Garden 'house' training

[TessRA]

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Hello, this is my first post, I registered specifically to get help on this matter, though I expect I'll find it very useful for other areas.

Our nearly 5 month old Cocker Spaniel bitch has been completely housetrained for several weeks and never messes in the house even when left on her own for a couple of hours. When we first got her I had an area in the garden cordoned off (at considerable expense) and this was used exclusively as her toilet area. Since getting older and spending lots of time in the garden over the summer months she has stopped using this and the entire garden has now become her poop area. I pooper scoop on a daily basis but it is awful, I can just about deal with the 2 foot holes she's been digging but our lawn (and patio) has now become a no go area for us. I feel like I have lost my garden, which used to be a nice sanctuary for me to chill out in.

Anyway I would really appreciate any advice as to how to now get her to go back to her original area so I can reclaim the garden back (to a degree, unless anyone also knows how to stop her from digging holes).

Many thanks and much appreciation.

 

[hanneroon]

hi there, think you might have to go right back to basics with this and start taking her to the toilet area, (on a lead if neccessary) and praising her when she goes. You must be in a bit of a routine by now, and have some idea when she is likely to go, so you will have to start pre-empting her and taking her there before she goes and waiting there till she has.

Its going to be a bit difficult as you have already allowed her to go in the garden, and so it will smell of wee and such, and it will take a little while for her to understand that she is no longer allowed to do her business there. Dogs don't naturally poo in the same place over and over again (like a rabbit might for instance), but they can be taught to. You will need to watch her carefully and if she starts circling and sniffing, or any other behaviour that you recognise as her preparing to wee or poo, and then take her immediatley to the toilet area, with loads of praise and perhaps treats when she gets the message. Do you have a set phrase you use to ask her if she needs to go out, or that you use when she is going in the right place, if not i would pick one and start using it as a signal to her for her to do her business....

good luck! photo's of your pup please.