# Won't go outside alone



## TShot (Jan 16, 2009)

Petunia is 10 1/2 months old she is both pee pad and bell trained. 

Since day one I've trained her to ring the bell at the back door. She has that down pat but she doesn't necessarily associate that with going to potty. As a result I'm constantly opening the back door for her and taking her out in the back yard.
Problem is she will not go in the yard alone, she will only go outside if I walk out in the yard with her. If I don't go out with her she just sits by the sliding backdoor and taps on the glass until I let her in and then she uses the pee-pad. 
My back yard is very secure and I would like for Petunia to spend some time outside by herself, instead of me having to jump up and down every time she rings the bell.
It's hard for my wife and I to watch TV, movies and football games without Petunia interrupting us every 20 minutes. Thank God for DVR's.
I tried taking the bell down when I don't want to be bothered but, it's pitiful to watch her look so puzzled and confused.
My question is:
How do I get Petunia to go outside in the back yard without me accompanying her?


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## mikeb (Mar 11, 2009)

Since I now live in an apartment I don't let george out on his own (he is 5 months old). But I know he would not go out alone anyway. My prior dog would not go out alone till the day he died at age 15. Its not something I forced though, he would stand or sit by the door. So you may have a time with this. Hopefully people will have suggestions for you.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

I'm not sure about this but you might try putting a toy or something she really likes outside with her and once she gets used to being out alone maybe she will like it! When Abby rings the bell to go out and then wants to come right back in I usually ignore her for a few minutes and then chances are she will go on out to the grass. If not, then I just go ahead and let her back in. I totally understand the interruption factor - somehow she always seems to ring the bell when we're watching something on TV or in the middle of something. I'm sure it isn't planned but it sure seems sometimes to be a conspiracy.......lol


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

We don't let the dogs outside alone, I'm too nervous as they're so small even though I believe ours is secure. Try taking her out on a leash, tell her to go potty and give her a treat if she goes. Playtime is when you say it is, not when Petunia decides it is. If we're going to sit down to watch a movie or something that's a bit long we try to take the dogs out for a walk before hand so they potty and get tired.


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## Mojo's Mom (Jun 6, 2009)

TShot said:


> Since day one I've trained her to ring the bell at the back door. She has that down pat but she doesn't necessarily associate that with going to potty.


So she has learned to ring the bell to go outside, but then she won't go beyond the other side of the door? Hmm, the sounds like the bell training has just turned into a game to get your attention. Does she always pee as soon as she comes in? Because "every 20 minutes" is terribly often to be needing to pee at her age!

I can't offer a suggestion for your problem other than that you don't have to do what she asks. This is why I never considered bell training. Mojo goes and stands by the door when he wants or needs to go out. Since he's potty trained and I know he can hold it for hours if he needs to, I choose whether or not he gets to go. When he was a little puppy he absolutely went out when he showed an interest in doing so, because it ALWAYS meant he needed to pee. Now it doesn't.

Anyway, I had a dog that would not go out without one of her humans, not for 14 years. She didn't do anything outside without us. It's just how she was.


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

Sissy is bell trained and I love it.

She will go outside by herself but I would rather be out there with her because we have had owls, etc.

She is 5 yrs. old now and she goes out about 6 times a day. Morning, right after lunch,
around 3/4 p.m., 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m. for her nightly walk and again at 10 p.m.

When she was little she rang her bell alot and loved ringing it but it did get a lot better as she got older.

If you really want to train her to go out by herself you might try going out with her and while she is playing around slip in and wait at the door and if you see her coming step back out to let her know you are there. She will eventually get used to the idea that you are right there.

She sure is a cutie.


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## TShot (Jan 16, 2009)

Thanks for the good suggestions. I'm going to try Sissy's idea about slipping in and waiting at the door, when she comes step back out to let her know I right there. Hopefully she will get used to the idea that I didn't abandon her..

My yard is fenced, extremely secure and no wild critters. A garden, plenty of grass, and a patio, seems to me if I was a dog, I'd want to spend some of my time out there.


