How to Train Your Dog to Not Pee on the Lawn
Introduction
Most of us house train our dogs as puppies, and consider ourselves pretty successful when we get our pup to start peeing outside, and not on the Persian rug in the living room! Unfortunately, after several months of your dog peeing in your yard, you may notice your lawn has dead patches and ugly brown spots. The problem is that dog urine contains high amounts of nitrogen, which can burn grass and result in unsightly dead patches.
Maybe it’s time to consider teaching your dog not just to go pee outside, but not to pee on your lawn either. Also, your neighbors may not be that happy about your dog peeing on their lawns when you go for a walk Teaching your dog an alternate spot or surface to relieve himself on will keep your lawn looking better and can maintain your popularity with your friends and neighbors too.
Defining Tasks
Getting Started
Before you start teaching your dog not to pee on the grass you will need to provide him with an appropriate place to pee. You can set up a grass-free area by removing all vegetation, including existing grass, with a non-toxic grass killer or by removing grass and vegetation manually, which will mean some digging. Then, replace grass and soil with sand for drainage and mulch, gravel or cement overtop. If your dog already has an area of your yard he likes to relieve himself in, and it is practical to do so, you can set up his designated bathroom area in that spot to help establish his new bathroom routine. You will need a leash to direct your dog to his new bathroom area, and lots of treats for rewarding desirable behavior. Ensure you have lots of time to spend shaping your dog's new potty habits and to spend rewarding him with play and outdoor activity on grassy areas, that does not involve him relieving himself there.
The Pee on Command Method
The Designated Spot Method
The Train on Cement Method
Written by Laurie Haggart
Published: 11/14/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
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Success Stories and Training Questions
Training Questions and Answers
Mabel
How to get my dog to NOT pee on the fake grass in my yard
914 Dog owners recommended
Hello Autumn, First, potty training habits are related to a dog's natural desire to keep a certain space clean and are something that's created over a longer term with time - pup needs to develop a long-term memory type habit. To create a habit of keeping that area clean so that pup will keep it clean even when you aren't there, pup needs to be taken potty to other locations each potty time and not to be given access to the fake grass when their bladder could be full for several months. When you take pup potty to the correct location, tell pup to "Go Potty" and reward with treats or a pieces of dog food after they go potty there. You can also work on deterring pup from using the potty on the fake grass. Feeding pup some of their meals on the fake grass can sometimes help - often this by itself isn't enough though. Whenever pup is on the fake grass, keep them leashed to you and clap three times while calmly saying "AhAh" to interrupt them and surprise a bit if they start to look for a place to go potty on the fake grass. Quickly rush them to a correct area and tell them to "Go Potty" there, then reward with a treat when they go in the correct location. It's important that the correction for trying to potty on the fake grass is also combined with a reward and praise for going in the right location. If you don't also reward the correct action, pup can think that you simply don't want them going potty in your presence - which can be a problem. Pup needs to see a clear difference, that it's just on the fake grass they shouldn't go, but other areas are good to go on. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
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