Won't Poop Outside?
 

Linus is pretty good about peeing outside, but he stubbornly refuses to poop outside! He'll crouch to go inside, I'll say, "no" and carry him outside, and he won't go outside. We'll go back inside, and the same thing will happen over and over. It's to the point where he'll hold it for hours and hours until he has no choice. Anyone know how to encourage him to go outside without such a production? Thanks!

Feel your pain!
 

I am having similar problems. I want to hear what everyone has to say on this subject. My yorkie named Jack is 9 months old. Will always pee either on the pee pad or outside. In the morning he will sometimes poop outside, but always poops again inside the house. We can't even get him to always poop on the pee pad. It is like he doesn't want to pee and poop in the same place. So we put out two pee pads in two different places in the house and that hasn't worked....At a Loss.

Harley (5months) refuses to poop outside also. When its time to poop I will take him out, and we will be outside for 15-30 min, waiting for him to do his business, nothing! BUT as soon as we come in POOP! Lol. He does use his pee pads though. ( Someone told me to put them in a out of the way place where he can have privacy, and that seems to work.) :rolleyes: He still has the occasional accident. But Harley has never pooped outside. :( So I would like to hear what others have to say also.

Me too! Charlie won't poop outside!
 

How funny! I won't bore you going over the details, they are the same as the other posts on the subject. We'll all wait for explanations and tips together!

Charlie is young but she always pees where and when she should and then sneaks off somewhere to poo...I have to hunt for it everyday...it's a daily mystery treasure hunt. Thank God she's tiny!:p

Lol!
 

Lol! Well I am sure glad to know I am not the only one with a "picky pooper"!:p

Too funny. I wonder if this is programmed in them somehow! Hopefully someone has some sage advice out there for us.

Start taking him out on a leash (if you don't already) and tell him to pee pee (or whatever you say). Then after he goes, tell him to poop. You have to wait with him--however long it takes, even if that means all day. Don't take him back in until he does it. When he does, praise him and give him his favorite treat. After a few times, he'll get it.

yes awaiting for any replies!
 

I too have the same issue. I got Bustah about 3 years ago at the shelter. He is the cutest little thing but didnt come without alot of baggage. I love this little guy to death and can only imagine the life he had before. He goes through these periods where its hard to get him to go outside and poop. He will hold it in and i can see that he has to go and take him out and say "ok go." and usually he does go but every once in a while he doenst. This particular time i did just move beginning of Sept. and last week and the weeks before he was ok. Now he will go a little but i can tell its not a "complete" bowel movement and hold his stump of a tail under and we go in and out until he finally does his business but sometimes he will just think its ok to go on the carpet when we have our backs turned. I would be the first to think his anal glands needed to be expressed (he has had problems before) but he has no problem going on the carpet. He does seem awfully nervous these days so i wonder if its the move. He hates when i leave to go to work for the day. He will sit and shake and look at me very pathetic. I feel bad for him but what am i going to do? I have to go to work! This morning i am doing my regular routine. I let him out when i get up as usual. When he is done he sits and gives me the look like "Ok i am done.". I let him in and go about getting ready. I close all the bedroom doors to avoid the whole "hide and seek thing" to put him behind his gated area with his crate to leave for the day. He is in my sights the whole time. He leaves my sight for no more than 30 seconds as i am getting my lunch together and i turn around to turn off the lights in the house and then i see the wonderful "presents" in the hallway. I was so perterbed to say the least. I am not sure if i should show it to him and say "NO" but thats what i did. I put him in his gated area (somewhat irate) and cleaned up the awful mess. Not to get graphic but it did seem "loose" so i want to think its nerves? Now what i have to do is outsmart him again (as i have learned to close all the doors because he hides under the beds before i leave) and put him in his gated area when i wake up? At least if he does go it will be on the linoleum instead of the carpet. I havent crate trained him because he seems to really dislike being locked up in a crate so i leave it in his area opened so he at least has an area to go in to to feel safe.
Any advice? I should mention he is about 7 years old and i has recently had his check up but this was a non issue at the time so i didnt ask the vet about it then.
My husband thinks i am "too close" to him..Meaning i give him alot of affection and he is pretty much attached to my hip when i am home. I have gone down the whole behavioral modification route also. I took him to a behavioral specialist at Tufts University here in massachusetts. They recommended clicker training and "nothing for free" methods and using the gentle leader as a way of trying to cure his aggressive behavior towards strangers but it hasnt really worked. Also recommended Prozac. Tried the Prozac for a while with no difference and the clicker training. Maybe i didnt give it enough time though? He sure is a stubborn little guy! Good thing he is cute-lol....

I have you ALL beat!!
 

Oh, I have you all beat with this one!!

My Bella refuses to poop outside too...

