Changing potty area

[lapdog]

I have an adopted spayed female shih tzu. The previous owner allowed her to roam and mark whereever she pleased.

I am finding it nearly impossible to get her to use my back yard to potty. She will only go while out on walks where other dogs have gone. Sometimes she won't go until we're a block or two away from the house. This has proved to be very inconvenient in the dead of winter and hard on her, physically.

Ive been crating and tethering her to me for about two months and have gotten nowhere. She will hold it an entire day until she has an accident in the crate, despite taking her out to the yard frequently. She gets absolutely no free time indoors since she will sneak off and pee the first chance she gets.

I don't know what else to try. I'd appreciate any advise. I can make her stay outside all day when the weather is nice, but I'm not in favor of doing that.

[opokki]

How old is the dog? Has she been check by a vet recently?

I would try taking her outside and giving her about 3 mins to go to the bathroom. If she does'nt go, bring her back inside and put her back in the crate. Try again in 15 mins. Repeat throughout the day. When she does go within the 3 mins. reward her heavily with praise but also with a short walk.

[MrsRottie]

Poor you - sounds like it's very frustrating :(

I agree with Opokki, follow that and hopefully you should see some progress.

Perhaps add some cheese or sausage into the heavy praise when she does go to make it extra special?

Good Luck

[lapdog]

Thanks for the advise.

I've been at this all week and she is still extremely resistant to going in the yard. She'll only pee maybe once or twice a day. I have to keep her crated almost the entire day, only letting her have a short reprieve after she goes, since she's got a pretty full bladder most of the day and is an accident waiting to happen. Its very frustrating, but I know I have to do it.

[MrsRottie]

I wouldn't have thought that peeing once or twice a day is very healthy...

Maybe she has a urinary tract infection that gives her pain? It would be worth a trip to the vet just to rule that out....

Is she drinking OK? Perhaps you could try and estimate how much fluid is going in and how much out? (The vet will ask you this probably anyway - always good to be prepared ;) )

[lapdog]

I doubt she has a uti, but she's due for her checkup, so I can have that looked at. If I were to walk her several times a day like I was doing before, she'd have taken a million whizzes. She drinks normally.

Its just that, in trying to get her to use the yard, I have been advised to eliminate all walks until she accepts the yard. She is a marker and wont go unless she can mark. With nothing to mark in in the yard, she holds it. Not that I object to walking her, but unless I get out there 6-7 times a day, she'll go in the house. (funny, she has no objection to that) This is not convenient, especially in bad weather. My goal is to get her to potty in the yard exclusively and then she gets walked a couple of times a day, strictly for exercise.

So, I guess I have to just keep doing what Im doing. I've tried it before, but always gave up when she proved to be more stubborn than me. This time, Im not giving up. I've got to get this thing licked before next winter. Im not spending another winter donning doggie coats and boots several times a day and freezing my a** off.

Thanks everyone for the advise.

[MrsRottie]

Has she been speyed? Speying may help calm the marking instinct down....

Good Luck!!

Edited to say : Sorry I just read your first post properly...and know she is speyed!
Don't know what else to suggest, I'll have a look through some of my books and see if there's any tips there....