My dog has developed some strange phobia about my garden. He will go out the front door and do his biz in the car park, but if we let him in the garden, he will go out, but won't do anything. Last night he wouldn't even go out, and did his biz in the hallway. He showed he knew it was wrong, though.
2007-02-13 03:00:06 · 23 answers · asked by ? 5 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Bless him.
2007-02-13 03:00:35 · update #1
He always pees in the garden first thing in the morning, but for the rest of the day refuses to go out there. Occasionally he will chase his ball out there. He has taken a dump in the garden before, but it's not often. By the way, yes I DID mean car park, as I live in a block of flats, with communal car parking. When I walk him (eg. to the local park) he doesn't hesitate, so it's not really a problem with grass he has. I'm going to extend, cos its pretty difficult to separate a best answer at the mo. They're all pretty good. Even the joke ones. I wanted to thumbs-down, but I got a good chuckle, and just didn't have the heart. Hopefully this extra info should help.
2007-02-15 05:44:39 · update #2
Has he bizzed in the garden before?
I was going to say, but the other guy got to me before that. Something stressful probably happened to him out there, when you weren't watching. Bees, a large or ferocious animal, etc. Or maybe he is aware of something in the garden, maybe one of your neighbors has something in their backyard that he doesn't like? Like a mosquito whistle or repellant or something?
You said car park...! Maybe in the spirit of Monty Python you could call a company like Confuse a Cat Ltd., or Vex a Vole... There has to be a Distract a Dog in the phone book.
Bad joke, but seriously, kindly ask your neighbors or inspect the garden carefully. I hope you can find out what's changed that's causing the problem. Your dog sounds pretty smart.
2007-02-13 03:12:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Best that the dog does not do his job in the garden as it will pass any disease he may even carry to you by doing it. As for being afraid of the garden, put the dog on a leash and walk him around a while and then approach the garden area but do not be nervous as he will pick up on it so will be nervous too. Dont' break your stride but keep going and let the dog know there is nothing there that will hurt him in any way and that YOU are the leader of the pack and he will go where YOU want him to go. when he gets a bit comfortable with it, then is the time to praise him when he is calm and content. then take him out from time to time to just walk through the garden. I would not let him do his business in the garden as it is not good to have pet waste in your garden. It can, as I said before, convey things you really do not want it to pass on to you when you go to eat the veggies.
2007-02-13 11:13:31 · answer #2 · answered by ramall1to 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first thing to do is take the dog to your Vet to make sure that there is nothing physically wrong.
If that's OK, take him into the garden and watch his behaviour. Is he avoiding any areas? Does he seem anxious? Has anything changed in the garden? Did anything strange happen recently (loud bangs, etc.). These are the sort of things that you must look at and try to understand from the dog's viewpoint.
Persevere, I'm sure that something will come to mind. If all else fails, don't allow him to use anywhere else as a toilet. Take him into the garden and gently re-assure him that everything is OK. Stay with him until he has finished and praise him lavishly.
I wish you luck.
2007-02-13 11:29:37 · answer #3 · answered by bacteria4eva 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My first thought is that there was something in the garden maybe a small animal that scared it or something. Check the yard carefully and see if there is anything in the yard that could frighten the dog. Maybe a neighbor has a dog or some animal that scares yours. If so, take the dog into the yard with you. spend time in the yard with the dog. show him that it is okay. wait until he does his "biz" then reward the dog. Do this often.
Have you disciplined the dog for going in the Garden? If so, it may just be that the dog is responding to the discipline. Again show the dog the yard is okay. Seperate the garden from the yard, maybe with a small fence or something, and show the dog where is bad and where is okay.
2007-02-13 11:09:19 · answer #4 · answered by The Enlightened One 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What is growing in your garden?
Some plants emit an odor that dogs find repelling. Check that out. Also, when you let him out, do you go with him? This sounds weird but, he might prefer some company when he does his business and when you bring him to the dog park, there are others around to "inspire" him. Try walking into the garden with him to see what he is avoiding. A rabbit? A garden snake?
Is this a grass garden or stone, gravel or some other material that he doesn't like under his feet when he goes? I take it the dog park is grass. Sadly, carpets mimic grass under dogs feet and they sometimes feel comfortable going on them.
Take him to each plant in your garden and get him to smell it by making a big fuss over it like it's a dog treat. See if he backs off from certain ones. And when you're out there. use some word that means "go", something like, "Hurry up!". Eventually, he will relate the "Hurry Up!" to actually doing his business and he will respond.
2007-02-13 13:02:23 · answer #5 · answered by Mimi Di 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dog does stuff like this if he has been scared in the garden, like for a few nights after Guy Fawke's night he will be really reluctant to go out. Usually all it takes is me going out with him and standing with him while he does his business a few times is all it takes. Try that, and tell him how good he is when he does it. Do you have a command ("go wee wees") that you can say to him while he is out there?
Is your garden clean or has it got other "deposits" left in it (sorry, I'm not saying you are dirty or anything!). When I went away for work, my ex refused to clean up the garden after the dog and he didn't like to do his business out there, instead choosing to do it on the concrete driveway.
2007-02-13 11:13:19 · answer #6 · answered by Rae 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe something scares him out there like a cat or had some bad experience!
Try and make him overcome the phobia by playing with him in the garden and showing him its not all bad.
2007-02-13 12:58:32 · answer #7 · answered by the southern dandy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is something that has given him a fright in the garden. A dog that is worried about a certain area will not pee there because he is leaving his scent, in other words he is letting the scary object know he is there and he will not want to do this.
2007-02-13 11:09:17 · answer #8 · answered by red lady-bird 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think there is something that he didn't like about the garden. Dog psychologist would usually try to make the dog get closer to the garden by little force and little love. That's all you need.
2007-02-13 11:03:26 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Walk him out to the garden....do it as if there were nothing there...don't fuss, don't talk , just go and walk around with him on leash. Even sit and relax. You need to show him there is nothing to fear, and all is well. But don't fuss over him about it. Just be relaxed and he'll get the hint.
2007-02-13 11:10:17 · answer #10 · answered by vomdeitrichgiants 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