Guest Amba1027 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I bought Arya a coat when we first got her and this morning it was pretty chilly out so I decided to put it on her. She was nervous about the strange thing on her back, as I thought she would be. I walked her around a bit. She was fine with moving around with the coat on but she wouldn't go potty. After a bit she finally squatted to pee, stayed there for a minute, then stood back up. Without ever peeing. I finally took her back to the house, took the coat off, and went back out. She peed immediately. How do I get her used to the coat so she'll potty with it on? Should I just leave it on her while she's in the house? I don't want her to get too warm. Should I just keep walking her with it on and hope she eventually pees with it on? Since she did act like she was going to pee and then didn't I almost feel like she thinks she can't pee with it on. Like she tried and couldn't do it. Any advice would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Some dogs don't like to wear clothes. If you're just going out to piddle, she really doesn't need it in the first place, but I think if you take her on some nice long and fun walks when it's chilly enough to wear it, and make a big deal when she finally does pee, she'll get used to it! Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazehund Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Ditch the coat. Seems to me she is telling you pretty clearly it annoys her more than it helps her. I live in upstate NY. My dogs rarely wear coats and it gets plenty cold here. Why don't they wear coats you ask? Two reasons. 1) They have a coat. It is made of fur 2) They hate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 it's still way to warm for a coat. when it's really cold, then coat her, fold the back 1/2 of the coat up and take her for her walk. eventually she will get used to wearing it and doing her business. when she does and it's really bitter out, then lower the back 1/2 of the coat. otherwise, wait until she really needs it. is the coat too big and long? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feisty49 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 (edited) It's not cold enough, yet, IMO, for a coat, though Annie B was shivering this morning on her first morning P&P at 5:30. Nonetheless, for a quick P&P in the yard without a walk, I don't put a coat on her. Last winter was mild for us temperature wise. I suppose if we have a bad winter with below zero days, I will put a coat on her even for just a quick P&P. I too live in Upstate NY, and at least for my dog, it does get cold enough to wear something in the dead of winter. Pretty much if my girl is shivering, she's cold. Having said this, though, it can be 20 degrees outside and we'll start out with a coat, but if the sun is out and there's no wind, I remove it about halfway through our walk because the walking has worked up her internal heat and she no longer needs it. If it's 20 degrees, no sun and a wind chill bringing the temp down to zero, the coat does not come off because she is too cold without it. As someone else said above, fold the coat off her butt so she doesn't think there's something blocking her way. That's how I got Annie Bella used to the coat and now she pees and poos no matter what's on her. Edited October 12, 2012 by Feisty49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RMarie Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 My guy also won't pee with his coat on (except in emergency situations = rain), but he will poop with no qualms. He fakes me out sometimes and lifts his leg, but then walks away without peeing (course, he also does this even without a coat on). If our walk is more than half over and he still hasn't peed, then I do what others have mentioned and just pull the back half up and fold it over. He usually pees within the next minute or so after doing this. I've also noticed that when wearing his coat, he prefers to lift his leg and pee, rather than his usual squat form. I don't know if he thinks the coat will obstruct his flow, because God forbid his pee NOT go all over his front legs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Ditch the coat. Seems to me she is telling you pretty clearly it annoys her more than it helps her. I live in upstate NY. My dogs rarely wear coats and it gets plenty cold here. Why don't they wear coats you ask? Two reasons. 1) They have a coat. It is made of fur 2) They hate them. Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Work on getting your dog used to the coat & associating it with good things. Do this separate from potty trips or anytime when you have expectations other than simply feeling comfortable in a coat. While I don't think dogs need coats just because it is cold, some dogs are more comfortable with the warmth a coat can provide. If your dog is more comfortable without the coat then don't use the coat. However, having your dog feel comfortable wearing "clothes" or other foreign objects can pay off big time in sometimes unexpected ways. An example are times of injury or illness when a dog must where a bandage, t-shirt to aid in wound protection, rear assist harness, etc. The simply act of learning to adjust to wearing a coat can help ease the way for these other oddities. Dogs who don't freak out or can proceed with life as normally as possible under unusual circumstances can make life much easier for everyone involved. In short, don't make your dog wear a coat when she doesn't need one but do teach her that coats are good, normal & nothing to get in the way of carrying on as normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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