My dogs are housebroken, that’s not it. It’s just that they use the ENTIRE grass area in backyard as their latrine. I am incredibly good about cleanup, rarely do I let more than 24 hours pass, and I dump handfuls of earth over spots that are particularly messy even after pickup.
What I want is to encourage them to use one part of the yard and not use the rest. Do anyof the “Doggy Don’t Go” products actually work?
Also, my young dog (8 mos) pooped in the garage a couple of times, then he started to make a habit of it. Yesterday I scrubbed the entire area and then some with
Pinesol, followed by
Oxy Clean, followed by
a good double drench in pure white vinegar (slather everywhere, let dry, slather a bunch more and let dry.)
And he pooped there less then 24 hours later. Sigh.
I’m very frustrated.
Anyone found something that really works?
And on a related and revolting note…how is it possible that I have managed to fill to bursting at least 10 fly bags since the start of summer (representing TENS OF THOUSANDS of flies), and still have a yard full of flies? (although, to behonest, they really dont’ seem anywhere as thick as they have been when I don’t have the bags up constantly. Have you ever checked one of those things out up close? Holy crap…could anything be more disgusting? Which reminds me a of a question…)
The Doggie-Don’t-Go products that I’ve seen all tend to be directed towards indoors areas. I’m guessing that they won’t fare very well outside, and you wouldn’t be able to cover the yard entirely, either.
The best way to force them to use a certain area is to put up a boundary around a corner that you want the dogs to use. Then be as vigilant with them when they’re outside as you were when you were initially housebreaking the dogs. Drag 'em over there when they start to go, and lots of positive reinforcement.
What are fly bags? Like the Bag-a-Bug products my neighbors use to collect the Japanese Beetles that infest their lawn? Those thing work by means of sexual pheremones, which tends to just mean that every insect within several blocks is going to come camp out on your lawn, and you’ll never catch enough of them to irradicate the whole population. A much more efficient way of clearing -your- lawn is to put them up on a neighbor’s property.
Why don’t you do what people who live in apartments do. They just take their dogs out to a park or a nice grassy area, the dogs do their duty and the owner picks it up. Thereby no poop in your backyard.
Another alternative could be to aquire another dog, one that eats poop. It can be hard to tell if a dog is a poop eater initially, however poop eating can be trained. Dogs generally believe any food that comes out of the fridge must be a tasty treat, so try keeping some poop in there to use for rewarding good behavior.
My dog shits in the woods behind my house. It took about a month of training, but it isn’t that difficult. I would walk her down to the woods on the leash and praise/reward good behaviour. She hasn’t seen a leash in years, but she always defecates in the woods, or in tall grass at a park.
I can help you with the flies, but not the poopage. Google “beneficial insects,” and you’ll find a place that will sell you some teensy parasitic wasps. They’ll happily lay eggs inside fly maggots. Before long, you’ll have drastically reduced the fly population.
Diomedes is right about the pheromone traps. If you must use them, put them in the farthest corner of your property, or better yet, in your neighbor’s yard.
Doggie latrine habits are a training issue. If yours poops in the garage, he hasn’t been properly (or definitively) trained. You need to interupt the dog just before the act, take him (bodily or by the collar, depending upon size of dog) (and without rancor or even comment - remember, he hasn’t done anything wrong yet) to the “correct” area, and encourage him. Just like the original house training.
If you want to train him to use a specific area of the yard, this is equally simple, and by the same method. I’ve done this, greatly facilitating cleanup as well as barefoot walks in the dark.
All of my dogs have always been house dogs, so their toilet timing is dependant upon me opening a door or getting a leash. I have taught all of them the additional command “go pee” as part of their initial house training. I find it to be very useful, especially when traveling or when I am about to leave the house. There are times when you do not care exactly when a dog urinates or defecates (the command covers both), such as when you let him out into the yard for an exercise period, or when taking him on a longish walk. But have you ever traveled with a dog in the car and had to stop at those doggie rest stops along the highway? Your dog will do its damndest to squeeze out the tiniest chunk or drop over each and every place any of thousands of other dogs have ever pooped or peed. And then beg to stop at the very next doggie stop to repeat the interminable process.
My dogs are familiar with the command “go pee”, meaning we are here for business purposes only, not an extended visit. Also useful for that “go out in the yard, do your business, and come back inside, because I’m going to lock up and leave for a while”. If I do not use the command, it means we are not on a schedule, and play is invited.
Of course, you can substitute any phrase or even nonsense syllables for “go pee” if you wish.