She will ONLY do it on the couch. Preferably on one of the couch pillows... wonderful, I know! We have tried punishing her, giving her treats to go outside, everything. I don't know what to do!!

Try what I mentioned above, and as for the couch, she needs to not be allowed on the couch at all. Stay with her in the room, and every time she is on the floor about to jump on the couch, tell her "no". And every time she succeeds in getting on the couch, clap and sharply say "No. Get down!" And scoot her down if necessary. Be vigilant, and be consistent. Do not let her get up there at all, as she can't be trusted on the couch. If she has to be left alone in there, you'll need to crate her or put her in an xpen while you leave the room, until she stops getting on the couch.

You CAN fix the problems, but you have to be on it constantly. Every time you let up, it will impede her getting over this.

good luck! :)

Oh! That is the best story! You win!!
Isn't it awful that even when they're bad we laugh?
Look on the bright side, at least you know where to look. Our little Charlie goes everywhere! We have a large full home with five kids and dark carpet, finding Yorkie poo is beginning to be much dreaded event. I've seen children tip toeing around at night like they're worried about land mines.

Two years ago, we kept a large mutt who just showed up one day, she spent her days in and out of the house, and worked with my husband a lot of days at his dairy farm...she pooped in the house one too many times and I promptly shipped her off to the farm permanently...not the proverbial farm, a real one (where she is spoiled and very happy). My husband teases me that if our furbaby won't stop pooping in the house we'll have to ship her off to the farm...I can't imagine my enormous husband with a baby girl Yorkie tucked in the front pocket of his overalls...what would the other farmers say?

Let's all be thankful the poop is small poop.

Yep here too
 

Bustah once in a while goes through his phases where he wont poop outside and just keeps holding it in. I will let him out and he goes a little and i can tell he didnt go all the way 'cuz he does his sniff his butt routine and hold his stubby tail under. I will let him out again only for him to sit and look at me like "No i dont have to go". THEN like this morning he goes on the CARPTET :mad:
I got him from the shelter a couple of years ago. I just LOVE the little guy but i fear he has some baggage. Good thing he is cute-lol...

Apollo does the same thing, seldom he poops outside, we could just come back from an hr walk and as soon as we come in , he runs to his pad, even though he sees Rosi pooping outside :rolleyes: But i have to say, he allways goes on his pad :)

Ok I'm goin through the same thing right now we adopted Toby about a month ago he was goin fine outside up until a week ago.....so does anyone have any solutions?????

POOP IS SPECIAL. It only takes a couple drops of pee to mark. But poop is more special, they can only do it when the feces are ready to be expelled. It is not a tiny pee message but, a big Poop statment 'this is my secret special place. You can break the cycle if you are willing to put in the time and effort. Pooping in the house in the least desirable places is fairly common. Dogs will poop on or near their humans favorite things, the people bed, sofa, recliner, new shoes etc.. And most do it in private. You can retrain, and end this behavior. Select a place were you want them to poo. Put doggie on leash and take them to the poop place. Every poop they do in the house must be taken to this spot with them on the leash. When you find a surprize in the house put doggie on leash show them the mistake and say in a very sad voice No, No, No, while shaking your head. Pick it up with a tissue and go right to the Poop spot. Put the poop down and say GOOD POOP ! ( Pottie , Busy or what ever you call it) Act all happy, you can even clap. Do not treat your dog unless he/she poops in the target area. Do not clean the poop area in front of the dog. The poop (to them) will just disappear. This will prompt them to mark the target with a fresh messege. It usually takes 10 days to create a new habit. When they poop in the right area continue to treat, as long as you need to. I still treat my 8 year old every day. :) Good luck

You wrote that up beautifully - and I believe every word! My baby still doesn't have the run of the house and uses the pads consistently in the room she's confined in, but when we give her a little run around other rooms (while watching) she'll still try to poop somewhere other than the pad. I'm going to try your approach - it sounds like a winner! If I can do the sad voice/sad face without cracking up ;)

This is awesome! I tried in once, and it worked!! Thanks so much.

My five year old still gets treats for pooping in her pad - she expects them and let's me know when she's pooped by standing in front of me kicking up her back feet. BUT ther's still the one place near the sofa that she won't stay away from. I'll give this a try. Thanks.

This works!
 

I tried this and it worked after the first time! That is hilarious. Thanks so much for the good advice! :-):aimeeyork

Poops then carries
 

I’m new here. Got my first inside puppy Dec 15. She’s 7 month old. Got her from a breeder. She’s pretty good at using pee pads. Sometimes when she poops, she carries it! Tonight she put it in her bed. Any help/suggestions there?

