How to Train a Labrador to Poop Outside

Hello Liz, First, what is your yard like? Is it the same ground type as where pup is going during the walk. Like if pup is peeing on grass during your walk, do you have grass in your yard. If not, I would start by trying to modify your yard even a little, so there is at least a small area of sod, or pine straw, or whatever material pup is used to going potty on during the walk. Second, when you take pup potty on a walk right now, tell pup to "Go Potty", allow pup to sniff and go potty, then give a treat after pup goes. This is to teach that command so you can later instruct pup to go in your yard. Third, I would use a potty encouraging spray in your yard. Spray the area you a little where you will be taking pup potty before you take pup outside each time until pup is going potty there better. Fourth, take pup on leash in your yard, so you can keep pup moving in your yard. Slowly walk around your yard, while telling pup "Go Potty", passing over the spots you have sprayed the potty encouraging spray and encouraging pup to sniff the yard while you walk. The movement, smell, and association of going potty when pup hears "Go Potty" should all help pup's brain tell their body they need to go potty and feel that urge. After pup pees, reward with five small treats if pup pottied in the yard, one treat at a time, then if pup hasn't pooped yet during that part of the day, walk pup around in your yard another fifteen minutes while telling pup to "Go Potty" to encourage pooping if pup needs to poop too. Once pup is consistently, quickly going potty when you take them in the yard, then you can transition to off leash if the yard is fenced so you don't have to walk so much, but still watch pup and remind them to Go Potty and reward. Once pup is going well in the yard without the leash, then you can also phase out the potty encouraging spray, then finally phase out the treats (or you can give one treat long term when pup goes out to go potty then comes back to the door, as long as pup went potty while outside). If the above still can't get pup to go potty, you will need to crate train pup, and only give pup freedom in the home after they have gone potty outside in the yard, taking pup potty every 3-4 hours, then crating for an hour if pup doesn't go, then taking back out to the yard at the end of the hour, repeating this cycle every hour until pup finally goes potty in the yard and you reward with a treat at that point. The first three days pup will likely hold it for 8-12 hours. If pup holds it past that, you may have to give in and walk them, but until then I would stay firm unless they have a medical condition that's a concern, in which case speak with your vet; I am not a vet. Once pup starts going in the yard a few times successfully and is rewarded after holding out for a while, pup will usually start going more quickly after that point, and when pup is going potty right away when you take them into the yard and tell them to Go Potty, then you can stop using the crate again if pup does okay without a crate now, and is otherwise doing well. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Jan. 31, 2022