# Potty when it's raining



## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

It's fall in NY and it has started to rain more frequently. Eli doesn't want to go out to do his business in the rain! I have both a covered porch and uncovered porch covered with faux turf. He uses the uncovered porch for his first potty of the day around 5 AM. He's never gone potty on the covered porch. I've found when it's raining he won't use either. I tried taking him for a walk in his new raincoat but he was miserable. He just dug in his heals and tried dragging me back home. What's going to happen when it starts to get cold and snows?! I know he needs to go so should I just wait him out? He can be very stubborn so that could take hours and we'd both be miserable.

By the way, he will absolutely not use a wee wee pad and is almost fully housebroken to always go outside so I don't want to regress back and try to teach him to use the pad. Thanks for any advice.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I can't help because Rosie won't go outside at all now. I thought it was the wet grass; but she went fine on wet grass at my son's house. I have tried everything. And now she is not using the pee pads. I have never crated a dog--don't even have one, but am thinking about getting her one--seems cruel to me though. Good luck is all I can say.


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

The first time I put a raincoat on Piper she acted like she was wearing a straitjacket and would not move but over time she got used to it and will wear it without a problem. Same thing with the rain, she got used to it and now has no problem. Just like Eli, she will not go on pads so at some point there is no choice and they just do it. 

I think snow is completely different than rain and most dogs absolutely love it!

Good Luck with Eli, I think it's supposed to rain for most of the week so he'll have plenty of practice!


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

Luciledodd said:


> I can't help because Rosie won't go outside at all now. I thought it was the wet grass; but she went fine on wet grass at my son's house. I have tried everything. And now she is not using the pee pads. I have never crated a dog--don't even have one, but am thinking about getting her one--seems cruel to me though. Good luck is all I can say.


I read your post on another thread. I would be as frustrated as you seem to be. I'm no expert but it may be time to start crate training with Rosie. I use an Xpen which I've attached with zip lock ties to the crate although I have shorten the Xpen so Eli doesn't have enough room to play at one end and poo at the other. This may be a nice middle ground for you if you're concerned about using just a crate. Put Rosie's toys and food/water bowl inside. Take her outside every 1.5 - 2 hours so she can do her business. If she doesn't, put her back in the crate and try again.

Eli is 16 weeks and only has accidents in the house if I allow it by ignoring him (in the morning (see earlier post)) or push my luck and walk him too late. Good luck!


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

You just have to make him do it. Shelby doesn't mind, because she loves the water. But Kodi smells the rain, and doesn't want to go. He will stand under the eaves to avoid getting wet. I find it helps if I go out on the deck and just tell them to hurry up and go potty.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

The good thing is it will pass. I am going through this. I got my girl from a good breeder three months ago. She was use to a whole different set up, not bad, just different. She is three and has housetrained nicely except: Wet grass/wet feet, we are passed that now its rain. So as I stand out in the rain for 15 to 20 mins every hour I will tell myself this too will pass. If I take my eyes off her in the house and she goes thats my fault. So in the end I am disapointed with myself.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

We, too, are having rain this week and Abby hates it! This morning she went out before she realized it was raining and I wouldn't let her back in - told her to "go pottyz' so she squatted on the doormat and peed! It is just a plastic grass type so I'll just hose it down later - figured it was better than inside! Oh, the joys of having a dog........lol


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## havnva (May 8, 2010)

I feel your pain. Patsy hates to potty in the rain, too. I make her by taking her for a walk, and she's forced to potty. Since she loves to walk, she goes. I don't have a raincoat for her. But it's tough timing for both of us. I can't walk her too soon or too late. Good luck!


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## leena365 (Sep 17, 2009)

I have finally trained my dogs to go outside so all the potty pads I have purchased have now gone by the wayside but I am also worried now that cold wet weather is here that they will not go out and potty. I also do not know what to do. Any suggestions? I also take my dogs with me to work and there is no covered porch there. Will they hold it until they go home?


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Jack doesn't seem to mind but he has Nessie, my Aussie, as an example.

Nessie LOVES to be outside. It doesn't matter what the weather is. In fact, I think she loves the rain the most because she gets the _special_ towel rub when she comes in.

Could you lure him out with treats?


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

@ work, Gucci probably could go some days without going until we left work, but we usually take her or a walk around 11-12 ish

Is there anyway you can just take a quick walk to a patch of grass ,mid day?

I don't bring pads to work anymore, either.. the only problem I have is her not wanting to go in the rain and wanting ME to go with her, i'd rather not. So, like last night it was raining and I woke up to a potty'd on pad, she didn't even bother trying to wake one of us up this morning to take her out cause she heard the rain. crazy..