I’m trying to get her trained to go outside. For the last 2 days we have gone out every 2 hours from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. still hasn’t peed or pooped outside. Just acts like she is scared. We stay out about 15-20 minutes each time because it’s cold here. No treats when we come in. Could use advice here too.

Also, trying to crate train...She hates it! Using divider, she has room to stand, turn around and lay comfortably. Only leave her a couple of hours at a time. I don’t work but have to run errands and have appointments. Every time I come back I have to clean the pen and give her a bath cause she poops in her crate! REALLY need help here. I feel like she’s holding me prisoner in my home. I don’t want to give up.

Thanks

You cannot retain a dog in 2 days, this takes time and lots of patience from you. When you take her outdoors tell her what you want her to do, keep repeating poo poo or pee pee or both so she knows what she's outdoors for. Keep in mind, you say she is 7 months old and is a inside dog, I have to assume she was not taken out doors much for the 7 months of her life so yes, she will be scared of new noises, sounds, smells,what her paws are now touching grass, gravel, cement, asphalt, wet or cold grass, gravel, cement, asphalt. This is a big change for her and retraining will not be an over night thing. Keep up what you are doing as you have now set up a pattern, a kinda schedule for her. Don't give up she will get it, make sure you always take treats with you for the day that she will poop or pee, happy praise and give treat as soon as she has poops and or pees.
I cannot give crate training advise / suggestions as I have never crate trained any of my babies, hopefully others will chime in with what worked for them.

Thank you! I’m not giving up, yesterday was just a trying day. I love my Cindy Lou and I know she wants to please me.

I could use some crate training advice. Seems like she s having a very hard time with me leaving her. I do leave my dirty shirt with her when I have to go out. Maybe separation anxiety. I don’t know how to deal with that and can’t stay here 24/7

Many member recommend for separation anxiety to see your vet for meds that will control the anxiety.
Never show frustration, anger or use a harsh tone when training to potty outdoors, always take treats with you in case she does make her business you have a high value treat to reward her with. Patience and consistency are key factors with potty training.

This is brilliant! We've been finding poos in the house since the weather got cold this winter. We were happy that they're just in one spot. Being able to make him go solely outside year round is even better!

Prince Charming all over again
 

And to all having this problem.

Prince Charming was the champion of them all. It took 18 months to get him to do anything outside. Would take him outside and give him the command to "go potty". WE would walk around and around the yard then he would go back inside and do his job just inside the door.

I'm a professional trainer and tried every trick in the book. NOTHING WORKED! I was beginning to feel like a failure. It really got to me and Momma and my sister.
One day I became so frustrated with him after he came back inside and did his business; I scooped him up and scolded him sternly then I spanked MY ARM. He never did it in the house again. To hear him you would have thought I was killing him BUT he was a Prince and everyone knows a prince cannot be spanked. Neither was my Prince Charming.

NO I do NOT recommend that to you. But I do understand the frustration. You have already received some great tips on this but know many of us have gone thru the same frustrations.

One thing that I did not see suggested is the reward system. Have 2 small rewards. When he goes wet outside reward him instantly with lots of high pitched praise. Make him happy with your praise. When he goes inside just clean it up and say nothing to him and give no reward. When he starts to go outside praise comes immediately but not the reward. If he goes outside again the reward is immediate with even more praise.

HAPPY POTTY TRAINING it can be very frustrating and REWARDING.

Is my pup confused or did I do it all wrong?
 

Hi everyone! I'm so very happy to be a member of this forum! I really need some help. 2 years ago my mom got a yorkie (Cooper) for me as a companion and as a therapy dog because I have severe clinical depression as well as other disabilities. I have tried everything I could think of to correct Cooper's potty habits. We take him outside to potty and while he may pee outside, it's rare for him to poop outside. He waits until we come back in to poop. It's backwards!! I just wonder if he's confused?
During the day he does pretty well as it's just him and me at home, but as soon as my husband comes home from work or my grand baby comes over to stay for the day he pees and poops inside. He has destroyed our laminate floor and table in the dining room from peeing on the floor. Even though he's cost us so much $$$ I can't find it in my heart to scold him. It breaks my heart to see his little ears and tail go down when my husband scolds him. I've only just been able to get him to walk on a leash in the last couple of weeks. Before that, he would lay down and roll on his back when I put the leash on him or he would pull back. He also has very high anxiety. How can I begin to correct this now at 2 years old and before we replace our flooring? Please help! I'll try any suggestion!

Bumping

Thank you for all the suggestions! I will try taking the poop outside and putting it where I want him to go and if it doesn’t work I’ll keep trying other suggestions given here. I’ve never thought about doing that. I just can find it in my heart to raise my voice at him because he has such high anxiety and all the abused animals I’ve seen. It just makes me love him even more!

Won’t poop outside?
 

Thank you!! I will try that 😆