Q: My dog can spend hours outside, then as soon as I let him inside he relieves himself on the kitchen floor right in front of me!  How long do I have to keep him outside? 

A: This is actually an easier problem to resolve than it seems.  Your dog’s behavior is telling you that he actually feels more comfortable eliminating in your presence.  And that’s a good thing.  The simple solution to this problem is to make your presence present outside.  In other words, don’t send your dog outside alone.  Go with him – for a while. 

Your dog may actually be worried about being outside alone.  If you take him outside on a regular schedule for a few weeks, you can gradually decrease the time you spend outside with him.  Or you may find you actually enjoy spending time with your dog outside.  Long walks with a friendly companion are actually good therapy for people.  And long walks help your dog eliminate more comfortably outside.  Nothing like a little activity to get the juices flowing – if you know what I mean.  Walking in slow small circles or figure 8’s has also been known to trigger a dog’s need to relieve himself.  Then you’ll be able to praise your dog for relieving himself in front of you – because he did it outside. 

Today’s blog author is Marie Tripton. Marie is the senior behavior/training specialist at the Richmond SPCA. Call the Behavior Helpline at (804) 643-SPCA for help with crate training and other pet behavior topics.

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