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## DorothyS (Aug 11, 2009)

Dogs being social creatures, she probably doesn't want to go out in the yard by herself, because she's by herself! I also would find it boring/lonely to be in the yard alone while my humans were inside together. Maybe a good active playtime together in the yard before watching TV, then all together inside with a tired puppy would work better, at least from Petunia's point of view!


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## Sissygirl (Aug 8, 2007)

The only thing about being so young is they get into things and eat stuff they shouldn't.


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## onemoreokie (Jul 21, 2009)

Sissygirl said:


> The only thing about being so young is they get into things and eat stuff they shouldn't.


That is so true. My pup would stay outside half the day alone to eat sticks and grass. When do they grow out of that phase? I've become somewhat less concerned recently because they don't seem to upset her tummy.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Petunia is not alone in these actions. We *had* the bell&#8230; Smarty would ring it any time she wanted attention not just to go out. To this day "I" have to go out with her if I am home. DH can open the door and go out with her out but she is right back at the door until I come out or she comes back in. If I am not home she is fine with DH. The girls are never out alone because of the woods around us.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Mine are never in the backyard without a human because I worry about creatures, both flying and the 4 leg kind. However, now that I think about it I don't think any ONE of them would want to be in the back yard alone. Havanese really HATE being alone. Have you considered getting a second little furkid? That may solve your problem if she wants more attention than you can give her. Just a thought.
Carole


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

That is what I was going to suggest...a 2nd furkid!! My 2 dogs LOVE to go outside and play together, or even lay in the sun together. They are inseperable. It would be boring to them if it was just one of them out there.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

My 2nd, Galen, could care less it you go or not, but Smarty is not staying outside with out me no matter where Galen is. So please don't get #2 for this reason.


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

The only time Tori is willing to go outside alone is when she's spied a lizard through the glass door and wants to chase it. But, as soon as it gets away from her she's right back at the door looking for me. I don't like the idea of her being out alone, though. Too many things can happen (eating something she shouldn't, being attacked by another animal or bird, hurting herself somehow, etc.) even though our yard is pretty secure. We live in coyote, skunk, hawk, ect. territory


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## TShot (Jan 16, 2009)

The second dog idea is a good one and I'd do it in a heartbeat, but I don't think my wife would go for it. She loves Petunia, but my wife is more of a cat person, so I'm pretty sure a second dog would be out of the question.


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## fibtaylo (Jan 14, 2009)

We have 2 hav pups that are doggy door trained and they love to be outside together. However, like Petunia, I don't think they connect it with what they are SUPPOSED to do. During the day when the doggy door is close, the only potty outside, but when they are upstairs, its like it is too much work to go that far when in their opinion, the carpet works just fine. Of course, they can manage to run downstairs and out the door to bark at something, go figure!

If you find a method to connect going outside and potty, please post it. At 11 months, I am beginning to think that mine are never going to learn.


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*going outside alone...*

My dogs used to go down two flights of stairs alone to go the bathroom. When I started working, I used to gate them in the one room with the doggy door. Now the won't go down alone and I have to take them to the door and encourage them to go outside and have to wait by the door or they think I am making them stay in that room.

Cannot blame them.

We also have a tiny patio yard, so they really cannot be in any harm...nothing is back there but grass and a high fence...although our neighbor had a skunk the other day who did spray his dog.

I used to treat them whenever they went out the doggy door when I was in that room and they went potty outside. I try to treat them whenever they go outside even on the leash. This reinforces outside bathroom...not inside!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Gucci will sometimes go out first thing in the AM while I am getting coffee started and then I'll come out with her, most of the time she does want me to go outside with her and I do, maybe that's why they are compelled to follow us into the bathroom?!?!? ound:

But if it is raining???? Good gawd, forget it. No way will she go outside alone without someone else committing to get soaked as well. lol


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

Thumperlove said:


> Gucci will sometimes go out first thing in the AM while I am getting coffee started and then I'll come out with her, most of the time she does want me to go outside with her and I do, *maybe that's why they are compelled to follow us into the bathroom?!?!?* ound:
> 
> But if it is raining???? Good gawd, forget it. No way will she go outside alone without someone else committing to get soaked as well. lol


By golly, you may be on to something there, Kara! ound:


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