I have had my rescue dog for three months now. She is well housetrained. For the last four days she refuses to do her business outside. I think she has gone once or twice. I have searched the house to see if she is going inside but haven’t found anything. She is crated during the day and I feel terrible putting her in there when she hasn’t done any business.
She’s about 2 years old and of indeterminate breed. We have a deck with stairs. She will reluctantly go down the stairs with me but won’t continue out into the yard.
Once she’s at the bottom of the stairs, have you tried enticing her further into the yard with food?
You may want to try a treat she’s really fond of and begin the process inside. As an example, you stand by the door and call her to you and reward with a treat. Walk onto the deck by the stairs - repeat. Continue the process at the bottom of the steps and also after you walk out in the yard. Hopefully, she’ll follow relieve herself.
The General Questions forum is for factual questions. Since this is more of an advice and opinion question, it belongs in our IMHO forum. I will move the thread there for you.
Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion.
Is she eating and drinking? If you’ve got stuff going in and nothing coming out, that could be a really serious problem, as in take her to the vet ASAP type of problem.
Is she getting enough exercise? Dogs can go a couple of days without pooping if they are pretty sedentary.
What worries me is that you said she is well house-trained, which makes it seem like this is a sudden change of some sort. Hopefully she has found someplace to do her business inside the house that you just haven’t found yet. That’s more of a behavior problem and can be fixed (though it may take some time). If she’s just not going, then she needs to see a vet to make sure there’s no blockage or anything severely wrong with her.
Assuming that the dog has been secretly peeing somewhere though, it doesn’t sound like you are walking the dog at all. Leash her up and go for at least a 20 minute walk. In general, do this at least twice a day. Not all dogs are going to just trot on out into the yard and poop at the first opportunity and dogs need exercise.
My two ‘used’ dogs seem to have different morning habits. One runs right outside after being let out. The other seems to want something first and waits inside. I’m not sure what she is waiting for, so I go scratch her ears a bit or maybe offer her some water, and then invite her outside. So, maybe your has some old habit she thinks she needs to have addressed prior to going potty.
But, if the dog is not urinating or stooling, that needs close attention. Is she eating and drinking?
Is she a small dog? Dogs with luxating patella’s (bad knees) will often avoid getting into the posture for pooping or peeing for girls due to pain in the back legs. If this change is sudden I would get her to a vet ASAP.
Different food? Different lawncare products? Did the dog slip, or fall, on the deck stairs, or any stairs? Is the dog limping?
What happens when you walk into the yard, and call the dog to you?
Does the dog appear afraid when it leaves the house? When it approches the stairs? When it enters the yard?
You might try making a ramp for the deck stairs but:
If the dog isn’t eating, or drinking, get to the vet.
If the dog is eating, and drinking, but hasn’t deficate for 4 days, get to the vet.
If you suspect a hip, or shoulder injury, get to the vet.