Puppies And The Rain

[koalathebear]

With the exception of the occasional mini "happy wee", Elbie hasn't had an accident in the house for a while. He lets us know when he wants to be let outside to relieve himself and when we take him out, he will toilet on command very promptly.

We have a small problem when it rains, though. He will usually still go and urinate as per usual but sometimes he's very fast so as soon as the door opens, he dashes out and urinates on the deck Either on the deck or on the deck beneath the deck table where he's sort of sheltered from rain. Presumably it's convenience but presumably he sees that the whole deck is wet and thinks it doesn't make a difference

Getting him to poop in the rain is really very tiresome. In dry weather, he'll be very prompt. When it's raining, he'll just hang around the back door and look very pitiful. We tried with an umbrella but that doesn't work either - he just refuses to go. Yesterday, when he realised that there was absolutely no way I was letting him inside until he pooped - he pooped on the stairs and then gave me a look as if to say: "Happy?" I picked him up when he started and moved him to the right spot but he's an extremely swift little puppy and darted to where it was relatively dryer.

This morning I waited outside for half an hour, waiting for him to poop even though he'd normally do it within the minute - I felt quite bad because he started giving me pitiful eyes and was shivering a little from the cold - Canberra gets pretty cold ...

When we bring him back inside after rain, we try to towel him down immediately but lately he thinks the towel is a toy and it makes him go absolutely bananas as he attacks it and tries to rip it to shreds Silly puppy.

[corvus]

Erik is still a wuss about toileting in the rain and he's 11 months old. Fine playing in the rain at the dog park, but he hates getting his tootsies wet just to pee. I started paying out big when he went on cue. Haven't had any problems since I started doing that, but poo is harder. We don't have a cue for that one.

[labsrule]

I have the opposite problem with my lab pup, he looooooooves the rain and goes outside to play in it any chance he gets and loves nothing better than doing zoomies around the wet yard in the pouring rain with a toy in his mouth everytime I let him out to the toilet. He also loves to dig holes in some dirt spots we have and of course it is so exciting when the holes he digs fill up with water With all the rain we have been having lately, I have lost count of the number of towels I have used to dry him off and clean him up with mud everywhere and this is even with limiting his outside time. My two older boys will only go outside to go to the toilet, having a drink etc and don't muck around coming back inside. Thank God we have been having some breaks in the rain, apart from yesterday, so I have been able to take them out for their walks. Don't like the look of the forecast for this week, which is rain every day

[Guest belgian.blue]

My three and a half month old also hates peeing in the rain, even though his willy nor bum have a chance to get wet! I will get home from work and his coat will be wet, so I know he's been in the rain.

I think he just enjoys peeing by the backdoor so it smells like him. He has even taken to peeing/pooping in the Ivys bed .. which used to be half a calm shell. These have now had to be put away as I was creating a bad habit. Now Ivy needs a new bed!

Though it rarely rains in Perth, so I guess I have nothing to really worry about

[koalathebear]

Erik is still a wuss about toileting in the rain and he's 11 months old. Fine playing in the rain at the dog park, but he hates getting his tootsies wet just to pee. I started paying out big when he went on cue. Haven't had any problems since I started doing that, but poo is harder. We don't have a cue for that one.

Elbie has the same command for both and he's very good about obeying - except when it's raining. At 4am when we take him out for his toilet break, he relieves himself immediately and then scampers back to the door. When it's raining, like Erik he doesn't want to put his butt anywhere near the wet ground What we're doing is we're picking him up now and carrying him to the grass and hoping urgency will override his distaste for the wet

[wuffles]

Yep, Ava is a princess and doesn't like getting her paws wet. She'll go and wait at the door, we'll open it, and she just sits there and looks at me going "mum, it's raining! Help!" If I go outside and call her to me, then give her her toilet command, she will go... then run straight back inside

[zoozoo]

Zeus hates the rain. He stands by the back door for ages until he absolutely can't hold on any longer (looks like a little kid skipping from one leg to another), tip toes out and dashes back in as soon as he's done.

[fiveplusone]

My pup is the same. when its raining he looks at me as if to say "yeah right, you think I'm going out in THAT!"

Thankfully now he is a bit older (7 months) he's worked out that if he goes under our big tree he can stay relatively dry, but he does it really quick and he gets as close to the trunk of the tree as possible! when he runs back he lifts his paws as high as he can to try and stay dry!

[Evolving]

We do not have that problem at this house. Here is Echo running around in the pooring rain. You can see the water flooding under the pergola. She wanted out into it as was crying until she got what she wanted.

Today she was laying on the grass enjoying the rain eating a rawhide bone.

And when just sitting in the rain is not good enough you rub yourself in the wet grass.