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

You could try putting Eli on a leash each time you take him out to go potty and teach him the word potty or whatever word is good for you until he sees that being on leash and going potty get him a ton of praise. Then put down a wee wee pad and put him on leash and tell him to go potty there.
I love wee wee pads. We can be gone longer than we expected and know that they can relieve themselves if need be.
Mine are taken out in storms from the time they are little to get used to the thunder and wet and we play in the rain then run for a warm shower. The drawback to that is every time they hear a raindrop they think it's time to go play and want you out there playing with them. :frusty:


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Toooooooooo cute, I just saw Gucci has a crown. Seems fitting on her


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## jcarol (Mar 20, 2010)

Rikky hates the rain. I've even tried holding an umbrella over him. He also doesn't like the wet grass at night or in the mornings. He'll sit on the steps and look at me like I'm crazy. I carry him and sit him in the grass and he runs back to the steps. It's really frustrating. I don't like putting a "wee" pad by the door because I don't want him to regress, but I do it when it's raining. He will use it sometimes.


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## ls-indy (Apr 10, 2008)

Beau doesn't mind the rain or wet grass...but Daisy does NOT want to get her "tooties" wet from dew in the morning grass.... BUT she's perfectly HAPPY to go out in the rain if it means she is going on leash for a WALK. 

I've wondered about doggie umbrellas that attach to their collar and are see-thru but the mixed reviews have kept me from ordering one....

BTW - they both LOVE the snow and will stay out in it as long as I will let them....even though they're sopping wet! I make them come in and dry them with a hair dryer to melt the snow balls stick to their bellies!


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## nycali (Sep 6, 2010)

Ellie, sorry to hear of your troubles. Have you considered using sod (real grass) pieces? Maybe those are nicer than the faux? Or put some phermone or leave some of the pee/poo on the sod or faux, so the scent will trigger Eli?


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

jcarol said:


> I don't like putting a "wee" pad by the door because I don't want him to regress, but I do it when it's raining. He will use it sometimes.


Why do people think a potty pad is a bad thing? I have one that will use it, another who will use it if forced to but they wouldn't dream of going potty on the floor. We know that if we get stuck out the dogs aren't sitting at home with their legs crossed. That seems comforting to the dogs and us.
We're lucky that the standard poodle has a bladder the size of the house or could you imagine her potty pad?????


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

JASHavanese said:


> Why do people think a potty pad is a bad thing? I have one that will use it, another who will use it if forced to but they wouldn't dream of going potty on the floor. We know that if we get stuck out the dogs aren't sitting at home with their legs crossed. That seems comforting to the dogs and us.
> We're lucky that the standard poodle has a bladder the size of the house or could you imagine her potty pad?????


This is my philosophy too. We use a litter box rather than pee pads, but I see absolutely no reason that Kodi shouldn't be able to pee when he needs to, whether we are around or not. And if he'd rather use the box than go out in the pouring rain... That's fine by me too.:biggrin1:


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

I'm a pee pad fan too!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

I wish my puppy would USE a pee pad! eace:
she is doing amazing with potty training and thanks to the rain only rings the bell when she NEEDS to go... but it sure would be nice if she would USE the pee pad once in awhile!!  BUT, I'll just be thankful that she already has it so ingrained in her to go potty outside!!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

All I can say is I hate it when it rains! Because...I know I am going to get wet and the boys are going to get wet. 

I watch for breaks in the rain to take the boys out. I have seen the boys stop at the porch when they found out it was raining outside and decide they did not need to go to the bathroom after all. 

Now, that Jack is pretty reliable now (Potty trained), I am teaching them to wait, then we wait for the breaks in the rain. 

I have taught the boys "go potty" then they are praised. And, taught "hurry up." If they do not go potty within a few minutes, we head back toward the porch and......both of the boys have refused to go back to the porch at times because they still have to potty, then I let them go back out to the yard and they do their business quickly.

I will admit when Dexter was a puppy, he had more accidents in the house when it was raining outside. 

Make going potty when it is raining a quick and fun thing. Go out with them, they may not like having to go outside alone when it is raining. 

I have finally figured out how to get excess wetness off the boy's coat and feet. A towel does the trick. I put a towel in my lap and then I have each of the boys sit on the towel in my lap. The excess wetness from the feet and the underside is soaked up in the towel, the boys are not totally dry, but at least they are not dripping wet.


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## CinnCinn (Mar 30, 2007)

Living in Washington State with a Havanese (Rudy) that doesn't like to get his feet wet has been a challenge for sure! My husband talks about building some sort of shelter over the grass for him so he can stay dry. LOL It's pretty funny to watch him tip toe out there, but he knows the sooner he does his business the sooner he comes back in. I always walk to the edge of the deck with him, it seems to help. There are times I regret not training them to pee pads (especially when we travel), but I guess it's one less 'job' around the house.

