on her morning walk, the other goes first thing in the morning, and then again on his morning walk. That's it.

If your dogs are pooping multiple times a day then maybe look at changing their food to something that doesn't go straight through them.

Mine are raw fed and go 2-3 times a day. I would say it's more unusual one of yours only goes once. Every dog I've had (six) has at least gone morning and evening.

Jifmicroliquid · 08/04/2023 07:21

We created a dog toilet in the garden (separate to the lawn and covered in wood chipping) and spent time training the dog to go there. It was quite a task with constant taking them to that area and lots of praise, but so worth it.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 08/04/2023 07:29

peppermintteagirl · 08/04/2023 00:32

I'm assuming you're talking about poop - how often are your dogs pooping if they're going on walks AND in your garden? One of mine goes once a day on her morning walk, the other goes first thing in the morning, and then again on his morning walk. That's it.

If your dogs are pooping multiple times a day then maybe look at changing their food to something that doesn't go straight through them.

It's perfectly healthy and normal for dogs to go multiple times a day. In fact, I would say once a day is actually on the unusual side.

Mindymomo · 08/04/2023 07:31

We only have a small garden, so first thing in the morning when we let our dog out, one of us checks the grass. Our dog usually goes in one of two places and mainly of an evening . If I had a large garden, I would make an area for the dog to go, maybe put sand down.

Leonberger · 08/04/2023 07:50

We fenced ours off and created a dog run patio area. Dogs go on there to go to the toilet or if it’s muddy to stop them getting filthy and it’s very easily cleaned. It means the kids have a separate clean garden and don’t get knocked over by playing dogs either.

It works really well!

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