How to Train Your Dog to Stay in an Unfenced Yard

Hello, At this point the scent of the previous accidents are probably contributing to the pooping continuing. I would start by thoroughly cleaning that accident area with a cleaner that contains enzymes specifically. Only enzymes will break down the poop smell at a molecular level, removing to the extend that a dog's sensitive nose needs it to be in order to not smell it any longer and be attracted back to the same area again. Second, I would look into what dog food you are feeding or check with your vet about a possible illness or parasite issue that might be leading to more frequent and less controlled pooping. Finally, limit both dogs freedom in the home unless they have already pooped outside in the past four hours. Keep the dogs either tethered to you with a hands free leash, crated, or confined to a room they won't go potty in if it's been more than 3.5- 4 hours since they last pooped outside and might need to poop but won't poop again yet (avoid giving freedom during that window when they are full of poop and haven't eliminated it outside yet). To break a current potty issue habit, you need to stop the accident from happening anymore for an extended amount of days through managing that dog's schedule and freedom strictly until the bad habit is replaced with going potty outside consistently again. Again, I would check with your vet or look into a food issue also, especially if pups are pooping more than 3 times in 24 hours. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

June 14, 2023

Hello Niko, I suggest following the "Recruit Help from Friends method" from the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/stay-in-an-unfenced-yard I would start with just the above method. If pup is super motivated to leave by interesting things nextdoor, I would also do some remote collar training in addition to the above method. Whether that's needed or not depends a lot on the specific dog. Many dogs can be taught this with only positive reinforcement training, but others find distractions more rewarding that anything you can offer, and need additional consistency in the training for safety. First, learn how to fit the collars correctly by watching the video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLxB6gYsliI Figure out pup's "working level" on your e-collar, which is the lowest level that dog responds to at all - indicating they can feel the collar at all. Check out the video linked below on how to find this level and go through this protocol for each dog. Finding their Working Level - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cl3V8vYobM Next, walk pup, one dog at a time around your perimeter. Each time they approach the boundary line (which I would use property flags to mark well so pup's can visually remember and you will be consistent), use your leash to reel them back toward you, back inside the property line while at the same time pushing the stimulation button on the remote collar while pup is on the wrong side of the boundary line - as soon as pup gets back on the correct side of the boundary line, the correct stops and pup is praised. When pup begins to avoid going over the boundary line, you can also give treats for staying on the correct side. This will involve a lot of walking. Pup's will need to do this a lot, each dog separately, one at a time at first around the entire property line. Once pup's have learned the lesson well. You can go for a walk near the boundary line with the dogs off-leash and correct with the remote training collar if they cross the boundary during the walk - showing them that they still can't cross while off leash either. While you are still training the dogs you will need to physically keep them on your property using leashes and such so that they aren't running across the boundary line when you aren't ready - that will ruin your training. They need to be corrected consistently for crossing the boundary lines while you show them what they are supposed to be doing using the long leash (if you just correct and skip the long leash part they will likely run away and not toward you because they won't understand at first why they are being corrected - reeling them in with the leash and stopping the correction as soon as they are on the correct side of the boundary helps them learn to come back over to your side of the line). Another, easier option that will likely be even more effective if it's an option financially will be installing an electric fence around your property. You will still need to walk them around the boundary using a long leash and reel them back to your side of the boundary line when they cross to show them how to stop the correction - but the collars from the electric fence will enforce the correction for you and will be very consistent in correcting pups for crossing the boundary when you aren't around - making the training more effective and probably quicker for you. With electric fences, use flags to mark the boundary also and because your property is large, don't remove the flags later - keep them in place a s a reminder since you don't have a physical fence to remind pups. Don't skip walking the boundary with pups and teaching pup to avoid the electric fence - many people skip that part and it can ruin training for electric fences because dogs cross, then run and don't know how to stop the correction by returning - pups need to learn to return to make the correction stop so that they understand how to avoid the correction by not crossing the boundary. Reward pups with treats for not crossing. Clicker training: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPDOrEEsAJ8 Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

May 16, 2022