What to do when your dog refuses to go outside?
Geraldine Smitham
2025-06-22 06:31:02
Count answers
: 18
Create a small outdoor confinement area. Your first step, and the most critical one, is to create a small, outdoor confinement area. If you live in an apartment or otherwise don't have direct access to an outdoor area, you can do this on a patio or balcony, or you can bring a lightweight foldable playpen to your nearest fenced area. Ensure your dog is always supervised when in this area. Start your training first thing in the morning, when you know your dog needs to go. Take your dog outside immediately, and place them into their new pen. Now stand back at least a few feet, ignore your dog, and set a timer for 10 minutes. You can give them an initial cue like go potty, but don't continue to repeat it. If your dog doesn't go within 10 minutes, go back inside, but your dog must be tethered to you with a leash, confined indoors, or under your direct supervision. If your dog then tries to eliminate once back indoors, you must interrupt them and put them back outside in the confinement area. Repeat this until you have a successful elimination in the pen. A few tips for dogs still struggling: You can put potty pads in the outdoor pen to encourage elimination, if your dog is uncomfortable with grass. Ensure you aren't scaring your dog when they have accident indoors. Your goal is to interrupt them and quickly redirect them outdoors, not punish them for making a mistake.
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