Inka3095 Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Hey guys, sorry about this, just wanting opinions... My 7 month old shiba is very fussy about where she wants to go to the bathroom (and when).... it's taken me almost as long as I've had her to reliably train her to use grass as a toilet and not the nice dark corners of carpet in rooms of my house... Now we've moved to a new rental that has a large backyard that I was told by the agent 'would be planted with grass' by the time we moved in. This was not the case, it has been laid with crushed rock with a few sad garden-beds of woodchips with no plants. The landlord said it's 'low maintenance' and wasn't interested in even going halves in the price of putting grass in. Besides the fact Cinder doesn't really like walking on the rocks (they're sharp and hurt her footsies) she also won't use the yard as a toilet and will only pee/poop on walks or when I give up and take her to the local park as I'm afraid I'm about to push her into renal failure from holding for so long each day. I'm watching her inside like a hawk because I don't want any accidents, but am not sure the best way to go about retraining her to use rocks/woodchips instead of grass? The other option is planting grass but it's actually a huge amount of work to do it right and very expensive, even in a smaller area (we wouldn't do the whole backyard) unless you plant seed which would take FOREVER to grow and would take a lot of love in this hot weather too. I reverted to puppy toilet training methods (every 20 minutes or so out we go, on leash, then back inside on leash when she didn't go) etc) but it simply doesn't work because she refuses to bathroom at all out there. Do you think it's just time and patience or would you give in and spend the money on grassing a portion of the yard and hope she'll use that? It's terrible packed soil that is going to need a HEAP of prep work before we can even lay the grass too. I just have become totally obsessed with this dog's toileting and I feel like a right psycho because I have the urge to discuss these problems with friends.... like they somehow care lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 trip to Bunnings and get some fake grass for her, even rake up an area of the stones and sow some seed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inka3095 Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Oooh do they not know the difference between the grasses? That would be amazing if she'd use fake grass! I just assumed she'd think it was carpet or something and wouldn't want to get shrieked at for using it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Oooh do they not know the difference between the grasses? That would be amazing if she'd use fake grass! I just assumed she'd think it was carpet or something and wouldn't want to get shrieked at for using it you can get different heights I believe. It can get hot in the sun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 also you could try getting lengths of wood, maybe 6 inches high and make a big box on top of the gravel, add soil and seeds and water, then you have a area of grass for your girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 I'd go with a reasonable sized patch of fake grass! I'm sure they can tell the difference between fake and real but hopefully with it being outside and sort of grassy textured she'll realise that's where she's meant to go if you keep taking her to it. Bunnings has various different qualities of fake grass so you can try and find a realistic kind of one. I would LOVE to get rid of my grass (which is actually mostly weeds and lumpy dirt which is hard to mow ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 also you could try getting lengths of wood, maybe 6 inches high and make a big box on top of the gravel, add soil and seeds and water, then you have a area of grass for your girl. Actually I think you can get pre-built raised beds for veges etc so you could use one of those and plant grass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 It has taken my boy over 12 months to pee on the tiny bit of grass out the front of my daughters townhouse. Usually it's a walk to the nearest park. Luckily my bitch is happy to pee on the concrete out the back or out the grass out the front. No way is the boy peeing out the back :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelsquest Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Another recommendation for fake grass, as said above Bunnings has different styles or qualities, some are more realistic than others. While she will probably be able to tell the difference, it should help encourage her to know that is where she needs to go. Ours gets hosed several times a week, splash some white vinegar on it 5 or 10 minutes before hosing, helps with the smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danois Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Planter box and get some rolls of turf from Bunnings and lay it. Saves growing time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 To start her off you could get some of the 'attractant' that you use on the indoor fake grass dog loos. Might help her get used to the fake grass being ok? Alternative is to get something like a car drip tray and a roll of turf. Put the turf in the tray.every now and then get a new roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Planter box and get some rolls of turf from Bunnings and lay it. Saves growing time! it's getting easier and easier :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Avanti* Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 (edited) Hi Inka, I'd gladly trade places with you as my girls are allergic to the grass at our place (Kikuyu). It would be too huge a job to kill the grass so I've had to fence them off from the lawn. Now they use a concrete driveway as well as a fairly big smooth pebbled area. However, it is an ongoing job keeping the urine odour down, especially during summer. Regular hosing, an occasional sprinkling of lime and/or white vinegar used carefully mostly works for that. I have been working on booties or socks so they could run on the lawn but they also love to roll on it! PS Every time I see your posts I think of Blocka, that lovely Rotti we helped many years ago. :) Edited December 30, 2012 by LabTested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inka3095 Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Thanks heaps for the ideas guys, they're worth a try. I personally don't mind our strolls to the park multiple times a day, but I'm so disorganized in the mornings and I'm about to start my new job so can't be waiting for her for 10-20 minutes each morning in the park to find the absolutely PERFECT bit of grass on which to do her business or I'll be late. It wouldn't be such a big deal if she were an outside dog, but she lives inside during the day when I'm at work so she does have a finite time within which to do her toileting. PS: I remember Blocka well! The other rottie that came down with him is still my friend's dog and is doing well :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsKatie Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 We have fake turf and our dogs use it without a prob - it does get hot in the sun so if possible some shade on it would be a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inka3095 Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Great to know - getting excited there may be an easier answer than I'd thought :) :) Just a quick question, if she takes too long to do #2 in the morning and I have to put her in her day pen without going, does it do her much harm? She does have a toilet tray in her pen but she hasn't used it for months since she got old enough to have more bladder/bowel control (I actually think she uses it as another bed now >.<) so in theory she COULD go, but in practice I think she wouldn't. So if she skips her morning #2, is that going to cause any problems for her, health-wise? I take her for a walk in the afternoons where she goes without fail, but she does like to go at least twice a day, after her breakfast and dinner, if I give her enough sniffing time.... Gross topic, sorry everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Not much help to you at present ..but I suggest teaching your dog to toilet on command.. not in response to texture under her feet . :) It makes life so much more relaxed for everyone .. and is not normally hard to do - just use a word as your dog toilets ..and praise at the end of it ( this, like a lot of commands / new lessons seem to work better when there is not a continual conversation happening ;) ) Then, say the word as dog begins to toilet , then when it sniffs/circles, then when you reach a suitable area .... It's such a great thing!! I often giggle at night here ..3 dogs and two cats all going "quicks" before bed :) Oh..and I would give my dog lots and lots to drink .. no lactose milk, chicken stock ..water ..and know she would go on the dirt eventually ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inka3095 Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 I've had her for 5 months and have said 'wee wees' every single time she's peed and given her a 'high value' treat afterward, and she still won't pee on command... I'm not sure if she's a bit challenged, stubborn, doesn't care, or I'm doing something wrong... She knows other tricks, just won't toilet on command no matter what the reward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 trip to Bunnings and get some fake grass for her, even rake up an area of the stones and sow some seed Stinky stinky :laugh: :laugh: Get some rolls of Sir Walter Buffalo. Not expensive, easy to lay and will grow very quickly. Planter box and get some rolls of turf from Bunnings and lay it. Saves growing time! Definitely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr_inoz Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 if you get the fake grass - think about getting the stuff with the holes already in it. The other stuff is cheaper and you can put your own holes in it easily with a screw driver (or similar), but if you buy a fairly large piece, I reckon the stuff with the holes already in it is worth the little bit extra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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