Why Won't He " Do His Business" While On A Leash?

[Guest micheleb20002]

I have recently adopted a great dog..one problem. He will not "do his thing" while on a leash.-- If he does urinate, then it is just to mark. He then comes inside, and when he I leave, or he just can't hold it any longer, he goes in the house. He came from a foster family who had a fenced in back yard.. I don't. I put him in a crate today, and he seemed to go a bit more..however, I am not a fan of leaving him in a crate for the better part of the day while I am at work. He received his training at a prison. Any ideas?... Thank you.

[Sambuca]

He probably never had to go while on leash. Think of it as stage fright. How long are your walks? Can you make them longer? Or walk him, come inside and 30 minutes later walk him again rinse and repeat until he does what needs to be done. It may take a little while for him to adjust, but once he does it will get easier for both of you and you won't need to be out as long.

[buddibear]

Same problem here. Picked up a 2year from the farm. He will not go on leash. I have been dealing with this since May. He love his privacy out in the yard,but when we all go walkies,it's only for marking. Our leadership has said walk him on a 12 foot leash and alone with no other dogs. Nada. I can walk for 30 minutes he will come in the house and head for the farthest room in the house and drop it.So many of the candidates for adoption live in apt or condos and walking is the only way of life there. I'm waiting for an adoptee with a yard and discuss the issue. By the way, he learned the 15 stairs the first day.

[TheFullHouse]

Try hooking two leashes together and see if he'll go. The other thing you can try is get him up to a trot. Even in the back yard mine will trot bit before peeing or poohing.

[Guest micheleb20002]

Thanks for the ideas! I am looking forward to trying a few.-- A little trot would do me some good also

[Time4ANap]

Make sure you are giving him good "targets." We bought a couple of traffic cones and walked Rocket by them when he first came. (The taller the better - you can get them at Home Depot or a hardware store for 8-15 dollars each depending on the height.) He wouldn't go on leash either, and it was 25 below zero out - fun times.

 

He needs things to lift his legs against while on a leash. Our boy also loves tall clumps of grass - although we do keep him away from shrubs and trees in people's yards when on walks. Trees in the right of way or median are fair game.

[greysmom]

When you walk for potties, make it purposefull and quite fast in the beginning. Maybe even jog for 5 minutes or so. After he's done his business you can slow down and let him sniff a bit. Stay to the same route for potties as they will most likely go where they've gone before. A lot of greys have a shy bladder/bowel and they won't go if you're watching or too close. Try a longer leash for potties and a shorter one for sniffing/exercise.

 

You may have to walk a good long while for him to move around enough to go. When he does, have a little potty paty right there - lots of high voice "GOOD BOY!!!!" and lots of treats. You'll get strange looks but you'll also train him better.

[Guest firegypsy]

all good advice. my guy was the same way. it took about a week, but he figured it out! I agree with longer walks that are initially purpose driven.

[Guest greysmitten]

I was told prior to adoption that my girl simply doesn't "go" while on leash. Within an hour of her coming home, she was "pottying" on leash. She has ever since. I don't know why she didn't prior to arriving here.

 

From the beginning, I have praised her for urinating or defecating when/where is appropriate. I remember the first weeks of following her outside and going bananas when she squatted. I literally explained to my neighbours over the fence that I really wasn't crazy. Thankfully, they understood

[Guest HHHounds]

Let me take him for a walk... Just kidding - my hounds love to poop on the sidewalk when I walk them - yucky!

[XTRAWLD]

We had this problem when transitioning from a house with a yard to a house with no yard. I would be out there for 15-45 minutes before he would go. On walks at the old house he would never do #2. It took him some learning that he has to go when we walk at the new house, otherwise sorry buddy, you have to hold it. He has NEVER gone in the house. I've been late for work waiting for him to go. He's the kind of dog that needs the stars aligned, the wind has to blow the right way, before he goes. We have a small area in the backyard with grass, and when I would give up on the walk, I would alternate to the backyard. I would stand in the middle and he would just circle endlessly around me, until he finally went. I think the yard on a leash helped him get over his pooping in public fear.

 

He's also still new to you, so you will have to get used to him. We can tell now what our boy will do before he does it. We know his routine for having to go poop. He walks along the edges of the grass and curb, or sidewalk. He keeps his nose down (no stopping to sniff) and he does a fast trot. We can keep up with a fast walk gait or slightly jog a bit to keep his rhythm. He then waddles and there you have it.

 

Good luck.

[GeorgeofNE]

Agree with most of what's been said, with the addition of--keep him leashed and with you INSIDE until he's gone OUTSIDE.

 

Take him out, walk him. If he doesn't poop, take him inside, don't just let him go--keep him with you. You're both housebreaking him AND getting him to go on a leash. He WILL do it eventually. He has to. But if he gets the chance to go somewhere in the house...you're training him in a different way!

 

Obviously if you work this can be problematic, but oh joy! We have a three day weekend coming up! Great time to do this.

[Guest dragontearz]

It took Oberon three months before he would poop while on the leash-we'd come home from a walk whether long or short, and then immediately have to let him out in the backyard to finish his business....

 

I was told the same thing about Guinness-"he won't go on leash"..took him for a walk half an hour after adopting him, and he was pooping like it was old hat..

 

It'll happen, patience is all it'll take.

[Guest MyHoodies]

Take some good treats with you on the walk. we did this with our first grey as we didn't have a fenced in yard. when he did go... we make a fuss over him and gave him a treat and lots of pets/praise. eventually he learned to go on a leash... it just took time.

 

agree to keep him on the leash in the house and if he goes to "go" a stern "no" and right out the door.

 

we also tried not to watch him as much when walking (kind of ignored him) so it kind of gave a little bit of privacy.

 

how about walking on a not to busy area???

 

all good advice here. just don't lose faith

[Guest SusanP]

Our Simon was very shy about going potty while on leash. We finally managed while on vacation with no fenced yard to get her to go using an extra long leash. After that, she did eventually learn to go on a 6' leash if I stretched my arm way out and turned my back, but she still preferred the yard. Is there any chance you can fence in even a small area for your pup?