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Use bathroom in specific spot outside?

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1.1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  Cassidy's Mom  
#1 ·
I know this has probably been asked already. But I have no idea how to search it. Ha!

I'm trying to figure out how to train my dog to use a specific area of the back yard to toilet. We've decided to get move him outside. He's 2, smart, and learns extremely fast.

He will take the training, I'm just not sure which angle to approach it.
 
#2 ·
I have a small fenced yard with a tree, a jump, etc. Not a whole lot of room to move around. Fortunately, my male always goes in the same spots unless he's marking the tree due to squirrels. My female had always gone in about the area we set up in for the jump, so I went out with her, stood in that spot, and pointed to the area I wanted her to go in. It didn't require treats for me, but that might help speed it up.
 
#3 ·
We've decided to get move him outside.
:thinking: "Move him outside" as is all the time? Or just when you're not home. Where is he currently?

My dogs tend to have a favorite spot to do their business, but their outdoor area is a separately fenced dog run, accessible by a dog door from the garage. If you want him to only go in one area, you could set up an outdoor kennel for him, or even just take him out on leash to a particular spot until he establishes a pattern. Once he's been using that spot for awhile it will smell right to him, and he'll probably continue going there.

But if you're going to just make him an outdoor dog, with free access to your entire yard, I don't see how you'd be able to control where he potties.