Have a dog that is great in the house finally. Shes a big giant mutt. She goes outside faithfully and we just got to the trust stage with her. In the beginning I was very diligent about tying her out on the side yard where I didn't mind her pottying on the grass there. Now that she is a monstrous size and barks playfully at passerby's I want her in the fenced back yard all the time. Shes an awesome friendly dog, but a stranger walking a Rottie, was walking with out a leash, and the dog attacked her (totally other dogs fault and owners were compliant and paid for vet visit). So I decided that was not going to do anymore.
I have a 1/2 acre fenced back yard, but that's where the kids play, there is a play ground back there and our deck, I hate having to run and pick up poop three times a day, just so I am not worried my kids are going to slip in a pile. So since this winter, thats what I was doing, I just opened the sliding door and let her in the back yard. This dog has no manners, she is pooping on the deck, she is pooping on the stairs below, she poops in the rocks under the swing set, she poops in the sandbox, and when her poop froze, she played "fling the frozen turds". She really is disgusting sometimes. SOOOO I want to teach her to potty in only one section with out having to get a whole other kennel or enclosure.. I am not adverse at tying her for some time till she goes, but then she barks like a crazed beast when she is tied. So I am kinda at a loss to figure out what to do to make the poop party come to a halt.
having a hard time getting out there for a long time with her cause i have little ones and dad is no help. Thats why I was just letting her out for running, but that sounds like what I am going to have to do in some way or end up kenneling her somehow. I like the gravel patch idea too! Keep em coming!!
Put in a dog run if you want the easy way out. Hard way is you put her on a leash and walk her to the designated spot every single time for about a month. More or less depending on the dog. Give a treat when she goes there. It's that easy and it's that hard! I have done it with small children and it is a pain but worked.
Look at the petstore for some attractant, and move all her poop to one area of the yard. We have done this with our yard (we have a gravel patch for the dogs to poop on), and it doesn't work 100%, but most of the poop ends up there. As for teaching her not to poop on the deck/in the sandbox, etc., you need to go out with her (not tie her, that won't help) every time, and correct her when she tries to go in one of those places. If you are consistent, she will learn that those areas are off limits.
I would just put her on a leash, take her to where you want her to go, walk her around a bit until she does, then scoop it up right away. If you are going to pick up poop just to move it to another section of the yard, you might as well just clean it up and throw it away. Have a designated poop bucket with a bag inside to collect them, then when it gets full it gets tossed.
Does this take more work? Ummm, yeah. But your yard will be cleaner. Otherwise you cannot control where she "goes" unless you fence in a smaller area as an outdoor pen or kennel. Keeping your yard cleaned up of dog waste will make much less likely that you'll end up with intestinal parasite issues (roundworms, etc.) infecting your yard.
The only thing I can think of is fencing a portion of the yard just for her to be in. Large enough for her to be able to run and play. And when the kids or ya'll want to play with her they can bring her into their part and then return her to that area afterwards. I've seen many backyards like this. But maybe LivTokyo's idea would also work. Try that first and if it works great! It would be less expensive to do. Good luck!
Just leash her and bring her to the correct spot for a couple days, she'll get it.
I have never had a fenced yard, but I've always had dogs. I took them out everytime on a leash, until I could trust them. Even then I go out with them. I've got three kids too, so it IS possible. I also bring a bag with me and clean it up when they go. Can't stand lawn sausages!
I suppose you could YELL out the slider at her when she's circling around in the wrong spot. HEY! NOOOO! That might work too. teehehe
GL!
:)
