I would not walk alone under any circumstances. I hope you can get a guy friend to walk with you. Or maybe a friend with a big scary looking dog. Please don't take any chances.

Oh my gosh! I used to live in Gainseville, that is so scary!!! :eek:
You can train her to go inside. I have Jaden trained to go indoors and outdoors. The easiest way to train, that I've found is by starting with the pee-pads with the pheramones in them that encourage them to pee. Confine them to a small place and put the pad out. If they don't pee on it by themselves if you are there when they start to pee just pick them up, in a gentle firm voice say "No" and put them on their pad. If you keep doing this evenetually they will get the hang of it. After you get her pad trained, what I've done with Jaden is I've moved him to a litter box. You can buy one by Purina at Petsmart and use the doggie litter they have there and to get them to start going in the box you just move the pad there. Once they realize the box is where they go you can remove the pad and just have the litter.

If you want her to walk to get exercise and can't fine someone to go with you, I'd take her to a petsmart or something like that and just make a few rounds around the whole store. Walk all the aisles and stuff, you wouldn't even have to buy anything and at least you'd be safe! :thumbup:

Be careful! Hugs to you and Bella!

W/ Maggie I taught her to use the pee pad putting a few drops of an essence that smells like dog pee on it... The name of this essence is PipiDog (maybe it has a differente name in US)... and every time I notice that she was walking and sniffing around too much, I would put her on the pee pad and say: "go potty"... and every time she did it right I praise her a lot...

Teaching to potty outside was the same thing... I would even take w/ me the PipiDog and put a few drops on the grass so she could get the idea...

It worked w/ me... I hope it help you too...

Another good thing about the pee pads is that when it's rainning neither you nor your baby have to go outside and get wet...;) :D And above all that, It's safer!!!;) :)

Katiuscia & Maggie

Maybe you could load her up and take her on a daily walk at the park or something? I'd definitely try the pads. Be careful, that is so scary!

thanks so much for everyones advice....i just feel so bad for her...bc she has been totally trained to go outside and now i have to switch it....i feel like she will get confused.....and the thing is she NEVER goes inside....so it might be a task...but its worth it.....

what about just going out in the front yard to pee? or do you still think that would be risky?

its really scary that there have been 4 in 4 days.

OMG that IS scary:eek:

The best thing you can do is to NOT have a set schedule. If someone were watching you, they'd know exactly when you were going to be vulnerable. If you do take walks with Bella, don't go at the same times and try not to go alone.

The pee pads are a good fix until this bastard is caught, at least when it's dark outside. Maybe she'll just learn that when it's dark outside, she uses the pads? ! I wouldn't worry about her being confused, both of my puppies do both.

Stay safe!!!!!!!!

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
pee pads:thumbup: BE CAREFUL

Please be careful, this is terrible, you and your dog stay safe.

ahh i am so frustrated......bella isnt getting it...i knnow it takes time, but it is 7:45 am here and she has to go potty sooo bad!!! but she wont go on the pads, i keep saying go potty and putting her on them but she just looks up at me sooo sad. i guess i will just keep trying, bc there is no way i can take her out right now, it is sooo early and way too dead on the streets......poor bella has to suffer bc some wacko is loose....:(

Joy just keep working with her. I have been raped and I have mopped up dog pee, trust me you would much rather mop and pooper scoop! Hope they catch the jerk soon!

Angie

Wow, Joy. I work at UF and I haven\'t even heard of the rapes! They did send out an email about employee safety but I honestly didn\'t think anything about it. I\'m glad I read your post so I know to be careful when I am walking to work.

I don\'t really have any advice for you and Bella since my yorkie is trained to go outside and I would have no idea about training him for pee pads. It took me so long to get him trained outside that I wouldn\'t want to confuse him with going inside. Good luck and be safe!

Angie, I am so sorry to hear this. Thanks for the warning to all of us who could be vulnerable to these horrible predators.

No problem.....I just hope they catch the jerk. I could not imagine having to live knowing for a fact there is a rapist in my neighborhood

Angie