I spent over an hour in the rain with Cara, she was soaked I was soaked she cried– no way would she go. I gave up. If she poops on the back porch, she poops on the porch. I never imagined I would have a dog I could NOT teach to go out once I got the feet wet-- but I give up. I have never owned a dog that hates the wet ground like she does. Fortunately she WILL go on the walk or porch, so such is life. Hopefully your dog will continue to do better. I have fought this with her for a year and have finally accepted that her holding it til she gets diarrhea (I even MATCH STICKED her, and it didn't work) isn't the solution. I don't often fail in training, but this one, she has trained me.
(I even MATCH STICKED her, and it didn't work) isn't the solution. I don't often fail in training, but this one, she has trained me.
As a last resort, I'll use a match. Just a paper one, and not the "business" end, but it usually works for me. (one good thing I learned from show people!) But we are lucky here, since I have a barn and a hay shed. Taking him inside the hay shed in wet weather or when it is too cold outside usually does the trick. (it's just as cold in the shed, but out of the wind and his feet don't get so cold on the hay….saves me putting on his boots when I'm in a hurry!).
HAHAHA!! I am glad that he went for you. I found that they kind of get excited just going for a walk and forgot all about the rain and wet grass. But if it was our own yard they would just stand and stare at you like you were killing them, holding up one paw. As for the winter, I live in northern Alberta and it can get to like -40 C here, I have tried booties but for the amount of time they spend outside to go its not worth it. I do however put jackets on them when it gets colder than -20. They like the snow because it's just cold on their feet, not wet. We shovelled them paths around the yard so that the snow was hard-packed and they would zip out the doggy door, do their business and then come whistling in to lay in front of the wood stove again!
But if it was our own yard they would just stand and stare at you like you were killing them, holding up one paw.
OMG! That is PRECISELY what the drama queen does, hold up one foot and cry. I wish I had a shed. I have thought about putting a tarp or cover over one area…hmm.. that may be a solution but the problem is the yard slopes ever so slightly downward... Have to think about that. Maybe one wrap around area that would work for.
We have done the tarp thing for them before as well. Took it off of our deck and attached it. They didn't mind that but first you had to get them down the stairs to even go under there!!
We do have a shed and mine run through the rain and into the dry to poo. Luckily they've learnt from each other.
[QAs a last resort, I'll use a match. Just a paper one, and not the "business" end, but it usually works for me.
Okay, I think I can figure this out, but I have to ask in case I am wrong. Using a match?
I have told this on myself before; when it is an all-day rain, we load dogs up and drive about 5 miles to an overpass that is almost a block long, we park and walk back and forth under the highway. The dogs are very happy and get completely emptied out, then we go home dry. Fortunately we only have to resort to this a couple of times a year, most of our rains are only a few hours at most!
We have a dog park much closer and they will go there in a light rain, much easier than trying to drag them around the block.
I think a tarp in the back yard is a great idea!
http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/matching.html (You can use vasoline instead of spit and while I have HEARD the sulfur end works to make the dog need to poop, I do not use the sulfur end!)
How To Match Your Dog To Make It Poop
Take one or two paper matches and put the sulfur tips briefly in your mouth to wet them.
Straddle your dog facing its butt.
Pull the tail out of the way and insert the now wet sulfur tips of the matches in your dog’s anus. Deep enough that just the ends of the matches are visible and hang out just a tiny bit.
Release the dog.
Usually the dog will start squatting almost immediately to expel the matches. If the dog doesn’t, then you can repeat the steps above.
Do not insert more than 4 matches at a time. Rarely do you need to use 4 matches but some dogs are more stubborn than others.
When the dog squats to expel the matches, it will usually poop too. Don’t forget to clean up after your dog.
Voodoo doesn't like stepping out of the house when it's raining, but once we are walking he is fine with it. We have been walking in the rain most of the week (and it's supposed to be summer…).
Wet grass isn't a problem at all. I can make him sit, lay down, stay in it...
He even likes playing in the water, and even an occasional swim.
[QAs a last resort, I'll use a match. Just a paper one, and not the "business" end, but it usually works for me.
Okay, I think I can figure this out, but I have to ask in case I am wrong. Using a match?
Just what you think…....insert it very gently. Usually it's enough of an irritant that it induces them to get down to business. 
I like to just use the paper ones, as it seems to work for me. A breeder I know sends everyone out in the backyard with matches in their butts on rainy days, then she knows who has and who hasn't!
Oh, I see Debra has already covered this.....
Can you put up one of those 'Easy Up' tents or some sort of umbrella so the grass or a patch of sand is there for the elimination on those kind of days. Uzie's previous owner told me that Uzie would not eliminate outside when the weather was foul (Tenn). The first time it rained here in Fl after his arrival, I luckily had a canopy erected. I promptly wrapped him in a 'blankey', carried him out about the 30yards to the canopy, and put him down on the dry sandy area. Success even while it was raining. I opened the gate and he 'ran' back on his own to the house. Now, with the company of my other two, he will actually go outside and do his business during a 'sprinkle'. It gets cold here in the winter (Florida standards….!) No snow, but we do get freezes...another obstacle i am sure.....
I get a rain poncho on and walk mine..one at a time until they go. I end up soaked, but I know that they've gone. I've tried to "match" Zuni once and it didn't work on her!
My boy has held it for 16 hours(#1)-(#2-48 hours) and we have had to carry him down the stairs when it rains. He HATES to get his feet wet. I will now take him under a tree in our yard and he will eventually go. My female now does the same thing-under a tree and right back in to be dried.
Sadly, this is why I look forward to Winter.
Kananga is extremely fussy outside during the warmer months, whether its moisture on the ground or in the air, he is extremely difficult sometimes.
In the Winter, however, he knows to go and go fast. He's experienced temps as low as -20 to -30 F (without windchill), and knows we only stay outside for a very brief moment and then we're back inside. Somehow he has learned that cold/snow = go fast.
Snow means we shovel a bare spot in the yard or they wont go! I guess they would eventually but the whining and standing and staring in the snow isnt worth it. So, we dig a trench and a spot with grass.
Oh I can't wait until the next rain fall and then winter time! Thanks guys, the walking helped so I'll try that for now and I'll try to find some all weather booties
The method I've always used with Tucker is that the more he fusses and tries to go back towards the house, the futher I walk him away. It only took a few times for him to grasp this concept. Now I take him to his spot, and if he doesn't go, I move on a 50 feet or so further from the house and he gives up and goes. Typically, he'll just go like normal. Every now and again he'll need a refresher…
This has been a bone of contention with me and my girl every since she arrived. Luckily this summer it hasn't rained much and thankfully not in the morning when I'm leaving for work!
I've tried the "take em for a walk" - but she balks as soon as I open the door and refuses to even go outside and if I try to "drag" her, forget it, she will try to chew through the leash! I've locked the door and stood outside and wasted my time with her - she will just wait until it hurts. The match trick works to get her to poop but what to do for peeing? Lately I've taken to getting her to run around the house or something else active and then shooing her out when it looks like she can't hold any longer (which doesn't mean she'll go right away but generally she'll go).
This for me is the only really truly consistently frustrating thing about basenjis.
I have tried staying outside, matchsticking, you name it. I am going to put a cover on the wraparound part of fence, shipping pallet with shavings or straw and give her a dry place. It's that or kill her.
