rainy days and potty training?

[stsivo]

what the hell do y’all do when your dog refuses to go outside when it’s raining? i’m really irritated because yesterday it was raining and not a single ounce of piss or poop was made outside. he did it all in the house. of course it’s raining again today and tomorrow and it’s going to drive me fuckin bananas because even tho he still wasn’t getting the hang of potty training he’s definitely not now!!!!!!!!!!!!!! anything he did know about holding it til we’re outside is shot out the window now. im already struggling w not getting frustrated over the fact that he’s still not potty trained and im abt to move to a place w carpet and this is making everything absolutely worse.

this dog refuses to go potty on walks/outside of the backyard and the place im moving to has no backyard so it’s going to set back the potty training even fucking more than it already is!!!

i feel like i can’t do it!! im so annoyed!! i get you’re only 5.5 months but still!!!!!! it’s fuckin rain!! you’re gonna have to go outside!!!

 

[jb185]

@stsivo You go outside with them and don't go back in until they've peed

 

[wmusic]

@jb185 Yep. Rain is just another thing to teach that it's not a big deal. Now is not the time to let the puppy decide "oh, it's raining so I don't want to go out." He can do that when he's older, trained, and can actually hold his pee/poo.

 

[alexm961]

@wmusic Exactly this. If she didn't go outside, she went straight into her crate when we came in and back out 15-30 minutes later to try again.

She will pee or poop in thunder storms, blizzards, wind storms, it could be pouring rain out and she'll go.

 

[tarantula]

@stsivo If they don't go, kennel them for 10 minutes and then try again.

This is your life for the next couple days.

 

[isabelle44]

@stsivo I think rain can actually be your friend here.
Mine hates the rain so he's very quick to pee and poo and going back in was actually a great reinforcer for him.

If you don't use cues for pee / poo, I strongly advise to do so, then the dog understands the aim of being out and can discriminate being out for potty and being out for fun.

Go out with him outside, on the leash, and stay for say 5 mins. If nothing happens, go back inside, monitor him or keep him in the crate for 10 mins and repeat (just like regular early days potty training really)

Also, don't let him train you into thinking that rain is lava. He needs to be able to function in the rain. So get a lot of treats, and off you go.
Mine will look like I'm killing him when we happen to walk in the rain, but that's life, he's not made of sugar, he won't melt because of a bit of water. I'm not saying going for a one hour hike if its pouring, but going out to empty the tanks is not an option.
The more you comply the more he'll think that rain really IS lava.

 

[ramondor]

@stsivo have you tried using an umbrella to cover them?

take them out, give them a few minutes. if they won’t go take them back in. repeat in 10 minutes and every 10 minutes until they go. it is less than ideal and a huge pain but so is everything with a puppy hahah

we did this with mine and now he knows when it’s raining he has to gtfo get his business done and get tf back in

 

[stsivo]

@ramondor it’s a struggle to even get him outside the door! he has a raincoat so i’ve been using that but he still drags his feet about going outside and stepping into the yard where the patio isn’t covering him lol

i haven’t tried an umbrella tho! i was thinking about using one before i made this post because i didn’t know what else would work lmao

 

[pilgrim]

@stsivo pick him up and carry him

 

[stsivo]

@pilgrim this dog is 5.5 months and 40 lbs! it isn’t for someone my size i had resorted to carrying him too tho

 

[pawnshopguy]

@stsivo Rain coats for you and the dog, and patience. Mine refused to poop in the rain until he was 5 months. I spent a lot of time standing in the rain repeating "do your business".

 

[stsivo]

@pawnshopguy he has a raincoat it’s hard to get him outside and into the yard and then i can stand there for 10 minutes in the pouring rain and he’ll still be a statue refusing to move he’s a stubborn lil shit and does this even when it’s not raining

 

[shell369]

@stsivo then you stand there with him until he gets over it and pees. yes, seriously lol. give him a big 'ol jackpot reward after he goes and make a huge deal of praising him. then yall can go back inside.

 

[wonderfullymade1972]

@stsivo I used to use an umbrella and still would if it’s a rainstorm . But I got my guy a raincoat and now he doesn’t mind being in the rain . He refused to go when he was 4 months ( he’s 10 months now ) without some kind of cover . It was stressful, but I found keeping him covered really helped . I also would play rain and thunder sounds so we would eliminate fear from the sound so we only had to deal with the actual rain bothering him

 

[stsivo]

@wonderfullymade1972 he has a raincoat it still does not help at all. i’m going to have to try the umbrella method because this is bananas

 

[wonderfullymade1972]

@stsivo Awww yes . I feel you. It’s so frustrating but also anxiety inducing . Just try to keep him as warm and dry as possible while also enforcing positively . Bring treats he loves outside and praise him when hes relaxed . You’ve got this mama !

 

[sonhp]

@stsivo I remember the frustration - hang in there! What worked for us was setting a time limit to waiting around outside. No pee/poop in 10 mins? Then we go back inside, keep an eye out for a squat, and go try again in 10-15 mins.

 

[dallasthomas]

@sonhp I also set a timer because it kept me sane stood in the snow & rain in my big coat! I knew he surely must go by the end of the 15 minutes & it lessened the feeling of doom!

 

[prisha]

@stsivo You’ve gotten some good advice. I have a puppy who, as a breed trait, hates the rain. I didn’t know that when I got her. One thing we do is practice tolerating the rain by doing fun stuff in light rain. Like I toss some treats and tell her “search” or play a short game of tug of war. Not when it’s pouring, just when it’s raining a little bit. She’s beginning to tolerate rain much better now.

 

[andrew923]

@stsivo Tips that helped me when I had this problem:
- pick up puppy and carry him away from the door so he can’t just scurry back (on a leash, obviously)
- high value treats - I would take my puppy to her potty spot and encourage her to go “go potty” and would give her treats while there to encourage her staying out long enough to go
- if they don’t go, monitor 100% of the time and get them outside immediately when showing signs of needing to potty (erring on the side of going out too often than not often enough)