Getting A Hound Out In The Rain

[Guest DeniseL]

Any suggestions for getting your hound to go out in the rain for potty? It was raining when I got home from work and Miami refused to go out. He didn't go until about 10pm when it stopped. That was almost 14 hours with no pee!!! I tried repeatedly to get him out. Thyme at least ran out to relieve herself then right back in. Im afraid that it might be raining one morning before work and I will have to leave him in all day without going....

[OwnedBySummer]

When the weather isn't co-operating for Summer (she doesn't mind rain at all but if there's thunder involved or even on the way, that's a different story), I put her in a harness and take her out the front door to the nearest streetlight -- the p-mail will encourage her to go. If I take her into the backyard in this particular type of weather, she won't go and will run back to the door. Even if I leash her up, she refuses. And I don't want her to get afraid of the backyard. The harness is used for these scary bathroom trips solely so I don't lose her on the street if she freaks. Also, some dogs prefer to wear raincoats in the rain.

 

ETA: And there's no such thing here as refusing to go out, LOL. The leash gets attached and then we're cheerfully (at least, on my part) out the door. Don't let him dictate -- if out is what you're doing together, then out it is.

Edited September 10, 2012 by OwnedBySummer

[kronckew]

 

Getting millie out in the rain is easy. it only takes two people. one to go out and get the shackle at the end of the winch line and hook it up to her harness and start the winch motor. the other to pry 16 toenails out from the door frame where she is stubbornly holding on for dear life. i probbaly could get by with one if i had a remote control winch, tho hooking it up to her harness while she is under the bed in the bedroom might be iffy. so far i've only had to replace the door frame semi-annually. she did burn out one winch motor. darn war surplus battleship anchor winch wasn't up to the job. had to get a bigger one. once she clears the door, she's fine.

Edited September 10, 2012 by kronckew

[Guest IrskasMom]

Light Rain/Drizzle is no Problem for mine .

Edited September 10, 2012 by IrskasMom

[Brandiandwe]

Fortunately my two shoot out the door for the walks as soon as it opens. Sadly for them, by the time they realize it's raining, I'm put too, the door is shut and we're walking cheerfully down the street.

[Guest kess]

I don't like walking in the rain myself. When I go to work the dogs are outside even if it is raining, we have plenty of undercover shelter for the dogs and out of the wind as well. If it is cold I will leave Bobby's rug on, I wouldn't trust the dogs inside alone for hours without any humans around. I work part time so am usually home by lunchtime.

 

I am not having a go about othe countries but have noticed a lot of people crate their PET dogs when they are out, I don't know anyone in Australia who crate their dogs. We have a well fenced yard so I like to leave the dogs outside during the day.

[JohnF]

Tell me about it! Peggy is the most stubborn one I have ever had when it comes to peeing in the rain.

You either wait til the birds start singing (rain just stopped enough), or you get a bog umbrella, raincoat on the dog, leash up and go part ways along her usual walk (As owned by Summer says to read the p-mail of other dogs.) I find the umbrella keeps me from getting stressed too quickly because I'm not getting soaked and the less stress from me the less stress on the dog.

[Guest GreytDogMa]

I have a "fair-weather" dog too. BUT We put on our raincoats and out we got. He usually tries to pull me back until we'er out of the yard. Then he's ok.

[Guest DeniseL]

thanks everyone. I did manage to pull him outside and down the steps, but once there, he frooze ( he is a master of this lol). He wasn't in any sort of mindset to pee. It has taken him two months to feel comfortable walking around the neighborhood, although he is walking pretty consistently now. Maybe he just needs to get used to the rain? He is such a sensitive pup.

Oh and the umbrella didn't work, he stared at it with gigantic saucer eyes LOL. Maybe I should try to use the umbrella more often when it is not raining to get him used to it. My neighbors have really been getting a kick out of us with this hounds anyway

[Guest NancyS]

Tipper also gives me trouble going out in the rain - not light rain, but she hates heavy rain and forget about going out if it's thundering - even with a raincoat. I leash her up away from the front door and lure her with small treats. It also helps if I walk her around (in the house) in circles. It gets both of us confused, but sometimes makes it easier to make that dash out the front door. Of course I also wear a slicker and carry an umbrella if it's really heavy rain. The real problem is when she walks backwards trying to go home while I am leading her away from the house. Talk about neighbors wondering about my mental state! Having a greyt grey is an amazing experience - love her!!

[Feisty49]

Yah, rain isn't a favorite here either, especially if it's dark or even remotely not totally daylight. The brakes go on the minute we leave the door and are on the covered part of the terrace, that is if she hasn't looked out the window and seen the rain, then the body doesn't even get off her bed. I'll let Annie Bella be picky for a couple of hours, because I don't like getting wet either, but I eventually get us geared up and out the door. If she brakes then, I give her a gentle push on her shoulders and that gets her going.

[Gryffenne]

Sammi doesn't mind the rain TOO Much, but I really try to get her out if a storm is coming before it hits land. She will prefer to hold it til the storm quiets down, if given the choice.

 

The worst ever was a full on Lake Michigan Blizzard. Sub zero temps (where the windchill is so bad the weatherman warns against breathing without nose/mouth covered), ice/sleet, blowing snow and near hurricane winds. In that event, I put newspaper down in the garage. At first she wasn't sure what I was wanting her to do. Once I opened the door to walk out of the garage with her leashed, she statued in the doorway staring at the raging storm, turned around and walked over to the newspaper. Each time she pottied, I immediately bagged it up and tossed it in the trash and laid out fresh paper.

[TheFullHouse]

I have 8 who think they are going to melt in the rain. My trick, get them excited, muzzle them up, open the door and they run out, close the door. By the time they realize it's raining the door is shut. They figure the faster they go the faster they get back in so they usually run out, do their business and run back in.

[NeylasMom]

Put your raincoat on, put his leash on and out you go. Walk until he goes and when you get back inside, give him an awesome drying off with the towel. My dogs love their rubdowns when we come back in from the rain, they can't wait to get up the stairs to have it done. We often take 30-60 minute walks in the rain.

 

ETA: My dogs have raincoats so if it's doing anything more than sprinkling they get their rain coats on. Then the rub down is mostly focused on head and neck (and they get their legs and feet dried off). He might prefer going out in a raincoat though.

Edited September 10, 2012 by NeylasMom

[EnzaFerrari]

When it's pouring and we have to go outside, I cave and grab the best treats in the house and bribe her to get outside. Once out there, we might have a battle of wills but four years into it, I think she has finally figured out the faster she goes, the faster we get inside.