Going On The Grass

[CBL]

Patch has a nasty habit of pooping on the cobblestones instead of the grass. He goes on the grass half of the time, especially if we are out there with him. But when he is out alone he goes on the cobblestones.

We praise him lots when he goes in the right spot and he gets a firm no if we catch him where he shouldn't be. But is there anything we can spray on the cobblestones to remove the scent or discourage him from pooping there. He only pees on the grass, has never had an accident inside, it is just the pooping.

With all the rain he is also starting to get into a habit of getting up to go to the toilet at around 2:30-3:00am. With all the storms last week we could not get him outside when it was bedtime for a last pee (our fault, we should have persisted more probably - but when we could get him out there he would stand there and not do anything). Is there anyway to break this habit too?

Edited November 10, 2007 by CBL

[Erny]

Patch has a nasty habit of pooping on the cobblestones instead of the grass. He goes on the grass half of the time... is there anything we can spray on the cobblestones to remove the scent or discourage him from pooping there

.

Reading in another thread, a DOLer has had a great amount of success by using lavendar oil. Might be a bit costly if you have a large area to do, and I'm not sure how well a diluted solution of the lavendar would work, but might be worth a try. I had read about the use of lavendar oil as well, but forgot about it until I read the recent thread on it.

With all the rain he is also starting to get into a habit of getting up to go to the toilet at around 2:30-3:00am... but when we could get him out there he would stand there and not do anything). Is there anyway to break this habit too?

Are you certain that Patch is really WANTING to go to the toilet? That he is not going when you get there makes me suspect this is not the case. Could be he has learnt that if he 'puts on the right noises' so to speak, he'll get your attention.

I've told this story about my own girl (RIP) before, but this will give you an idea of what I mean and how dogs are such great opportunists ......

Kal (my avatar girl) had giardia when I got her - although I didn't know this at the time. It took a good 6 months for a Vet to finally diagnose the cause to her symptoms, which was diarohrea. Kal was such a stickler for NOT having accidents inside that even when desperate she would do her utmost to let her out. Of course, during the course of her illness, this resulted in frequent and regular broken sleep. But naturally, I'd prefer that than especially THOSE sorts of accidents inside the house. So, she'd wake me, I'd let her out, she'd 'go', she'd trot back in (much happier) and trot straight back to her bed, which in those days was in the spare room opposite my own. I'd pop her blanket back on (she looooved that!) and we'd mostly sleep through the rest of the night peacefully. Finally, we won the battle and cleared her of the giardia and so I expected that these early hours toilet visits would be no longer. But no! She still came in to wake me! Thinking that perhaps something was still wrong, or that maybe her stomach had been irritated by the presence of these parasites, I got up as I normally would and headed to let her out. But instead of trotting down the hall with me, she promptly returned to her room and her bed. So, I figured (in my sleep deprived stupor), probably a 'false alarm'. Put her blanket back on and went back to bed, trying to pick up on the pleasant dream I had been having.

Didn't think twice about it until it occurred again the next night. And then it 'd on me. Kal was only now waking me because her blanket had slipped off during the night and she wanted it back on!!! Very cute, but very tiring!!! The next night, she came in to wake me but I pretended to remain asleep. I was a bit worried because I'd had 6 months of being used to her genuinely needing the toilet, and I knew I was taking a 'punt'. But I held fast and ignored her. She returned to bed and I slipped back off to sleep. Next morning saw me touring the house to check that my suspicions had been correct and to make sure that there had in fact been no need for her to toilet.

After that - no more sleepless nights.

Do you think something of this nature might be happening with you and Patch? If you do want to try the 'ignore', remember that you ARE taking a 'punt'. If Patch does toilet inside because the need to toilet was genuine, then there is the possibility that he will have then 'learnt' that habit and I might hesitate to try this for any dog whose toilet training history is not strong. To give yourself the best assurance, make sure that you toilet Patch directly before your bed-time ... no matter how late that is and regardless of whether Patch had already retired to bed before you.

[BBNZ]

Patch has a nasty habit of pooping on the cobblestones instead of the grass. He goes on the grass half of the time, especially if we are out there with him. But when he is out alone he goes on the cobblestones.

We praise him lots when he goes in the right spot and he gets a firm no if we catch him where he shouldn't be. But is there anything we can spray on the cobblestones to remove the scent or discourage him from pooping there. He only pees on the grass, has never had an accident inside, it is just the pooping.

- We actually clean the area and then put down some vinegar on the spot

[CBL]

Thanks I'll give both the vingear and lavender oil a try. He did it again today while he was outside alone.

Erny, in the wet weather he wasn't going to the toilet when we wanted to, we were taking him out at around 10 and he wouldn't need to go, but then get me up at 2:30 or 3am busting to go.

Last night he slept through fine, maybe we are still just working into a routine.

[Erny]

Erny, in the wet weather he wasn't going to the toilet when we wanted to, we were taking him out at around 10 and he wouldn't need to go, but then get me up at 2:30 or 3am busting to go.

Sorry - you said that in your OP but I mis-read it.

Glad you had a good sleep through and hope this is the beginning of a 'routine'. ;)

In case not, though ..... is he drinking a fair amount close before bed time? Something to consider. But see how you go first, as it might not be worth considering at all, with any luck.

[Marshie49]

There are products such as Stay off the Garden, Piss Off etc that you can get from pet shops that will aid in training him not to go on the cobblestones.

What sort of puppy is Patch. Is he cold when he goes out in the rain if so put a coat on him. If he always pees at that time,

try feeding him earlier and only give him a little water in the evening so that he can get used to going earlier or later.

Be consistent, keep training and he will get there, if you want you can try giving him a training pad in the house to use if he does not like storms. I have had dogs for over 30 years and usually find that only 1or 2 in that time do not like going in the rain, but with consistency and lots of praise they can be trained it just takes time.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I suggested Citronella Oil to a colleague whose dog was pooping on the patio and it worked for them.

[arby]

glad i found this thread...Humphrey loves going to the toilet under the awning...especially when it rains. Now he's teaching Xena to do the same. This weekend we're getting the high pressure hose to clean the side up, will get some of the smelly stuff to see if that works