Rocky loves the rain.
They both LOVE snow.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Cindy - that would be hard - living in Washington state with a Hav who does not like getting his feet wet. I am sooo thankful that Augie doesn't mind the rain and wet grass. He does balk a bit at the rain mixed with wind, but will go. If we get another Hav, that is one question during his interview that he will have to answer correctly - that he doesn't mind getting wet!! :biggrin1:

I miss the days when Augie would use the UgoDog - he could just go when he had to, even if we might be gone for a longer length of time, I felt comfortable in knowing that he had a place to go. We still leave it sitting out but it has been months since he has used it - he just seems to be able to hold it until he is taken out now. 

Lucile - reading your post about Rosie refusing to go in your yard while she will go in your son's (I believe you said) makes me wonder if some animal has gotten into your yard. We just got back from a road trip to Montana. There was one rest stop that Augie absolutely refused to use - he kept dragging us back to the parking area. A short distance down the road, a coyote crossed the road in front of us, and I figured that maybe coyotes had been in the rest stop area.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Yeah, rainy NorthWest. Sigh... Tucker hates the rain , too. He'll ask to go out, stick his nose out the door and you can just hear his little brain... " humph, still raining! Make it stop, Mom," as he looks back up at me. Then, he'll wait until he HAS to go, and even then I've got to go out with him, and when he's done he bolts back into the house. 

Last night took four trips out the door before he was able to do his bigger business! Silly boy!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I used to dread the rain. For some reason my 3 don't mind going out in the rain anymore. Maybe it's because I force them to walk 3 miles in the rain I guess they got used to it, because they kind of enjoy it now. I'm always surprised when it's pouring and I hear the door door open and close. I just breathe a sigh of relief. I never let the rain stop me from taking them out. Pee pads were not a choice, I just forced them to go outside.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Oooh, Linda! I wouldn't go out in the rain if my life depended on it!!! Abby wants to go out until she sees the rain and then I "make" her go out - she keeps looking back at me standing inside the door like "do I have to?" LOL I just stand firm and say "Go, potty" and she eventually does. Sometimes she waits until she is really wet - can't figure out why she doesn't just go and get it over with instead of pussyfooting around forever getting wetter and wetter! I have a towel that I keep inside the back door and when she sees me holding it she will roll over on her back to get her feet dried!


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Linda, Rosie is going in the yard again and using the pee pads at night. She and I had a serious talk and I told her about little dogs in shelters who had been bad. The talk might have helped but the trick was I put a harness and leash on her and kept her attached to me for two days. Since she couldn't sneak off in another room and go and she had to wait until I took her out, she started going as soon as I took her out. I am still using the leash at the office. I take her out at lunch and then she gets to go when we get home. I just slip the end of the leash under herchair leg and she thinks she can't get away. We did and still have a feral cat in the yard. He got on Josie Wales the other night and scared us to death. We have set a live trap every night but haven't caught him. He was looking in my kitchen door this morning so I had to scare him off before Rosie and Josie could go out.


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

It's raining and about 3:10 PM. Eli went potty around 7 AM. I tried putting him out a few times in the back but he refused to go potty and cried to be let in. He ate breakfast and lunch so it's definitely time for something to come out. It's been 8 hours and nothing. He's slept most of the day (lucky boy) and shows no urgency to go. I know he can hold it around 10 hours at night. I guess he's ok and will go when he needs to but I'm beginning to feel very anxious that he'll explode!

Truly I'm boggled as to why he ever has any accidents in the house. He can hold it when he wants to, that's for sure. Sometimes I really want to get inside that little head to understand what he's thinking.


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

If either of mine refuse to go in the rain, I put them on a leash and take them out to the yard. They are pretty predictable as to when they have to go. They have learned to do their duty quickly so they can go back into the house. Miley especially doesn't like the wet grass or rain, but I figure, I'm the boss, not the other way around. They are not made of sugar....they won't melt!


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## JCChaplin (Oct 2, 2007)

We are going through the same thing. Both my older dog(mixed breed) and my Hav HATE going out in the rain. They don't even want to step outside and when i finally get them out, they pee and pull me back to the house. My Hav actually digs his heels in if I try to pull him along. The only thing that I have figured out with my hav (the other one is too big) is that I pick him up and walk to the corner, then he has to walk back and he will usually go along the way, if he really has too. Good luck.


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

JCChaplin said:


> I pick him up and walk to the corner, then he has to walk back and he will usually go along the way, if he really has too./QUOTE]
> 
> GREAT strategy...I may have to use that idea when they try to be stubborn!


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