Edited May 30, 2010 by Evolving

[koalathebear]

Evolving: Those photos are hilarious! Perhaps Elbie will get like that in time. Right now he just gives us the most baleful, doleful looks from his big eyes when we want him to go outside in the rain.

[sas]

We fixed Dante being precious about toileting in the rain by walking him in the rain. Worked a treat for us.

[W Sibs]

Evolving: OMG... I have the same pics as you... only a pup that's half that size and is all white!!

Emmy discovered that the rain is fun and ran outside and won't come in!! She was jumping in leaves and trying to catch the rain in the air. It was hilarious!! Luckily she is tiny, and drying her isn't an issue (telling her to come inside when the rain gets harder is the issue!)

Whereas my boy... well, when he is outside in the rain, he doesn't mind it. It's just when he comes inside and realise that he is wet.. that's when trouble starts. He throws a tantrum till we throw a towel on him and then he sits on the towel looking at me in with his big sad puppy dogs eyes that nearly breaks my heart. I have to dry him completely before he is all happy again.

[corvus]

Haha, Evolving, I don't think Kivi Tarro has even realised at 2 years old that water ever comes out of the sky in the first place. He will happily lie out in the rain eating bones, or just sit in the rain and bark. He doesn't notice it.

[Evolving]

Haha, Evolving, I don't think Kivi Tarro has even realised at 2 years old that water ever comes out of the sky in the first place. He will happily lie out in the rain eating bones, or just sit in the rain and bark. He doesn't notice it.

Yes I think it has something to do with her coat. It does not reach her skin so she does not feel it as much.

It is great fun to run around and try to catch the rain. It is even more fun to go to the areas when the guttering don't work and play under the waterfall.

[matilda1]

I have always had fussy rain puppies, and my current 9 week old blue heeler pup just LURVES the rain and wet grass.

When normally 'walking' down the porch steps to toilet outside, if it is raining or the grass is wet she MUST face plough off the steps and roll in the wet grass, rub our face and body all over it, do some spinns in mid air to cover mums legs in some wet grass too...and only after this ritual will we pee

[koalathebear]

Urgh, I have resurrected this old thread because it has been raining since Sunday and while both puppies are more than happy to go for a walk in the rain, neither enjoys toileting in the rain. Getting one or both to Poo Corner is a Challenge and most of the time they stand at the door and stare at us plaintively when we tell them to go out. I think it's funny how I used to love the rain and the sound of the rain when I fell asleep. These days, I think: "Hmmm, I hope it stops raining when it's toilet time for the dogs" or "I hope it stops raining well before obedience class."

[Dju]

It's been raining here too and we chose today to worm Hugo so instead of pooping outside, he discretely left two soft, foamy piles of turd next to his crate and of course pretended that it wasn't his. "What, that's not mine, oh my god, where did that come from, geez, have you been entering my pen and making a mess when I try so hard to keep it clean?"

[minxy]

Ahh yes, I have just discovered that Kyojin also hates going outside to toilet in the rain, after finding a nice big poo at the front door, and catching him mid pee under the dining table. (He refused to do anything each time OH and I had taken him out earlier)

[aussielover]

Oh poor Elbie!!!

Mindy loves the rain too and luckily I can just stand at the back door and direct her to go toilet and she will.

How many poos does he need to do a day?

Mindy generally only does one or two a day so if there was any issue with getting her to go out, we could probably try and time it when its not raining.

She also lets us know when she needs to go out, so maybe you could just wait till Elbie's desperate to go???

[koalathebear]

Oh poor Elbie!!! Mindy loves the rain too and luckily I can just stand at the back door and direct her to go toilet and she will. How many poos does he need to do a day?

Mindy generally only does one or two a day so if there was any issue with getting her to go out, we could probably try and time it when its not raining.

She also lets us know when she needs to go out, so maybe you could just wait till Elbie's desperate to go???

:p Just once or twice a day??? Wow. My two are on only two meals a day but are pooing, weeing machines - they must have fast metabolisms or something, no wonder they're so lean still :p

My two normally bark once to be let out but when it rains - they do not. ;) We've solved the problem - we take them out one at a time on leash and lead them to Poo Corner to Do The Business.

Normally they will toilet on command as well but when it's raining, all bets are off Usually, Hoover is bouncing out of his crate in the morning for his early morning wee but when it's raining, he becomes a lazy slug and doesn't want to come out of his crate. This morning, OH got him to the door and then the little wriggler bolted back upstairs and dove head first into his crate. OH had to carry him outside and then as soon as Hoover had finished his business, he ran back inside, up the stairs and dove back into his crate and buried himself among his blankets. ;)

ETA: Normally they can go in and out at will via the dog door when we're home but when it's raining but they're not so keen to use it. Look what a wuss Hoover is - when it rains, he is prone to do this:

So much for being a tough and hardy working dog. ;)

Edited December 1, 2010 by koalathebear