Turbo Collins Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 We have two border collies (from here on refered to as BC). One is a male 3 years old. The other is a female 9 years old. Both were rescues. For two years we have live in harmony at our old place which was a very small place with a small yard. We have now just recently purchased our first home and moved there. Much bigger and went from a .3 acre yard to a 1 acre yard. At the old home both BC's (btw their names are Turbo and Lady ) would go to the dedicated spot that we trained them to go. It wasn't that hard because the yard was small to begin with. Now that we have moved and they are in a new environment, they will not go to our 'dedicated' spot. We've put them on a leach and they will walk with us there when it's potty time and we give them the usual 'Go potty' command. Both will pee in that spot but Turbo refuses to poop there. Lady usually has no issues doing both in the dedicated area. I have walked and walked and walked Turbo and he still will not poop. I have shoveled his poop and put in the dedicated area which is about 15x15 dogs wide. After 40 mins I give up and take him back inside. 30 mins later will try again with no success. He has even gone as far as holding it for an entire day until we let him free and immediately he poops where he pleases. Ughhh! Lady will not keep going into the dedicate spot unless we walk her there so she isn't doing what we want either! Any suggestions? What should we do to 'properly' train our BC's at our new home? I'm tired of having poop scattered everywhere and having to walk all over and cleaning up. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.DaisyDuke Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Sounds like the same boat I will be in at the end of next month. I've talked to my trainer about this recently because I've heard of people having issues with dogs that have always been on leash to potty and all of a sudden, with the addition of a back yard, they don't need to be on leash and the dog doesn't know what to do. She suggested, because I have a dedicated spot in mind to keep her leashed and bring her to that spot until she learns to go there and perhaps monitor from there. Like walking over with her etc. until she totally gets it. Dogs can hold it for a long time, but I would either stick to your guns and wait him out, walk him off your property so he'll go or just pick it up every time they go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoresDog Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 If you come up with a solution, I'll be glad to hear it. We have a designated area out of sight, covered with cedar bark. Juno is happy to bark to go out to the "bark area," but Daisy insists on pottying off-site, while on walks. That's fine, but there are times when I would love the convenience of just sending her back to the bark area! This is one of those things where I'd love to hear from someone who's actually, really, solved this problem with their dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I also have a spoiled pooper: he really only wants to poop far off our property, after about 10 minutes of walking. (He may need the walking to "jostle" him along, I don't know. ) It is VERY inconvenient in the winter, during snowstorms! Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Collins Posted June 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Yes Turbo does the "I gotta poop" walk... I think I will heed the first post and don't let myself cave in. We will walk them to the dedicated area (which is in the back of the yard away from ALL traffic) and let them potty. Once they potty they will get a treat and then be allowed to run free. If no potty then back in the house. I guess this is gonna take more persistence and patience than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 We built a "yard within a yard" on our place. We have the whole acre fenced, but we also fenced a small area within that yard as the "dog yard". When they are let out, that is all they have access to unless I go out and physically open the gate to the "big yard". They seldom poo in the big yard, especially since they are only out there for limited play sessions. They go in the dog yard from habit, even when we all go out to play. Our fence is just poles and green wire. It was relatively inexpensive and very easy to put up. I think that if you did something like that for a while, you might eventually be able to take the fence down once the dogs are really in the habit of going in that exact spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy Chittenden Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Probably a weird question to ask but does the new area look similar to the old area? I was a dog walker at the humane society for a few years and some dogs are very particular about where they will poop. I see this in my own group of dogs. Some like to back up onto a rock. Some like to back up on to tall grass. Some like corners. Some like to be out in the open. My little Pistol Pete needs to be in a wide open area, no walls or trees nearby, I think he likes to make sure he has a 360 degree view as he is small and it takes him a moment to get it done. I have a border collie who will only reliably poop when he is next to a tall object - telephone pole, tree, weird I know but I've noticed this about him and if I'm ever at an agility trial and I want to get one, I just find the appropriate tall object and he will go right away. It just may take a while longer for him to be comfortable in his new "spot" - good luck and sorry for sharing so much detail here! Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Collins Posted June 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hopefully they just has to get used to doing what I want. When I clean up the yards (aka cut the grass) I will go and set up the dedicated area better. Then I will be persistant and make sure we go to that spot first to potty before we let the dogs run loose. Lets keep our paws crossed that this will work quickly and flawlessly! Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoresDog Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Is there an update available? I was wondering, since this is such an issue at our house. It is amazing how long an adult border collie can hold it. Til it has converted to hard, dry cork! I really would like my 5-year-old, Daisy, to get on board with using the designated area behind the house and not insist on only pooping while off-site, on walks. There are times when it's just so darn inconvenient! In almost every way, Daisy behaves better than Juno (18 months old), but when I open the door, and Juno so cooperatively scampers around back to the bark area and does her business, it is very appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anda Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Hehe, the poop walk. Sometimes a poop run is required, especially in Ouzo's case. He can drive us nuts with picking his "go" spots. And no, we don't even have a yard. He has about 5-6 spots within the huge area where we walk him every day, and if he refuses to go even in the last one, that's it, there's nothing coming out till next walk So we have to beg him, and give him commands to "Go sit and poop", which only works part of the time. If he has a ball or other distraction, that needs to be taken away and a command be given to remind him of his task And yes, he seems to prefer to "mark" trees, tall grass or rocks, with one raised leg, of course. So delightful, especially when wearing natural fluffy pantaloons ... At least he asks to go out if he has to go really bad. Or, if we're not home and an emergency arrises, he figured out by himself to use my husband's bathtub - he's done it twice this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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