# What now?



## Ari214 (Oct 9, 2014)

Hello all:

I want to start by saying I'm sorry I keep being such a pest with all these questions! I feel like that's all I do around here! I really appreciate this forum. Thanks for helping me stay sane.

Today I'm writing because once again I'm stumped as to what's going on with Kipper. We were doing well and he was going in the backyard as follows: pee first thing in morning, pooped after breakfast around 7:45am. Pee break during lunch. Pee again when I got home from work around 5:30. Dinner at 6pm. Pee & poop at around 7:30. Then maybe pee again before bed around 10pm.

The week of Thanksgiving my parents came and I guess all the excitement threw him off and he wasn't pooping on regularly. Fine. They left, things sort of went back to normal. Then starting this past Sunday, he's started on a new behavior. Now he doesn't really want to go into the backyard. He seems reluctant to go outside. Once we are, he'll stand there right in by the door until I have to pull him to start walking. He doesn't want to walk around and sniff to do his business. If I let him, he'll just sit in one spot. Or he'll walk back to the door. But since I know he has to go, I'll insist and I'll keep on walking him (he's on his leash). Then, he'll finally go. But he will only do one or the other when he needs to do both, so that's also a problem.

Why is he rejecting the yard now? I mean, before he seemed not interested. We could just walk around it for 30 minutes but he'd at least humor me. Now he just stands there and looks at me. I'm so confused. He has to go and he's just holding it when he could very well just relieve himself right there. Is he scared of something?


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## Molly120213 (Jan 22, 2014)

Unfortunately, with Kipper being a stray rescue you are not privy to what he went through as a young pup in his previous situation. My dog is not a rescue but my understanding is that you may have a whole host of issues that may come up. I think you are really going to have to be patient because he is going to take longer to settle in. The more he feels safe and loved hopefully he will do what you expect. You must be consistant with his training. If he needs to walk a bit to potty I think I would let him but keep trying the backyard too.


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Hard to know if it's behavioral or medical. Sometimes changes in behavior can be an indicator of a physical issue. What kind of diet are you feeding him - kibble, commercial raw, and the specific brand? Or this could be because he's a rescue, which means you'll have more challenges with potty training. So sorry you're having such a difficult time. Good luck Ari214.


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## Ari214 (Oct 9, 2014)

He's currently on a mix of Natural Balance grain-free dry kibble mixed with canned. He was on Nature's Variety but that made his poop soft. He's been doing well on this one. Or at least, I think so 

Thank you! I hope my poor little stray rescue gets it together soon!


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## Ollie"s Mom (May 23, 2014)

I know this might sound ridiculous, but has the weather changed. Have you had rain and the grass is wet. So many Havs hate wet. My Ollie is dealing with wet rocks right now. He normally is just fine going out, but after rain I have to physically pick him up and put him down on the rocks. Snow on the other hand, he loves. I don't get it. That is just his little quirk.


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## Ari214 (Oct 9, 2014)

It was cloudy the day he started doing this but no rain. It did get a little rainy this past week for a few days so I thought maybe it was that. But then he'd do it on normal days! So who knows? And yesterday it rained and I took him out an hour later and he didn't want to get on the grass at first but once he did, he was fine. 

Currently the situation is this: he seems a bit more willing to walk around but his actual peeing and pooping is still weird. Still not peeing when he's taken out first thing in the AM. Which I find very strange! Yesterday he only pooped once. In the house after he escaped from the kitchen while we went grocery shopping. Oh, the Kipper saga continues!


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## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

Some dogs go into a different headspace when their collars/leashes go on. Could you try putting it on in the house while you are doing some obedience training and see if he gets really distracted by it? That could help to understand. Also, are you providing tasty food treats when you are walking him on leash and when he potties in the correct place? 

If he's hesitant about the situation now, whatever the reason, you may be able to tip the balance in your favour again by associating the leash going on as "YAY Yummy things are coming!" and then associating going in the yard for a chance to potty as "YAY a chance to earn liver treats!"


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